[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 160 (Monday, August 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47190-47194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17928]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No: SSA-2021-0030]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed 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, 
Comments: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Submit your 
comments online referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2021-0030].
(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 https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-
2021-0030].
    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 
October 19, 2021. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Certificate of Support--20 CFR 404.370, 404.408a, and 404.750--
0960-

[[Page 47191]]

0001. A parent of a deceased, fully insured worker may be entitled to 
Social Security Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) 
benefits based on the earnings record of the deceased worker under 
certain conditions. One of the conditions is when the parent receives 
at least one-half support from the deceased worker at certain points in 
time. The one-half support requirement also applies to a spousal 
applicant in determining whether OASDI benefits are subject to 
Government Pension Offset (GPO). SSA uses Form SSA-760, Certificate of 
Support, to determine if the parent of a deceased worker or a spouse 
applicant meets the one-half support requirement. Respondents are 
parents of deceased workers and spouses who may meet the GPO exception.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                       Average burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-760...........................................          18,000                1               15            4,500         * $27.07       ** 121,815
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** 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. Medical Source Opinion of Patient's Capability to Manage 
Benefits--20 CFR 404.2015 and 416.615--0960-0024. SSA appoints a 
representative payee in cases where we determine beneficiaries are not 
capable of managing their own benefits. In these instances, we require 
medical evidence to determine the beneficiaries' capability of managing 
or directing their benefit payments. SSA collects medical evidence on 
Form SSA-787, Medical Source Opinion of Patient's Capability to Manage 
Benefits, to: (1) Determine beneficiaries' capability or inability to 
handle their own benefits; and (2) assist in determining the 
beneficiaries' need for a representative payee. The respondents are the 
beneficiary's physicians, or medical officers of the institution in 
which the beneficiary resides.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                      Average  burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-787...........................................         767,737                1               20          255,912          $105.22      $26,927,061
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the national average medical professionals' salaries as reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291228.htm).
** 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. Work Activity Report--Employee--20 CFR 404.1520(b), 404.1571-
404.1576, 404.1584-404.1593, and 416.971-404.976--0960-0059. SSA uses 
Form SSA-821-BK, Work Activity Report--Employee, and its electronic 
version, the SSA-821-APP, to collect recipient employment information 
to determine whether recipients worked after becoming disabled and, if 
so, whether the work is substantial gainful activity. SSA uses the SSA-
821-BK and SSA-821-APP to obtain work information during the initial 
claims process, the continuing disability review process, post-
adjudicative work issue actions, and for Supplemental Security Income 
(SSI) claims involving work issues. SSA reviews and evaluates the data 
to determine if the applicant or recipient meets the disability 
requirements of the law. The respondents are applicants or recipients 
of Title II Social Security Disability, and Title XVI SSI applicants.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                           Average wait
                                                                              Average                         Average      time in field   Total annual
                                             Number of     Frequency of     burden per       Estimated      theoretical    office or for    opportunity
         Modality of completion             respondents      response        response      total annual     hourly cost     teleservice   cost (dollars)
                                                                             (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          Centers           ***
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA[dash]821[dash]BK (Paper)............         319,900               1              30         159,950        * $10.95           ** 21  *** $2,977,469
SSA-821-APP (Electronic)................          91,400               1              30          45,700         * 10.95  ..............     *** 500,415
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................         411,300  ..............  ..............         205,650  ..............  ..............   *** 3,477,884
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* We based this figure on the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2021 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2021FactSheet.pdf).
** We based this figure on averaging both the average FY 2021 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, based on SSA's current management
  information 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.


[[Page 47192]]

    4. Application for Supplemental Security Income--20 CFR 416.207 and 
416.305-416.335, subpart C--0960-0229. The SSI program provides aged, 
blind, and disabled individuals who have little or no income, with 
funds for food, clothing, and shelter. Individuals complete Form SSA-
8000-BK, Application for Supplemental Security Income, to apply for 
SSI. SSA uses the information from Form SSA-8000-BK, and its electronic 
intranet counterpart, the SSI Claim System, to: (1) Determine whether 
SSI claimants meet all statutory and regulatory eligibility 
requirements; and (2) calculate SSI payment amounts. The respondents 
are applicants for SSI or their representative payees. Type of Request: 
Revision of an OMB-approved information collection.

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                                                                                                                        Average wait
                                                                           Average                         Average      time in field
                                          Number of     Frequency of     burden per       Estimated      theoretical    office or for     Total annual
        Modality of completion           respondents      response        response      total annual     hourly cost     teleservice    opportunity cost
                                                                          (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          centers       (dollars) ***
                                                                                                         (dollars) *    (minutes) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSI Claim System.....................       1,212,512               1              35         707,299        * $19.01           ** 21    *** $21,513,199
SSA-8000-BK (Paper Form).............          20,941               1              41          14,310         * 19.01           ** 21        *** 411,357
                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...........................       1,233,453  ..............  ..............         721,609  ..............  ..............     *** 21,924,556
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* We based this figure by averaging both the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2021 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2021FactSheet.pdf), and the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm ).
** We based this figure on averaging both the average FY 2021 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, based on SSA's current management
  information 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.

    5. State Supplementation Provisions: Agreement; Payments--20 CFR 
416.2095-416.2098, and 416.2099--0960-0240. Section 1618 of the Social 
Security Act (Act) requires those states administering their own 
supplementary income payment program(s) to demonstrate compliance with 
the Act by passing Federal cost-of-living increases on to individuals 
who are eligible for state supplementary payments. States are required 
to report to SSA their compliance of the passing-along of such 
increases. In general, states report their supplementary payment 
information annually by the maintenance-of-payment levels method. 
However, SSA may ask them to report up to four times in a year by the 
total-expenditures method. Regardless of the method, the states confirm 
their compliance with the requirements, and provide any changes to 
their optional supplementary payment rates. SSA uses the information to 
determine each state's compliance or noncompliance with the pass-along 
requirements of the Act to determine eligibility for Medicaid 
reimbursement. If a state fails to keep payments at the required level, 
it becomes ineligible for Medicaid reimbursement under Title XIX of the 
Act. Respondents are state agencies administering supplementary income 
payment programs.
    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-8019-U2 (Paper).....................................              11               1              60              11        * $21.46         ** $236
SSI Claims System (Intranet)............................              22               1              60              22         * 21.46          ** 472
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................              33  ..............  ..............              33  ..............          ** 708
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the average state Eligibility for Government Programs Interviewers hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics
  data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434061.htm).
** 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.

    6. Representative Payee Report of Benefits and Dedicated Account--
20 CFR 416.546, 416.635, 416.640, and 416.665--0960-0576. SSA requires 
representative payees to submit a written report accounting for the use 
of money paid to Social Security or SSI recipients, and to establish 
and maintain a dedicated account for these payments. SSA uses Form SSA-
6233, Representative Payee Report of Benefits and Dedicated Account, 
to: (1) Ensure the representative payees use the payments for the 
recipient's current maintenance and personal needs; and (2) confirm the 
expenditures of funds from the dedicated account remain in compliance 
with the law. Respondents are representative payees for SSI and Social 
Security recipients.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB approved information 
collection.

[[Page 47193]]



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                                                                                                                          Average wait
                                                                                                           Average       time in field     Total annual
                                      Number of       Frequency of    Average burden  Estimated total    theoretical     office or for     opportunity
      Modality of completion         respondents        response       per response    annual burden     hourly cost      teleservice     cost (dollars)
                                                                        (minutes)         (hours)           amount          centers            ***
                                                                                                         (dollars) *      (minutes) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-6233.........................          31,500                1               20           10,500         * $27.07            ** 21     *** $582,682
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* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** We based this figure on averaging both the average FY 2021 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, based on SSA's current management
  information 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.

    7. Credit Card Payment Form--0960-0648. SSA uses Form SSA-1414, 
Credit Card Payment Form, to process: (1) Credit card payments from 
former employees and vendors with outstanding debts to the agency; (2) 
advance payments for reimbursable agreements; and (3) credit card 
payments for all Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests requiring 
payment. The respondents are former employees and vendors who have 
outstanding debts to the agency; entities who have reimbursable 
agreements with SSA; and individuals who request information through 
FOIA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                      Average  burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Total annual
         Modality of completion            Number of  respondents      Frequency of    per  response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                                         response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1414...............................  6,000.....................               1                2              200         * $27.07       ** $5,414
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** 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.

    8. Notification of a Social Security Number (SSN) to an Employer 
for Wage Reporting Purposes--20 CFR 422.103(a)--0960-0778. Individuals 
applying for employment must provide an SSN or indicate they have 
applied for one. However, when an individual applies for an initial 
SSN, there is a delay between the assignment of the number and the 
delivery of the SSN card. At an individual's request, SSA uses Form 
SSA-132, Notification of a Social Security Number (SSN) to an Employer 
for Wage Reporting Purposes, to send the individual's SSN to an 
employer. Mailing this information to the employer: (1) Ensures the 
employer has the correct SSN for the individual; (2) allows SSA to 
receive correct earnings information for wage reporting purposes; and 
(3) reduces the delay in the initial SSN assignment and delivery of the 
SSN information directly to the employer. It also enables SSA to verify 
the employer as a safeguard for the applicant's personally identifiable 
information. The respondents are individuals applying for an initial 
SSN who ask SSA to mail confirmation of their application or the SSN to 
their employers.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                           Average
                                                                     Average  burden  Estimated total    theoretical     Average  wait     Total annual
      Modality of completion          Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden     hourly cost     time in  field    opportunity
                                     respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount           office      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                         (dollars) *      (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-132..........................         124,668                1                2            4,156         * $27.07            ** 24   *** $1,462,403
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2021 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information 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.

    9. Data Exchange Request Form--20 CFR 401.100--0960-0802. SSA 
maintains approximately 3,000 data exchange agreements and regularly 
receives new requests from Federal, State, local, and foreign 
governments, as well as private organizations, to share data 
electronically. SSA engages in various forms of data exchanges from 
Social Security number verifications to computer matches for benefit 
eligibility, depending on the requestor's business needs. Section 1106 
of the Act requires we consider the requestor's legal authority to 
receive the data, our disclosure policies, systems' feasibility, 
systems' security, and costs before entering into a data exchange 
agreement. We use Form SSA-157, Data Exchange Request Form, for this 
purpose. Requesting agencies, governments, or private organizations 
will use the form when voluntarily initiating a request for data 
exchange from SSA. Respondents are Federal, State, local, and foreign 
governments, as

[[Page 47194]]

well as private organizations seeking to share data electronically with 
SSA.
    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, local, and tribal governments....................             139               1              45             104        * $42.85       ** $4,456
Private sector organizations............................              74               1              45              56        * $42.85       ** $2,400
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................             213  ..............  ..............             160  ..............       ** $6,856
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* We based this figure by averaging the average Management Analyst hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131111.htm); the average Business and Financial Operations hourly salary (www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes130000.htm); and the average
  Epidemiologist hourly salary (www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes191041.htm).
** 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.

    10. Fee Agreement for Representation before the Social Security 
Administration--0960-0810. The Act requires individuals who represent a 
claimant before the agency and want to receive a fee for their services 
to obtain SSA's authorization of the fee. One way to obtain the 
authorization is to submit the fee agreement to the agency either in 
writing or through using Form SSA-1693, Fee Agreement for 
Representation before the Social Security Administration. Since 
representatives currently use fee agreements which vary in length, 
content, and complexity, submission of a free-form fee agreement may 
cause delays in SSA's review time. Therefore, SSA encourages 
respondents to use Form SSA-1693 to submit the information either using 
the paper form or the electronically submittable e1693 through SSA's 
website. SSA uses the information from the SSA-1693 to review the 
request and authorize any fee to representatives who seek to charge and 
collect a fee from a claimant. The respondents are the representatives 
who help claimants through the application process, and the claimants 
who they represent.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                      Average  burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual  burden    hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1693..........................................           5,000                1               13            1,083         * $50.47       ** $54,659
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on the averaged total of the average Lawyer's Legal Services wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes231011.htm), and the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** 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: August 17, 2021.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer,Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-17928 Filed 8-20-21; 8:45 am]
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