[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 222 (Thursday, November 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81224-81228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27627]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No: SSA-2016-0059]


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 revisions

[[Page 81225]]

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, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance Director, 
3100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 
410-966-2830, Email address: [email protected]

    Or you may submit your comments online through www.regulations.gov, 
referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2016-0059].
    I. The information collection below is pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit it 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 
January 17, 2017. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instrument by writing to the above email address.
    Petition to Obtain Approval of a Fee for Representing a Claimant 
Before the Social Security Administration--20 CFR 404.1720, 404.1725, 
416.1520, and 416.1525--0960-0104. A Social Security claimant's 
representative, whether an attorney or a non-attorney, uses Form SSA-
1560-U4 to petition SSA for authorization to charge and collect a fee. 
A claimant may also use the form to agree or disagree with the 
requested fee amount or other information the representative provides 
on the form. The SSA official responsible for setting the fee uses the 
information from the form to determine a reasonable fee amount 
representatives may charge for their services. The respondents are 
attorneys and non-attorneys who represent Social Security claimants.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Estimated
                                                                                       Average burden    total
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of     per response     annual
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)       burden
                                                                                                        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1560-U4.......................................          44,365                1               30   22,183
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 December 19, 2016. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
    1. Request for Corrections of Earnings Record--20 CFR 404.820 and 
20 CFR 422.125--0960-0029. Individuals alleging inaccurate earnings 
records in SSA's files use paper Form SSA-7008, or a personal interview 
during which SSA employees key their answers into our electronic 
Earnings Modernization Item Correction system, to provide the 
information SSA needs to check earnings posted, and, as necessary, 
initiate development to resolve any inaccuracies. The respondents are 
individuals who request correction of earnings posted to their Social 
Security earnings record.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paper form......................................          37,500               1              10           6,250
In person or telephone interview................         337,500               1              10          56,250
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         375,000  ..............  ..............          62,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)--Quality Review Case 
Analysis--0960-0133. To assess the SSI program and ensure the accuracy 
of its payments, SSA conducts legally mandated periodic SSI case 
analysis quality reviews. SSA uses Form SSA-8508 to conduct these 
reviews, collecting information on operating efficiency, the quality of 
underlying policies, and the effect of incorrect payments. SSA also 
uses the data to determine SSI program payment accuracy rate, which is 
a performance measure for the agency's service delivery goals. 
Respondents are recipients of SSI payments selected for quality 
reviews.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-8508-BK (paper interview)...................             225               1              60             225
SSA-8508-BK (electronic)........................           4,275               1              60           4,275
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 81226]]

 
    Totals......................................           4,500  ..............  ..............           4,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Application for Supplemental Security Income--20 CFR 416.305-
416.335, Subpart C--0960-0444. SSA uses Form SSA-8001-BK to determine 
an applicant's eligibility for SSI, and SSI payment amounts. SSA 
employees also collect this information during interviews with members 
of the public who wish to file for SSI. SSA uses the information for 
two purposes: (1) To formally deny SSI for non-medical reasons when 
information the applicant provides results in ineligibility; or (2) to 
establish a disability claim, but defer the complete development of 
non-medical issues until SSA approves the disability. The respondents 
are applicants for SSI.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSSICS/Signature Proxy..........................         937,207               1              20         312,402
Non-MSSICS (Paper)..............................           1,033               1              20             344
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         938,240  ..............  ..............         312,746
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Employer Reports of Special Wage Payments--20 CFR 404.428-
404.429--0960-0565. SSA collects information on the SSA-131 to prevent 
earnings-related overpayments, and to avoid erroneous withholding of 
benefits. SSA field offices and program service centers also use Form 
SSA-131 for awards and post-entitlement events requiring special wage 
payment verification from employers. While we need this information to 
ensure the correct payment of benefits, we do not require employers to 
respond. The respondents are large and small businesses that make 
special wage payments to retirees.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paper Version: SSA-131 (without #6).............         105,000               1              20          35,000
Paper Version: SSA-131 (#6 only)................           1,050               1               2              35
Electronic Version: Business Services Online                  26               1               5               2
 Special Wage Payments..........................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         106,076  ..............  ..............          35,037
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Social Security Benefits Application--20 CFR 404.310-404.311; 
404.315-404.322; 404.330-404.333; 404.601-404.603; and 404.1501-
404.1512--0960-0618. Title II of the Social Security Act provides 
retirement, survivors, and disability benefits to members of the public 
who meet the required eligibility criteria and file the appropriate 
application. This collection comprises the various application methods 
for each type of benefits. SSA uses the information we gather through 
the multiple information collection tools in this information 
collection request to determine applicants' eligibility for specific 
Social Security benefits, as well as the amount of the benefits. 
Individuals filing for disability benefits can, and in some instances 
SSA may require them to, file applications under both Title II, Social 
Security disability benefits, and Title XVI, SSI payments. We refer to 
disability applications filed under both titles as ``concurrent 
applications.'' This collection comprises the various application 
methods for each type of benefits. These methods include the following 
modalities: Paper forms (Forms SSA-1, SSA-2, and SSA-16); Modernized 
Claims System (MCS) screens for in-person interview applications; and 
Internet-based iClaim and iAppointment applications. SSA uses the 
information we collect through these modalities to determine: (1) The 
applicants' eligibility for the above-mentioned Social Security 
benefits, and (2) the amount of the benefits. The respondents are 
applicants for retirement, survivors, and disability benefits under 
Title II of the Social Security Act.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

                                                   Form SSA-1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      Response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCS/Signature Proxy.............................       2,793,597               1              10         465,600
Paper...........................................         115,678               1              11          21,208

[[Page 81227]]

 
Medicare-only MCS...............................         880,763               1               7         102,756
Medicare-only Paper.............................           9,549               1               7           1,114
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................       3,779,587  ..............  ..............         590,678
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                   Form SSA-2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCS/Signature Proxy.............................         518,598               1              14         121,006
Paper...........................................          54,661               1              15          13,665
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         573,259  ..............  ..............         134,671
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                   Form SSA-16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCS/Signature Proxy.............................       2,483,952               1              19         786,585
Paper...........................................         116,294               1              20          38,765
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................       2,600,246  ..............  ..............         825,350
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                 iClaim Screens
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Average burden     Estimated
             Modality of completion                  Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual
                                                    respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
iClaim 3rd Party................................         345,267               1              15          86,317
iClaim Applicant after 3rd Party Completion.....         345,267               1               5          28,772
First Party iClaim--Domestic Applicant..........       2,956,208               1              15         739,052
First Party iClaim--Foreign Applicant...........          11,650               1               3             583
Medicare-only iClaim............................         723,062               1              10         120,510
    Totals......................................       4,381,454  ..............  ..............         975,234
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                              iAppointment Screens
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
iAppointment................................          20,218                1               10            3,370
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                   Grand Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Average burden  Estimated total
           Modality of completion                Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................................      11,374,764   ...............  ...............       2,529,303
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 81228]]

    Dated: November 11, 2016.
Naomi R. Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-27627 Filed 11-16-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4191-02-P