[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71105-71107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29482]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice 
includes revisions and extensions to OMB-approved information 
collections.
    SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden 
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to 
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your 
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the 
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following 
addresses or fax numbers.
    (OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, 
Fax: (202) 395-6974, Email address: [email protected].
    (SSA), Social Security Administration, DCRDP, Attn: Reports 
Clearance Officer, 107 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Blvd., 
Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax No.: (410) 966-2830, Email address: 
[email protected].
    I. The information collections below are pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit them to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be 
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than 
January 17, 2012. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at (410) 965-
8783 or by writing to the above email address.
    1. Statement of Marital Relationship (by One of the Parties)--20 
CFR 404.726--0960-0038. SSA must obtain a signed statement from a 
spousal applicant if the applicant claims a common-law marriage to the 
insured, in a state in which these marriages are recognized, and no 
formal marriage documentation exists. SSA uses information we collect 
on form SSA-754-F4 to determine if an individual applying for spousal 
benefits meets the criteria of common-law marriage under state law. The 
respondents are applicants for spouse's Social Security benefits or 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                 responses         response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-754-F4..................................          30,000                1               30           15,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Application for a Social Security Number Card, and the Social 
Security Number Application Process (SSNAP)--20 CFR 422.103--422.110--
0960-0066. SSA collects information on the SS-5 (used in the United 
States) and SS-5-FS (used outside the United States) to issue original 
or replacement Social Security cards. SSA also enters the application 
data into the Social Security Number Application Process (SSNAP) when 
applicants request a new or replacement card via telephone or in 
person.
    In addition, hospitals collect the same information on SSA's behalf 
for newborn children through the Enumeration-at-Birth process. In this 
process, parents of newborns provide hospital birth registration clerks 
with information required to register these newborns. Hospitals send 
this information to State Bureaus of Vital Statistics (BVS), and they 
send the information to SSA's National Computer Center. SSA then 
uploads the data to the SSA mainframe along with all other enumeration 
data, and we assign the newborn a Social Security Number (SSN) and 
issue a Social Security card.
    The respondents for this collection are applicants for original and 
replacement Social Security cards who use any of the modalities 
described above.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden  per      Estimated
            SS-5 Application scenario               respondents      response        response      total annual
                                                                                     (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respondents who do not have to provide parents'       10,500,000               1             8.5       1,487,500
 SSNs...........................................
Respondents whom we ask to provide parents' SSNs         400,000               1               9          60,000
 (when applying for original SSN cards for
 children under age 18).........................
Applicants age 12 or older who need to answer          1,100,000               1             9.5         174,167
 additional questions so SSA can determine
 whether we previously assigned an SSN..........
Applicants asking for a replacement SSN card                 600               1              60             600
 beyond the new allowable limits (i.e., who must
 provide additional documentation to accompany
 the application)...............................
Authorization to SSA to obtain personal                      500               1              15             125
 information cover letter.......................
Authorization to SSA to obtain personal                      500               1              15             125
 information follow-up cover letter.............
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................      12,001,600  ..............  ..............       1,722,517
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[[Page 71106]]

    Cost Burden: The state BVSs incur costs of approximately $9.5 
million for transmitting data to SSA's mainframe. However, SSA 
reimburses the states for these costs.
    3. Medicaid Use Report--20 CFR 416.268--0960-0267. Section 20 CFR 
416.268 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires SSA to determine 
eligibility for (1) Special SSI cash payments and for (2) special SSI 
eligibility status for a person who works despite a disabling 
condition. It also provides that, in order to qualify for special SSI 
eligibility status, an individual must establish that termination of 
eligibility for benefits under Title XIX of the Act would seriously 
inhibit the ability to continue employment. SSA uses the information 
required by this regulation to determine if an individual is entitled 
to special title XVI SSI payments and, consequently, to Medicaid. The 
respondents are SSI recipients for whom SSA has stopped payments based 
on earnings.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
             Regulation section                  Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                 responses         response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 CFR 416.268..............................          60,000                1                3            3,000
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    4. Supplemental Security Income Claim Information Notice--20 CFR 
416.210--0960-0324. Section 1611(e)(2) of the Social Security Act 
requires an individual to file for and obtain all payments (annuities, 
pensions, disability benefits, veteran's compensation, etc.) for which 
they are eligible before qualifying for SSI payments. Individuals do 
not qualify for SSI if they do not first apply for all other benefits. 
SSA uses the information on form SSA-L8050-U3 to verify and establish a 
claimant or recipient's eligibility under the SSI program. Respondents 
are SSI applicants or recipients who may be eligible for other payments 
from public or private programs.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                 responses         response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-L-8050-U3...............................           7,500                1               10            1,250
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Filing Claims Under the Federal Tort Claims Act--20 CFR 429.101-
429.110--0960-0667. The Federal Tort Claims Act is the legal mechanism 
for compensating persons injured by negligent or wrongful acts that 
occur during the performance of official duties by Federal employees. 
In accordance with the law, SSA accepts monetary claims filed under the 
Federal Tort Claims Act for damages against the United States, loss of 
property, personal injury, or death resulting from an SSA employee's 
negligent or wrongful act or omission. The regulation sections cleared 
under this information collection request require claimants to provide 
information SSA can use to investigate and determine whether to make an 
award, compromise, or settlement under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The 
respondents are individuals or entities filing a claim under the 
Federal Tort Claims Act.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
               Regulation section                    Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                     responses       response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
429.102; 429.103 \1\............................               1  ..............  ..............               1
429.104(a)......................................              31               1               5               3
429.104(b)......................................              25               1               5               2
429.104(c)......................................               2               1               5               0
429.106(b)......................................              10               1              10               2
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................              69  ..............  ..............               8
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\1\ The 1 hour represents a placeholder burden. We are not reporting a burden for this collection because
  respondents complete OMB-approved form SF-95.

    6. Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan 
Costs--20 CFR 418.3101--0960-0696. The Medicare Modernization Act of 
2003 mandated the creation of the Medicare Part D prescription drug 
coverage program and the provision of subsidies for eligible Medicare 
beneficiaries. SSA uses Form SSA-1020 and the i1020, the Application 
for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, to obtain 
income and resource information from Medicare beneficiaries and to make 
a subsidy decision. The respondents are Medicare beneficiaries applying 
for the Part D low-income subsidy.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 71107]]



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                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
              Collection instrument                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                     responses       response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1020 (paper application form)...............         724,238               1              30         362,119
i1020 (online application)......................         409,189               1              25         170,495
Field office interview..........................         278,613               1              30         139,307
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................       1,412,040  ..............  ..............         671,921
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    II. SSA submitted the information collection below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding the information collection would be 
most useful if OMB and SSA receive them within 30 days from the date of 
this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive 
them no later than December 16, 2011. Individuals can obtain copies of 
the OMB clearance package by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer 
at (410) 965-8783 or by writing to the above email address.

General Request for Social Security Records--eFOIA--20 CFR 402.130--
0960-0716

    Interested members of the public use this electronic request to ask 
SSA for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). SSA 
also uses this information to track the number and type of requests, 
fees charged, payment amounts, and whether SSA responded to public 
requests within the required 20 days. Respondents are members of the 
public including individuals, institutions, or agencies requesting 
information or documents under FOIA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
            Collection instrument                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
eFOIA.......................................           5,000                1                3              250
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    Dated: November 9, 2011.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Officer, Center for Reports Clearance, Social 
Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-29482 Filed 11-15-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P