[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1424-1426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00383]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-16-15ADW]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted 
the following information collection request to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for the proposed 
information collection is published to obtain comments from the public 
and affected agencies.
    Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are 
encouraged. Your comments should address any of the following: (a) 
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; (b) Evaluate the 
accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; (d) 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

[[Page 1425]]

other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses; and (e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Written comments and/or 
suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice should be 
directed to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Written 
comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Employer Perspective of an Insurer-Sponsored Wellness Grant--New--
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health (NIOSH) is to promote safety and health at work for all people 
through research and prevention. Under Public Law 91-596, sections 20 
and 22 (Section 20-22, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970), 
NIOSH has the responsibility to conduct research to advance the health 
and safety of workers. In this capacity, NIOSH proposes to conduct a 
study among employers in Ohio insured by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' 
Compensation (OHBWC) to: (1) Assess the effectiveness and cost-benefit 
of an intervention that funds workplace wellness programs and (2) 
understand the impact of integrating of wellness with traditional 
occupational safety and health (OSH) programs.
    Work-related injuries and illnesses are common among US workers and 
result in pain, disability, and substantial cost to workers and 
employers. A recent, comprehensive analysis of the economic burden of 
work-related injuries and illnesses estimated that in 2007, alone, 
medical and indirect costs for work-related injuries and illnesses were 
$250 billion. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 
4,609 occupational fatalities in 2011 and approximately 2 million work-
related injuries and illnesses that involved some lost work in 2010.
    Workers' health is affected not only by workplace safety and health 
hazards but also workers' own health behaviors. Reflecting this, two 
different, yet, complementary approaches exist in the workplace: OSH 
programs and wellness programs. Both types of programs aim to improve 
worker health and reduce costs to employers, workers' compensation (WC) 
insurers, and society. Since 2004, NIOSH has advocated an approach that 
coordinates wellness programs with OSH programs because emerging 
evidence suggests that integrating these two fields may have a 
synergistic effect on worker safety and health.
    NIOSH has established an intramural program for protecting and 
promoting Total Worker Health\TM\. The NIOSH Total Worker Health\TM\ 
Cross-Sector Program promotes the integration of health and safety 
protection with health and wellness promotion through research, 
interventions, partnerships, and capacity building to meet the needs of 
the 21st century workforce. The proposed project addresses three 
priority goals of the NIOSH Total Worker Health\TM\ Program: (1) 
Investigate the costs/benefits associated with comprehensive, 
coordinated work-based health protection/health promotion 
interventions, (2) improve the understanding of how the work 
environment influences the effectiveness of health programs and 
identify opportunities for workplace interventions to prevent, control, 
recognize and manage common chronic conditions, and (3) conduct 
scientific research that more holistically investigates organizational 
and worker health and safety outcomes associated with emerging issues 
and addresses gaps in knowledge in the health protection/health 
promotion field.
    There is a need for research to demonstrate a `business case' for 
both wellness programs and integrated OSH-wellness programs and 
identify OSH organizational and management policies, programs and 
practices that effectively reduce work-related injuries, illnesses, 
disabilities and WC costs. To date, small employers have been largely 
ignored in these areas and many studies have focused on the 
manufacturing industry. Real-world examples of effective interventions 
that apply to employers of all sizes and industries will ultimately 
improve workers' health and safety.
    For the current study, NIOSH and OHBWC are collaborating on a 
project to determine the effectiveness and economic return of the 
Workplace Wellness Grant Program (WWGP) and to understand the impact of 
integrating of wellness with traditional OSH programs. In early 2012 
OHBWC took steps to integrate wellness and OSH programs by launching 
the WWGP, in which an estimated 400 (currently 321) employers and 
13,000 employees will be provided a total of $4 million in funds over 
four years to implement wellness programs.
    The majority of the study aims will be accomplished through 
secondary analysis of pre- and post-intervention data being collected 
by OHBWC and shared with NIOSH. For the overall study, data for 
participating employers will include aggregate health risk appraisal 
data; aggregate biometric data; turnover data; health care utilization 
costs; information about occupational safety and health, wellness, and 
integrated occupational safety and health-wellness program elements; 
OHBWC WWGP expense records; yearly WC claims and cost data; data that 
details employer participation in other OHBWC programs; industry codes, 
and employer size. For the annual case study verification interviews, a 
sample of no more than 50 employers will be selected among grantees for 
1-2 brief phone calls to confirm responses on an annual survey 
administered by OHBWC. Therefore, up to 100 key informants may be 
contacted if we do not speak to the same person each time, as reflected 
in the Estimated Annualized Burden table below.
    In addition, NIOSH will supplement the cost data extracted from 
existing sources with information collected through in-depth, semi-
structured interviews with no more than 25, randomly selected, 
participating employers. Data gathered from these employer interviews 
are critical to compute ratios of total savings to total costs for the 
grant-supported wellness programs from the perspective of the 
participating employers.
    NIOSH will ask key informant from the employer a series of 
questions that will be used to estimate direct and indirect costs that 
were not directly funded by the WWGP during and after the grant funding 
period. This will be accomplished by collecting as detailed information 
as possible about the employer's wellness program and occupational and 
safety program costs. Topics will include questions about: The timeline 
and confirmation of grant funding, non-grant funds used for wellness 
program costs after receiving the first grant, and other questions 
about their wellness program.
    The results of these interview-supplemented case studies will be 
used to estimate the proportion by which total employer costs exceed 
the cost of the primary wellness program vendor, as well as the 
proportion of these costs attributable to establishing the program in 
the first year versus operating the program in subsequent years. These 
estimates will be applied to generate total employer costs for all of 
the WWGP recipients, with sensitivity analysis based on the observed

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variability of employer costs in the case studies.
    If the WWGP is effective at improving worker health, reducing WC 
claims and demonstrating a positive economic return, then other 
employers and insurance carriers may develop similar programs and drive 
the optimization of integrated OSH-wellness approaches. NIOSH expects 
to complete data collection in 2017. It is estimated that a maximum of 
100 individuals will be interviewed (up to 50 for the semi-structured 
economic interviews and up to 100 for the annual case study 
verification interviews). The hour-burden estimates include the time 
for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering 
and maintaining the data needed, and participating in the interview. 
There are no costs to interviewees other than their time. The total 
estimated annual burden hours are 150.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Average
                                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per
        Type of  respondents                  Form name             respondents    responses per   response  (in
                                                                                    respondent         hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wellness Program Coordinators......  Employers interview on cost              25               1               2
                                      of wellness and
                                      occupational safety and
                                      health program.
Occupational Safety and Health       Employers interview on cost              25               1               2
 Specialists.                         of wellness and
                                      occupational safety and
                                      health program.
The person in charge of the          Annual case study                       100               1           30/60
 employer's wellness program.         verification interview.
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Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2016-00383 Filed 1-11-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P