[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 186 (Monday, September 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66094-66095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23011]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

    Summary: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our ICR 
describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review 
and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork 
burdens.
    The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information 
to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information that is the 
subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to the 
RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper 
consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive 
them within 30 days of the publication date.
    Title and Purpose of Information Collection: Medical Reports; OMB 
3220-0038.
    Under sections 2(a)(1)(iv) and 2(a)(1)(v) of the Railroad 
Retirement Act (RRA), annuities are payable to qualified railroad 
employees whose physical or mental condition makes them unable to (1) 
work in their regular occupation (occupational disability) or (2) work 
at all (total disability). The requirements for establishing disability 
and proof of continuing disability under the RRA are prescribed in 20 
CFR 220.
    Annuities are also payable to (1) qualified spouses and widow(ers) 
under sections 2(c)(1)(ii)(C) and 2(d)(1)(ii) of the RRA who have a 
qualifying child who became disabled before age 22; (2) surviving 
children on the basis of disability under section 2(d)(1)(iii)(C), if 
the child's disability began before age 22; and (3) widow(er)s on the 
basis of disability under section 2(d)(1)(i)(B). To meet the disability 
standard, the RRA provides that individuals must have a permanent 
physical or mental condition that makes them unable to engage in any 
regular employment.
    Under section 2(d)(1)(v) of the RRA, annuities are also payable to 
remarried widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses on the basis of, 
among other things, disability or having a qualifying disabled child in 
care. However, the disability standard in these cases is that found in 
the Social Security Act. That is, individuals must be unable to engage 
in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically 
determinable physical or mental impairment. The RRB also determines 
entitlement to a Period of Disability and entitlement to early Medicare 
based on disability for qualified claimants in accordance with Section 
216 of the Social Security Act.
    When making disability determinations, the RRB needs evidence from 
acceptable medical sources. The RRB currently utilizes Forms G-3EMP, 
Report of Medical Condition by Employer; G-197, Authorization to 
Disclose Information to the Railroad Retirement Board; G-250, Medical 
Assessment; G-250A, Medical Assessment of Residual Functional Capacity; 
G-260, Report of Seizure Disorder; RL-11B, Disclosure of Hospital 
Medical Records; RL-11D, Disclosure of Medical Records from a State 
Agency; and RL-250, Request for Medical Assessment, to obtain the 
necessary medical evidence.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (81 FR 43670 on July 5, 2016) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Medical Reports.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0038.
    Form(s) submitted: G-3EMP, G-197, G-250, G-250a, G-260, RL-11B, RL-
11D, RL-11D1, RL-250.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Private Sector; State, 
Local and Tribal Government.
    Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Act provides disability annuities 
for

[[Page 66095]]

qualified railroad employees whose physical or mental condition renders 
them incapable of working in their regular occupation (occupational 
disability) or any occupation (total disability). The medical reports 
obtain information needed for determining the nature and severity of 
the impairment.
    Changes Proposed: In support of the RRB's Disability Program 
Improvement Project to enhance/improve disability case processing and 
overall program integrity, the RRB proposes the addition of proposed 
Form RL-11D1, Request for Medical Evidence from Employers, to the 
information collection. Form RL-11D1 will be mailed by an RRB field 
office to railroad employers to obtain any medical evidence regarding 
the employee's disability that they may have acquired within the last 
18 months. A copy of the employee signed Form G-197 will be enclosed 
with the RL-11D1. The employer will return the RL-11D1 to RRB 
Headquarters certifying that they either have submitted the requested 
medical evidence or that they have no medical evidence to submit. One 
response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                                                        Annual
                     Form No.                          responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
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G-3EMP............................................             600              10             100
G-197.............................................           6,000              10           1,000
G-250.............................................          11,950              30           5,975
G-250A............................................              50              20              17
G-260.............................................             100              25              42
RL-11B............................................           5,000              10             833
RL-11D............................................             250              10              42
RL-11D1...........................................             600              20             200
RL-250............................................          11,950              10           1,992
                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.........................................          36,500  ..............          10,201
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    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Dana Hickman at (312) 751-
4981 or [email protected].
    Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed 
to Charles Mierzwa, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois, 60611-2092 or [email protected] and to the OMB 
Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address: 
[email protected].

Charles Mierzwa,
Associate Chief Information Officer for Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-23011 Filed 9-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7905-01-P