[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70610-70613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27664]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No: SSA-2019-0055]


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 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-2019-0055].
    I. The information collections below are pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit them 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 
February 21, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Continuing Disability Review Report--20 CFR 404.1589 & 416.989--
0960-0072. Sections 221(i), 1614(a)(3)(H)(ii)(I) and 1633(c)(1) of the 
Social Security Act requires SSA to periodically review the cases of 
individuals who receive benefits under Title II or Title XVI, based on 
disability, to determine if disability continues. SSA uses Form SSA-
454, Continuing Disability Review Report to complete the review for 
continued disability. SSA considers adults eligible for payment if they 
continue to be unable to do substantial gainful activity because of 
their impairments; and we consider Title XVI children eligible for 
payment if they have marked and severe functional limitations due to 
their impairments. SSA also uses Form SSA-454 to obtain information on 
sources of medical treatment; participation in vocational 
rehabilitation programs (if any); attempts to work (if any); and the 
opinions of individuals regarding whether their conditions have 
improved. The respondents are Title II or Title XVI disability 
recipients or their representatives.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 70611]]



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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
                 Modality of completion                      Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                            (dollars) *         **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-454-BK (Paper version)..............................         270,500               1              60         270,500        * $10.22   ** $2,764,510
Electronic Disability Collect System....................         270,500               1              60         270,500         * 10.22    ** 2,764,510
(EDCS)..................................................
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................         541,000  ..............  ..............         541,000  ..............    ** 5,529,020
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average DI payments, as reported in SSA's disability insurance payment data.
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    2. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)--Quality Review Case 
Analysis--0960-0133. To assess the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
program and ensure the accuracy of its payments, SSA conducts legally 
mandated periodic SSI case analysis quality reviews. SSA uses Form SSA-
8508-BK, and the electronic Excel application version, e8505, 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 the recipients of SSI payments which 
SSA randomly selects for quality reviews. Type of Request: Revision of 
an OMB-approved information collection.

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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
                 Modality of completion                      Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                            (dollars) *         **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-8508-BK (paper interview)...........................             230               1              60             230        * $10.22       ** $2,351
e8508 (electronic interview)............................           4,370               1              60           4,370         * 10.22       ** 44,661
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................           4,600  ..............  ..............           4,600  ..............       ** 47,012
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average DI payments, as reported in SSA's disability insurance payment data.
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    3. 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
                                                             Average     Estimated   theoretical   Total annual
                                  Number of    Frequency    burden per     total        hourly      opportunity
     Modality of completion      respondents  of response    response      annual        cost          cost
                                                            (minutes)      burden       amount     (dollars) **
                                                                          (hours)    (dollars) *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paper Version: SSA-131.........      105,000            1           20       35,000     * $36.65      $1,282,750
(without #6)...................
Paper Version: SSA-131 (#6             1,050            1            2           35      * 36.65        ** 1,283
 only).........................
Electronic Version: Business              26            1            5            2      * 36.65           ** 73
 Services Online Special Wage
 Payments......................
    Totals.....................      106,076  ...........  ...........       35,037  ...........    ** 1,284,106
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average Budget Analysts hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to
  complete this application; rather, these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents
  will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to respondents to complete the application.

    4. Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Process--20 
CFR 400.100--0960-0760. The Consent Based Social Security Number 
Verification (CBSV) process is a fee-based automated Social Security 
number (SSN) verification service available to private businesses and 
other requesting parties. To use the system, private businesses and 
requesting parties must register with SSA and obtain valid consent from 
SSN holders prior to verification. We collect the information to verify 
if the submitted name and SSN match the information in SSA records. 
After completing a registration process and paying the fee, the 
requesting party can use the CBSV process to submit a file containing 
the names of number holders who gave valid consent, along with each 
number holder's accompanying SSN and date of birth (if available) to 
obtain real-time results using a web service application or SSA's 
Business Services Online (BSO) application. SSA matches the information 
against the SSA master file

[[Page 70612]]

of SSNs, using SSN, name, date of birth, and gender code (if 
available). The requesting party retrieves the results file from SSA, 
which indicates only a match or no match for each SSN submitted.
    Under the CBSV process, the requesting party does not submit the 
consent forms of the number holders to SSA. SSA requires each 
requesting party to retain a valid consent form for each SSN 
verification request. The requesting party retains the consent forms in 
either electronic or paper format.
    SSA added a strong audit component to ensure the integrity of the 
CBSV process. At the discretion of the agency, we require audits 
(called ``compliance reviews'') with the requesting party paying all 
audit costs. Independent certified public accounts (CPAs) conduct these 
reviews to ensure compliance with all the terms and conditions of the 
party's agreement with SSA, including a review of the consent forms. 
CPAs conduct the reviews at the requesting party's place of business to 
ensure the integrity of the process. In addition, SSA reserves the 
right to perform unannounced onsite inspections of the entire process, 
including review of the technical systems that maintain the data and 
transaction records. The respondents to the CBSV collection are the 
participating companies; members of the public who consent to the SSN 
verification; and CPAs who provide compliance review services.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

Time Burden

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                                                                                                                                  Average       Total
                                                                                                        Average     Estimated   theoretical     annual
                                                                Number of    Frequency    Number of    burden per     total        hourly    opportunity
                         Requirement                           respondents  of response   responses     response      annual        cost         cost
                                                                                                       (minutes)      burden       amount     (dollars)
                                                                                                                     (hours)    (dollars) *       **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Participating Companies
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration process for new participating companies.........       *** 10            1           10          120           20     * $36.98      ** $740
Creation of file with SSN holder identification data;                   80     **** 251       20,080           60       20,080      * 36.98   ** 742,558
 maintaining required documentation/forms....................
Using the system to upload request file, check status, and              80          251       20,080            5        1,673      * 36.98    ** 61,868
 download results file.......................................
Storing Consent Forms........................................           80          251       20,080           60       20,080      * 36.98   ** 742,558
Activities related to compliance review......................           80          251       20,080           60       20,080      * 36.98   ** 742,558
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................................................          330  ...........       80,330  ...........       61,933  ...........           **
                                                                                                                                               2,290,282
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                                         Participating Companies Who Opt for External Testing Environment (ETE)
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ETE Registration Process (includes reviewing and completing             30            1            1          180           90      * 36.98     ** 3,328
 ETE User Agreement).........................................
Web Service Transactions.....................................           30           50        1,500            1           25      * 36.98       ** 925
Reporting Issues Encountered on Web service testing (e.g.,              30           50        1,500            1           25      * 36.98       ** 925
 reports on application's reliability).......................
Reporting changes in users' status (e.g., termination or                30            1            1           60           30      * 36.98     ** 1,109
 changes in users' employment status; changes in duties of
 authorized users)...........................................
Cancellation of Agreement....................................           30            1            1           30           15      * 36.98       ** 555
Dispute Resolution...........................................           30            1            1          120           60      * 36.98     ** 2,219
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................................................          180  ...........        3,004  ...........          245  ...........     ** 9,061
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                                                            People Whose SSNs SSA Will Verify
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading and signing authorization for SSA to release SSN         2,500,000            1    2,500,000            3      125,000      * 10.22           **
 verification (Form SSA-89)..................................                                                                                  1,277,500
Responding to CPA re-contact.................................        4,000            1        4,000            5          333      * 36.98    ** 12,314
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................................................    2,504,000  ...........    2,504,000  ...........      125,333  ...........           **
                                                                                                                                               1,289,814
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* We based these figures on average Business and Financial operations occupations hourly salaries, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and
  per average DI payments, as reported in SSA's disability insurance payment data.
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.
*** One-time registration process/approximately 10 new participating companies per year.
**** Please note there are 251 Federal business days per year on which a requesting party could submit a file.

    There is one CPA respondent conducting compliance reviews and 
preparing written reports of findings. The average burden per the 80 
responses is 4,800 minutes for a total burden of 6,400 hours annually.

Cost Burden

    The public cost burden is dependent upon the number of companies 
and transactions per year. In FY 2019, 80 companies enrolled; 80 
companies submitted an advance; and 70 actually performed 
verifications. The cost estimates below are based upon 80 participating 
companies in FY 2019 (includes an average of 10 new companies per year 
since 2016) submitting a total of 2,500,000 transactions.
    One-Time Per Company Registration Fee: $5,000.
    Estimated Per SSN Transaction Fee: $1.00.
    Estimated Per Company Cost to Store Consent Forms: $300.
    II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding these 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 January 22, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of 
the OMB clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
    1. Missing and Discrepant Wage Reports Letter and Questionnaire--26 
CFR 31.6051-2--0960-0432. Each year employers report the wage amounts 
they

[[Page 70613]]

paid their employees to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax 
purposes, and separately to SSA for retirement and disability coverage 
purposes. Employers should report the same figures to SSA and the IRS; 
however, each year some of the employer wage reports SSA receives show 
wage amounts lower than those employers report to the IRS. SSA uses 
Forms SSA-L93-SM, SSA-L94-SM, SSA-95-SM, and SSA-97-SM to ensure 
employees receive full credit for their wages. Respondents are 
employers who reported lower wage amounts to SSA than they reported to 
the IRS.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                              Average        Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
                 Modality of  completion                     Number of     Frequency  of    burden per     total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                                            respondents      response        response         burden          amount           cost
                                                                                             (minutes)        (hours)       (dollars) *    (dollars) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-95-SM and SSA[dash]97[dash]SM.......................         360,000               1              30         180,000        * $22.50   ** $4,050,000
(and accompanying cover letters.........................
SSA-L93, L94)...........................................
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* We based this figure on average U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
**
This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather, these
  are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to respondents
  to complete the application.

    2. Request for Proof(s) from Custodian of Records--20 CFR 404.703, 
404.704, 404.720, 404.721, 404.723, 404.725, & 404.728--0960-0766. SSA 
sends Form SSA-L707, Request for Proof(s) from Custodian of Records, to 
records custodians on behalf of individuals who need help obtaining 
evidence of death, marriage, or divorce in connection with claims for 
benefits. SSA uses the information from the SSA-L707 to determine 
eligibility for benefits. The respondents are records custodians 
including statistics and religious entities, coroners, funeral 
directors, attending physicians, and State agencies.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                              Average        Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
                 Modality of  completion                     Number of     Frequency  of    burden per     total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                                            respondents      response        response         burden          amount           cost
                                                                                             (minutes)        (hours)       (dollars) *    (dollars) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State or Local Government...............................              94               1              10              16        * $18.00         ** $288
Private Sector..........................................              24               1              10               4         * 37.60          ** 150
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................             118  ..............  ..............              20  ..............          ** 438
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* We based these figures on average records custodians in the local/state government, and records custodians in the private sectors hourly salary, as
  reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.


    Dated: December 18, 2019.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-27664 Filed 12-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4191-02-P