[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54363-54364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-21315]


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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 one extension and revisions of 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 Director, 107 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Blvd., 
Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 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 
November 4, 2013. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Continuing Disability Review Report--20 CFR 404.1589, 416.989 --
0960-0072. Sections 221(i), 1614(a)(3)(H)(ii)(I), and 1633(c)(1) of the 
Social Security Act (Act) require SSA to periodically review the cases 
of individuals who receive disability benefits under title II or title 
XVI to determine if the individuals' disabilities continue. SSA uses 
Form SSA-454, Continuing Disability Review Report, to complete the 
review for continuing disability. SSA considers adults eligible for 
payment if they continue to be unable to do substantial gainful 
activity because of their impairments, and we consider title XVI 
children eligible for payment if they have marked and severe functional 
limitations because of their impairments. SSA also uses Form SSA-454 to 
obtain information on sources of medical treatment; participation in 
vocational rehabilitation programs (if any); attempts to work (if any); 
and if individuals believe their conditions have improved. The 
respondents are title II or title XVI disability recipients or their 
representatives.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                      Average        Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     total annual
             Modality of completion                 respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-454-BK (Paper version)......................         270,500               1              60         270,500
Electronic Disability Collect System............         270,500               1              60         270,500
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         541,000  ..............         541,000         498,892
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    2. Appointment of Representative--20 CFR 404.1707, 404.1720, 
404.1725, 410.684 and 416.1507--0960-0527. Persons claiming rights or 
benefits under the Act must notify SSA in writing when they appoint an 
individual to represent them in their dealings with SSA. SSA collects 
the information on Form SSA-1696-U4 to verify the appointment of such 
representatives. The SSA-1696-U4 allows SSA to inform representatives 
of items that affect the recipient's claim, and allows claimants to 
give permission to their appointed representatives to designate a 
person to receive their claims files. Respondents are applicants for or 
recipients of Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income 
payments who are notifying SSA they have appointed a person to 
represent them in their dealings with SSA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 54364]]



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                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
           Modality of collection                Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1696-U4.................................         800,000                1               10          133,333
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    II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding the information collections would be 
most useful if OMB and SSA receive them 30 days from the date of this 
publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive them 
no later than October 3, 2013. Individuals can obtain copies of the OMB 
clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
    1. Travel Expense Reimbursement--20 CFR 404.999(d) and 416.1499--
0960-0434. The Act stipulates that Federal and State agencies reimburse 
travel expenses for claimants, their representatives, and all necessary 
witnesses for travel exceeding 75 miles to attend medical examinations, 
reconsideration interviews, and proceedings before an administrative 
law judge. Reimbursement procedures require the claimant to provide (1) 
a list of expenses incurred and (2) receipts of such expenses. Federal 
and State personnel review the listings and receipts to verify the 
amount reimbursable to the requestor. The respondents are claimants for 
title II benefits and title XVI payments, their representatives and 
witnesses.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                 Average burden     Estimated
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
404.999(d) & 416.1499.......................          60,000                1               10           10,000
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    2. Request for Accommodation in Communication Method--0960-0777. 
SSA allows blind or visually impaired Social Security applicants, 
beneficiaries, recipients, and representative payees to choose one of 
seven alternative methods of communication they want SSA to use when we 
send them benefit notices and other related communications. The seven 
alternative methods we offer are: (1) Standard print notice by first-
class mail; (2) standard print mail with a follow-up telephone call; 
(3) certified mail; (4) Braille; (5) Microsoft Word file on data CD; 
(6) large print (18-point font); or (7) audio CD. However, respondents 
who want to receive notices from SSA through a communication method 
other than the seven methods listed above must explain their request to 
us. Those respondents use Form SSA-9000 to: (1) Describe the type of 
accommodation they want, (2) disclose their condition necessitating the 
need for a different type of accommodation, and (3) explain why none of 
the seven methods described above are sufficient for their needs. SSA 
uses Form SSA-9000 to determine, based on applicable law and 
regulation, whether to grant the respondents' requests for an 
accommodation based on their blindness, or other visual impairment. SSA 
collects this information electronically through either an in-person 
interview or a telephone interview during which the SSA employee keys 
in the information on Intranet screens. The respondents are blind or 
visually impaired Social Security applicants, beneficiaries, 
recipients, and representative payees who ask SSA to send notices and 
other communications in an alternative method besides the seven 
modalities we currently offer.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                Average  burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-9000....................................           1,417                1               20              472
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    Dated: August 28, 2013.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Director, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-21315 Filed 8-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P