[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 248 (Thursday, December 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 76303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31055]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Establishing Creditable Coverage Under Group 
Health Plans

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, ``Establishing Creditable Coverage 
Under Group Health Plans,'' 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 January 28, 2013.

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].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR covers information collection 
requirements imposed under Regulations 29 CFR 2520.104b-1 and 2590.701-
5 in connection with the alternative method of crediting coverage 
established by the regulations. The regulations permit a plan to adopt, 
as its method of crediting prior health coverage, provisions that 
impose different preexisting condition exclusion periods with respect 
to different categories of benefits, depending on prior coverage in 
that category. In such a case, the regulations require the former plan 
to provide additional information upon request to the new plan in order 
to establish an individual's length of prior creditable coverage within 
that category of benefits.
    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 that 
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 1210-0103. The current approval is scheduled to 
expire on December 31, 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 1210-0103. 
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: Establishing Creditable Coverage Under Group 
Health Plans.
    OMB Control Number: 1210-0103.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits 
and not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,283,712.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 8,164,356.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 74,000.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $12,400,000.

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

    Dated: December 19, 2012.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-31055 Filed 12-26-12; 8:45 am]
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