[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 29 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7274-7275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3086]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Data Collection(s) Available for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for 
public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collections are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden for the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

1. Title and Purpose of Information Collection

Application for Survivor Death Benefits; OMB 3220-0031

    Under Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), lump-sum 
death benefits are payable to surviving widow and widowers, children 
and certain other dependents. Lump-sum death benefits are payable after 
the death of a railroad employee only if there are no qualified 
survivors of the employee immediately eligible for annuities. With the 
exception of the residual death benefit, eligibility for survivor 
benefits depends on whether the employee was ``insured'' under the RRA 
at the time of death. If a deceased employee was not so insured, 
jurisdiction of any survivor benefits payable is transferred to the 
Social Security Administration and survivor benefits are paid by that 
agency instead of the RRB. The collection obtains the information 
required by the RRB to determine entitlement to and amount of the 
survivor death benefits applied for.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form(s) AA-11a (Designation for Change 
of Beneficiary for Residual Lump-Sum), AA-21cert, (Application Summary 
and Certification), AA-21 (Application for Lump-Sum Death Payment and 
Annuities Unpaid at Death), G-131 (Authorization of Payment and Release 
of All Claims to a Death Benefit or Accrued Annuity Payment), and G-
273a (Funeral Director's Statement of Burial Charges), to obtain the 
necessary information. One response is requested of each respondent. 
Completion is required to obtain benefits.
    The RRB proposes no changes to any of the forms in the information 
collection.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                        Form (s)                            responses      Time (min)     Burden  (hrs)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-11a..........................................................             200              10              33
AA-21cert (with assistance).....................................           5,400              20           1,800
AA-21 manual (without assistance)...............................             300              40             200
G-131...........................................................             600               5              50
G-273a..........................................................           5,000              10             833
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------

[[Page 7275]]

 
    Total.......................................................          11,500  ..............           2,916
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2. Title and Purpose of Information Collection

Request for Medicare Payment; OMB 3220-0131

    Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act, the RRB 
administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the railroad 
retirement system. The collection obtains the information needed by 
Palmetto GBA, the Medicare carrier for railroad retirement 
beneficiaries, to pay claims for payments under Part B of the Medicare 
program. Authority for collecting the information is prescribed in 42 
CFR 424.32.
    The RRB currently utilizes Forms G-740S, Patient's Request for 
Medicare Payment, (along with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services Form CMS-1500) to secure the information necessary to pay Part 
B Medicare Claims. The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting 
editorial changes to RRB Form G-740S. The completion time for Form G-
740S is estimated at 15 minutes. The RRB estimates that approximately 
100 Form G-740S's are received annually. Completion is required to 
obtain a benefit. One response is completed for each claim.

3. Title and Purpose of Information Collection

Statement of Claimant or Other Person; OMB 3220-0183

    To support an application for an annuity under Section 2 of the 
Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) or for unemployment benefits under 
Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), pertinent 
information and proofs must be furnished for the RRB to determine 
benefit entitlement. Circumstances may require an applicant or other 
person(s) having knowledge of facts relevant to the applicant's 
eligibility for an annuity or benefits to provide written statements 
supplementing or changing statements previously provided by the 
applicant. Under the railroad retirement program these statements may 
relate to changes in annuity beginning date(s), dates for marriage(s), 
birth(s), prior railroad or non-railroad employment, an applicant's 
request for reconsideration of an unfavorable RRB eligibility 
determination for an annuity or various other matters. The statements 
may also be used by the RRB to secure a variety of information needed 
to determine eligibility to unemployment and sickness benefits. 
Procedures related to providing information needed for RRA annuity or 
RUIA benefit eligibility determinations are prescribed in 20 CFR 217 
and 320 respectively. The RRB utilizes Form G-93, Statement of Claimant 
or Other Person to obtain the supplemental or corrective information 
from applicants or other persons needed to determine applicant 
eligibility for an RRA annuity or RUIA benefits.
    The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-93. The completion time for 
Form G-93 is estimated at 15 minutes per response. The RRB estimates 
that approximately 900 Form G-93's are received annually. Completion is 
voluntary. One response is requested of each respondent.
    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at 
(312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to [email protected]. 
Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to 
Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to 
[email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
 [FR Doc. E9-3086 Filed 2-12-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P