[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 157 (Thursday, August 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47655-47656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19219]


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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 no later than September 
15, 2014.

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: 
Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Free Clinic Application OMB No. 0915-
0293--Revision.
    Abstract: Under 42 U.S.C. 233(o) and Program Assistance Letter 
(PAL) 2014-04, ``Calendar Year 2015 Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) 
Deeming Application for Free Clinics,'' free clinics are required to 
submit annual applications for deeming of qualified health care 
professionals, board members, officers, and contractors for purposes of 
FTCA medical malpractice coverage for negligent acts and omissions that 
arise from the performance of medical, surgical, dental, or related 
functions within the scope of the covered individual's deemed 
employment. HRSA proposes modifying the application forms to reflect 
changes to eligible personnel made by section 10608 of the Affordable 
Care Act, which extended FTCA medical malpractice liability protection 
to free clinic board members, officers, employees, and contractors. 
Additionally, HRSA proposes upgrading the application to provide for 
electronic submissions. Specifically, the modifications include: (1) 
Inclusion of board members, officers, employees, and contractors into 
one comprehensive application that also includes volunteer health care 
professionals and (2) a fully electronic application that can be 
submitted via HRSA's web-based application system, the Electronic 
Handbooks (EHBs). It is anticipated that

[[Page 47656]]

these modifications will decrease the time and effort required to 
complete the current OMB approved FTCA application forms.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Deemed status for FTCA 
medical malpractice coverage requires HRSA approval of an application 
for deeming of certain eligible individuals from a sponsoring free 
clinic. The FTCA Free Clinic deeming application is an electronic 
application submitted to HRSA through the EHBs as part of the process 
of deeming qualified health care professionals, board members, 
officers, and individual contractors. Sponsoring clinics are required 
to submit a completed electronic application in addition to other 
required documents as required by section 224(o) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 233(o)). Applications are reviewed by program 
staff before a deeming determination is made.
    Likely Respondents: Respondents include nonprofit private entities 
that meet the statutory and programmatic requirements as stated in 
section 224(o) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 233(o)) and 
implementing HRSA policy guidance.
    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       Number of         Total        burden per     Total burden
            Form name               respondents   responses  per     responses     response  (in       hours
                                                     respondent                       hours)
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FTCA Free Clinics Program                    227               1             227               2             681
 Application....................
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    Total.......................             227               1             227               2             681
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    Dated: August 8, 2014.
Jackie Painter,
Acting Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination.
[FR Doc. 2014-19219 Filed 8-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P