[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 120 (Friday, June 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28669-28670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13172]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: Federal 
Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Program Deeming Applications for Health Center 
Volunteer Health Professionals

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects, HRSA announces plans to 
submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to 
OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, 
below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

DATES: Comments on this ICR must be received no later than August 22, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N39, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
draft instruments, email [email protected] or call the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the information request collection title 
for reference, in compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
    Information Collection Request Title: Federal Tort Claims Act 
(FTCA) Program Deeming Applications for Health Center Volunteer Health 
Professionals, OMB No. 0906-XXXX--New
    Abstract: Section 224(q) of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 
U.S.C. 233(q)), as amended, authorizes the ``deeming'' of certain 
individuals as PHS employees for the purposes of receiving Federal Tort 
Claims Act (FTCA) coverage. Section 224(q) relates to volunteer health 
professionals (VHPs) of Health Center Program grantees that have been 
deemed as PHS employees. The Health Center FTCA Program is administered 
by HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC). Sponsoring health 
centers are required by law to submit deeming applications in the 
specified form and manner on behalf of named individuals for review and 
approval, resulting in a ``deeming determination'' that includes 
associated FTCA coverage for these individuals.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Deeming applications must 
address certain specified criteria required by law for deeming 
determinations to be issued, and FTCA application forms are critical to 
BPHC's deeming determination process. These forms provide BPHC with the 
information necessary to evaluate an application and determine whether 
an individual meets the requirements for deemed PHS employee status for 
the purposes of FTCA coverage. Because the 21st Century Cures Act 
extended FTCA coverage to VHPs, BPHC proposes to add new FTCA 
application forms for use by health centers applying to sponsor 
volunteers to become VHPs with associated FTCA coverage for their 
activities within the scope of deemed employment on behalf of the 
health center.
    Likely Respondents: Respondents include Health Center Program fund 
recipients seeking deemed PHS employee status on behalf of their 
sponsored individuals for purposes of FTCA coverage.
    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 Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below.

                                     Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                     Number of                    Average burden
            Form name                Number of     responses per       Total       per response    Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses      (in hours)         hours
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FTCA Health Center Volunteer                1375               3            4125               2            8250
 Health Professional Program
 Application....................
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    Total.......................            1375  ..............            4125  ..............            8250
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[[Page 28670]]

    HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and 
utility of the proposed information collection for the proper 
performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the 
estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology to 
minimize the information collection burden.

Jason E. Bennett,
Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2017-13172 Filed 6-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-15-P