[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 163 (Thursday, August 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40161-40162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17926]


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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; Information Collection 
Request Title: Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Program Deeming 
Applications for Health Center Volunteer Health Professionals, OMB No. 
0906-XXXX, New

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 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 September 
25, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, including the ICR 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: 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

[[Page 40162]]

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 in order 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 essential for application evaluation and determination of 
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 will add new FTCA 
application forms for use by health centers applying to sponsor 
volunteers to become volunteer health professionals 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 funds 
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 ICR 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....................
    Total.......................            1375  ..............            4125  ..............            8250
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    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.

Amy McNulty,
Acting Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2017-17926 Filed 8-23-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-15-P