[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 27 (Thursday, February 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9073-9075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02807]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Public Comment Request; 
Information Collection Request Title: Health Professions Student Loan 
Program, Loans for Disadvantaged Students, Primary Care Loan Program, 
and Nursing Student Loan Program Administrative Requirements. OMB No. 
0915-0047--Revision

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 Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA 
submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Comments submitted 
during the first public review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB 
will accept further comments from the public during the review and 
approval period. OMB may act on HRSA's ICR only after the 30 day 
comment period for this notice has closed.

DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received no later than March 15, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the clearance 
requests submitted to OMB for review, email Lisa Wright-Solomon, the 
HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at [email protected] or 
call (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Information Collection Request Title: Health Professions Student 
Loan (HPSL) Program, Loans for Disadvantaged Students, Primary Care 
Loan Program (PCL), and Nursing Student Loan Program Administrative 
Requirements.
OMB No. 0915-0047--Revision
    Abstract: This clearance request is for approval of the Health 
Professions Student Loan (HPSL) Program, Loans for Disadvantaged 
Students (LDS), Primary Care Loan Program (PCL), and Nursing Student 
Loan (NSL) Program

[[Page 9074]]

Administrative Requirements. The form was previously titled as the HPSL 
Program and NSL Program Administrative Requirements (Regulations and 
Policy). This request seeks to add LDS and PCL as the forms discussed 
in this notice are also used for these programs.
    The HPSL Program, as authorized by Public Health Service (PHS) Act 
sections 721-722 and 725-735, provides long-term, low-interest loans to 
students attending schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, 
dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatric medicine, and 
pharmacy. The LDS Program, as authorized by PHS Act sections 721-722 
and 724-735, provides long-term, low interest loans to students 
attending schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, 
podiatric medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary 
medicine. The PCL Program, as authorized by PHS Act sections 721-723 
and 725-735, provides long-term, low interest loans to students 
attending schools of allopathic medicine and osteopathic medicine to 
practice primary health care. The NSL Program, as authorized by PHS Act 
sections 835-842, provides long-term, low-interest loans to students 
who attend eligible schools of nursing in programs leading to a diploma 
degree, an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree, or a graduate 
degree in nursing. These programs also have a number of recordkeeping 
and reporting requirements for academic institutions and loan 
applicants. The applicable requirements for these programs are outlined 
in 42 CFR 57.201-218 and 57.301-318. HRSA proposes revisions to the 
Annual Operating Report (AOR)-HRSA Form 501 completed by institutions 
participating in the HPSL, LDS, PCL, and NSL programs to obtain 
additional information about those institutions and their student 
borrowers.
    A 60-day notice published in the Federal Register on December 14, 
2020, vol. 85, No. 240; pp. 80791-93. There were no public comments.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Participating HPSL, LDS, 
PCL, and NSL schools are responsible for determining eligibility of 
applicants, making loans, and collecting monies owed by borrowers on 
their outstanding loans. Participating schools include schools that are 
no longer disbursing loans but are required to report and maintain 
program records, student records, and repayment records until all 
student loans are repaid in full and all monies due to the federal 
government are returned. The Deferment Form--HRSA Form 519, provides 
the schools with documentation of a borrower's deferment status, as 
detailed for the HPSL program under 42 CFR 57.210 and for NSL under 42 
CFR 57.310, and is included without revision.
    The AOR-HRSA Form 501 provides HHS with information from 
participating schools relating to HPSL, LDS, PCL and NSL program 
operations and financial activities. The proposed revisions to the AOR 
include the addition of a part-time option to select questions to allow 
institutions to report data on their part-time students, who are 
eligible to receive funding through the NSL program.
    Specifically, the ``part-time'' option will be added to the 
following questions for the NHL program:
     Question 3, page 1A of the non-PCL section of the AOR 
(total full-time enrollment for the Nursing discipline for the academic 
year-NSL loan recipients),
     Question 13 (total number of full time graduates-NSL loan 
recipients) at the school during the current reporting period),
     Question 14 (total number of full time NSL graduates-NSL 
loan recipients) during the current reporting period who indicate 
intent to serve in a rural area),
     Question 15b (of the total graduates reported in question 
15a, the number of full-time NSL graduates-NSL loan recipients in 
academic year 20XX-20XX serving in medically underserved communities),
     Question 15c (of the total graduates reported in question 
15a, the number of Full-Time NSL graduates--NSL loan recipients in 
academic year 20XX--20XX serving in primary care), and
     Question 15d (of the total graduates in question 15a, the 
number of full-time NSL graduates-NSL loan recipients in Academic Year 
20XX-20XX who entered the field for which they received their degree).
    HRSA also proposes to revise the AOR-HRSA Form 501 form to include 
four additional questions at the bottom of Page 1A of all AORs:
     16a. Are you a Community College?
     16b. Are you a Historically Black College or University?
     16c. Are you a Tribal college or university? and
     16d. Are you an institution located in a rural area?
    In addition, HRSA proposes to revise Page 4 (the excess cash 
worksheet) of the AOR-HRSA Form 501 form to limit the grantees' ability 
to make projections to 1 year. This proposed revision will allow HRSA 
to improve the overall management of funding.
    Likely Respondents: Institutions participating in the HPSL, LDS, 
PCL, and/or NSL Programs.
    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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  Instrument (HPSL, LDS, PCL, &      Number of     Responses per       Total         Hours per     Total burden
              NSL)                  respondents     respondent       responses       response          hours
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Deferment--HRSA Form 519........            2060               1            2060              .5           1,030
AOR-HRSA--Form 501..............             726               1             726              12           8,712
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................            2786  ..............            2786  ..............           9,742
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Grand Total (instruments  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............         327,979
         and recordkeeping
         requirements)..........
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[[Page 9075]]


                                           Recordkeeping Requirements
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                                                                     Number of                     Total burden
                  Data required to be submitted                   record keepers  Hours per year       hours
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HPSL, LDS, and PCL Program:
    Documentation of Cost of Attendance.........................             432            1.05             454
    Promissory Note.............................................             432            1.25             540
    Documentation of Entrance Interview.........................             432            1.25             540
    Documentation of Exit Interview.............................           * 475            0.37             176
    Program Records.............................................           * 475           10.00           4,750
Student Records.................................................           * 475           10.00           4,750
Repayment Records...............................................           * 475           19.55           9,286
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
        HPSL/LDS/PCL Subtotal...................................             475  ..............          20,496
NSL Program:
    Documentation of Cost of Attendance.........................             304            0.25              76
    Promissory Note.............................................             304            0.50             152
    Documentation of Entrance Interview.........................             304            0.50             152
    Documentation of Exit Interview.............................           * 486            0.14              68
    Program Records.............................................           * 486            5.00           2,430
    Student Records.............................................           * 486            1.00             486
    Repayment Records...........................................           * 486            2.51           1,220
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
        NSL Subtotal............................................             486  ..............           4,584
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* Includes active and closing schools.


                                             Reporting Requirements
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                                     Number of     Responses per   Total annual      Hours per     Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses       response          hours
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HPSL, LDS, and PCL:
    Student Financial Aid                  4,600               1           4,600            0.25           1,150
     Transcript.................
    Loan Information Disclosure.             325           299.5          97,338            0.63          61,323
    Entrance Interview..........             325           139.5          45,338            0.50          22,669
    Exit Interview..............           * 334           113.5          37,909            1.00          37,909
    Notification of Repayment...           * 334           862.5         288,075            0.38         109,469
    Notification During                    * 333              17           5,661            0.63           3,566
     Deferment..................
    Notification of Delinquent               334           172.5          57,615            1.25          72,019
     Accounts...................
    Credit Bureau Notification..             334               6           2,004            0.50           1,002
    Write-off of Uncollectable               520               1             520            3.00            1560
     Loans......................
    Disability Cancellation.....               3               1               3            1.00               3
    Administrative Hearings                    0               0               0            0.00               0
     record retention...........
    Administrative Hearings                    0               0               0            0.00               0
     reporting requirements.....
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        HPSL Subtotal...........  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............         310,670
NSL:
    Student Financial Aid                  4,100               1           4,100            0.25           1,025
     Transcript.................
    Entrance Interview..........             282            17.5           4,935            0.42           2,073
    Exit Interview..............             348               9           3,132            0.42           1,315
    Notification of Repayment...             348               9           3,132            0.27             846
    Notification During                      348             1.5             522            0.29             151
     Deferment..................
    Notification of Delinquent               348            42.5          14,790            0.04             592
     Accounts...................
    Credit Bureau Notification..             348             709         246,732            0.06           1,480
    Write-off of Uncollectable                23               1              23            3.00              69
     Loans......................
    Disability Cancellation.....              16               1              16            1.00              16
    Administrative Hearings.....               0               0               0            0.00               0
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        NSL Subtotal............  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............           7,567
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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.

Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2021-02807 Filed 2-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P