[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11119-11120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03789]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Workers' Compensation Programs


Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be 
provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial 
resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, 
and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be 
properly assessed. This information collection request (ICR) seeks 
approval under the PRA for the continued use of the revised Provider 
Enrollment Form (Form OWCP-1168). The form requests profile information 
on providers that enroll in one or more of OWCP's benefit programs so 
its billing contractor can pay them for services rendered to 
beneficiaries using its automated bill processing system. In addition 
to the enrollment form information collection, the OWCP bill processing 
contractor currently collects electronic data interchange (EDI) 
information from the

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provider only if the provider chooses a data exchange submission 
method. Once the new OWCP-1168 form is in place, the existing EDI 
template will no longer be applicable. The current EDI template 
collects information that is duplicative to information collected on 
Form OWCP-1168, such as names, addresses, and NPI. Collecting EDI 
information with the enrollment information in one form will improve 
efficiency in collecting the information from providers, reduce the 
time required for processing by operational staff, and will 
significantly reduce errors associated with mismatching provider 
enrollments to their EDI information. This ICR will be submitted to OMB 
to allow for the continued use of the revised Provider Enrollment Form 
(Form OWCP-1168) and to incorporate regulatory updates implementing the 
Black Lung benefits Act which becomes applicable on April 26, 2020. A 
copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this 
Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section below on or before April 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Anjanette Suggs, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
Ave. NW, Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone/fax (202) 354-
9660, Email [email protected]. Please use only one method of 
transmission for comments (mail/delivery, fax, or email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is the agency 
responsible for administration of the Federal Employees' Compensation 
Act (FECA), 5 U.S.C. 8101 et seq., the Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA), 
30 U.S.C. 901 et seq., and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), 42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq. 
These statutes require OWCP to pay for appropriate medical and 
vocational rehabilitation services provided to beneficiaries. In order 
for OWCP's billing contractor to pay providers of these services with 
its automated bill processing system, providers must ``enroll'' with 
one or more of the OWCP programs that administer the statutes by 
submitting certain profile information, including identifying 
information, tax I.D. information, and whether they possess specialty 
or sub-specialty training. Form OWCP-1168 is used to obtain this 
information from each provider. This ICR will be submitted to OMB as a 
follow-up to an emergency processing request that was submitted to OMB 
on February 14, 2020 which will allow for implementation of the revised 
form as soon as possible. This submission will request OMB approval to 
use the revised form for an additional three (3) years.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    * Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    * evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    * enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and
    * minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

    The Department of Labor seeks the approval of the extension of this 
currently approved information collection in order to carry out a wide 
range of automated bill ``edits'', such as the identification of 
duplicate billings, the application of pertinent fee schedules, 
utilization review, and fraud and abuse detection. The profile 
information is also used to furnish detailed reports to providers on 
the status of previously submitted bills.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
    Title: Provider Enrollment Form.
    OMB Number: 1240-0021.
    Agency Number: OWCP-1168.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.
    Total Respondents: 64,325.
    Total Responses: 64,325.
    Time per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 32,163.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $37,309.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

Anjanette Suggs,
Agency Clearance Officer, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, 
U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2020-03789 Filed 2-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CR-P