[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70827-70828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28687]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Request to the Department of Labor for 
Expedited Review of Denial of COBRA Premium Reduction

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee 
Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information 
collection request (ICR) titled, ``Request to the Department of Labor 
for Expedited Review of Denial of COBRA Premium Reduction,'' to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for 
continued use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 27, 2012.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the 
RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, on the 
day following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth 
by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or 
sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-EBSA, Office of 
Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 
20503, Fax: 202-395-6881 (this is not a toll-free number), email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 
202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [email protected].

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 
2009 (ARRA) section 3001 provides an assistance eligible individual 
with the right to pay reduced health benefits premiums under the 
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, commonly called 
COBRA, for up to 9 months. If an individual requests treatment as an 
assistance eligible individual and is denied such treatment because of 
COBRA continuation coverage ineligibility, ARRA section 3001(a)(5) 
requires the Secretary of Labor to provide for expedited review of the 
denial upon application to the Secretary in the form and manner the 
Secretary provides. The Secretary of Labor is required to act in 
consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and must make a 
determination within 15 business days after receipt of an individual's 
application for review. The Application to the Department of Labor for 
Expedited Review of Denial of COBRA Premium Reduction is the form used 
by individuals to file their expedited review appeals. Such individuals 
must complete all information requested on the Application in order to 
file their review requests with the EBSA. The ICR relates to the 
Application.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the 
collection of information does not display a valid Control Number. See 
5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this 
information collection under Control Number 1210-0135. The current 
approval is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2012; however, it 
should be noted that existing information collection requirements 
submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they 
undergo review. For additional information, see the related notice 
published in the Federal Register on June 25, 2012 (77 FR 37920).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1210-0135. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-EBSA.
    Title of Collection: Request to the Department of Labor for 
Expedited Review of Denial of COBRA Premium Reduction.
    OMB Control Number: 1210-0135.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households and Private Sector--
businesses or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 184.

[[Page 70828]]

    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 184.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 171.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $104.

    Dated: November 20, 2012.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-28687 Filed 11-26-12; 8:45 a.m.]
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