[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49274-49275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19569]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Public Comment Request

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with Section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA) has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Comments 
submitted during the first public review of this ICR will be provided 
to OMB. OMB will accept further comments from the public during the 
review and approval period.

DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received within 30 days of this 
notice.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, including the Information Collection 
Request Title, to the desk officer for HRSA, either by email to [email protected] or by fax to 202-395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the clearance 
requests submitted to OMB for review, email the HRSA Information 
Collection Clearance Officer at [email protected] or call (301) 443-
1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Information Collection Request Title: Black 
Lung Clinics Program Performance Measures OMB No. 0915-0292--Extension.
    Abstract: The Health Resources and Services Administration, Office 
of Rural Health Policy (HRSA/ORHP) conducts an annual data collection 
of user information for the Black Lung Clinic Program, which has been 
ongoing with OMB approval since 2004. The purpose of the Black Lung 
Clinic Program is to improve the health status of coal workers by 
providing services to minimize the effects of respiratory and pulmonary 
impairments of coal miners, including treatment required in the 
management of problems associated with black lung disease which 
improves the miners' quality of life and reduces economic costs 
associated with morbidity and mortality arising from pulmonary 
diseases. Collecting this data will provide HRSA information on how 
well each grantee is meeting the needs of active and retired miners in 
their communities.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Data from the annual 
report will provide quantitative information about the clinics, 
specifically: (a) The characteristics of the patients they serve 
(gender, age, disability level, occupation type); (b) the 
characteristics of services provided (medical encounters, non-medical 
encounters, benefits counseling, or outreach); and (c) the number of 
patients served. This assessment will enable HRSA to provide data 
required by Congress under the Government Performance and Results Act 
of 1993. It will also ensure that funds are effectively used to provide 
services that meet the target population needs. HRSA/ORHP's intent in 
using the current measures until the next competitive grant cycle (July 
2014) is to allow grantees to make adjustments to their data 
collection/data reporting systems, as well as revise the general 
program requirements to more closely align with the statute.

Summary of Prior Comments and Agency Response

    A 60-day Federal Register Notice was published in the Federal 
Register on

[[Page 49275]]

June 12, 2013, Vol. 78, No. 113; p. 35287. There were two public 
comments. One of the grantees recommended HRSA/ORHP eliminate the 
process measures and focus on outcome measures. HRSA is currently 
working on revising the measures for the entire program, and, as the 
grantee suggested, is attempting to focus the measures more on 
outcomes. As noted above, HRSA/ORHP's intent in using the current 
measures until the next competitive grant cycle (July 2014) is to allow 
grantees to make adjustments to their data collection/data reporting 
systems, as well as revise the general program requirements to more 
closely align with the statute. There will also be another period for 
the general public to comment on the new measures. Another grantee 
requested a copy of the measures, seeking clarification on what was 
being asked. Clarification was provided that none of the measures will 
be changed this year. The measures have been the same for the last 
several years.
    Likely Respondents: Black Lung Clinics Program Grantees.
    Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the 
information requested. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for 
this ICR are summarized in the table below.

                                                        Total Estimated Annualized Burden--Hours
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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                             Number of         Total        burden per     Total burden
                   Form name                              Number of  respondents           responses per     responses     response  (in       hours
                                                                                            respondent                        hours)
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Name of instrument.............................  Black Lung Clinics Program Measures....               1              15            10.0          150.00
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    Total......................................  .......................................               1              15            10.0          150.00
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    Dated: August 6, 2013.
Bahar Niakan,
Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination.
[FR Doc. 2013-19569 Filed 8-12-13; 8:45 am]
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