[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22951-22952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08224]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Workers' Compensation Programs


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Pharmacy Billing Requirement

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting comments 
concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the 
information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Pharmacy Billing 
Requirements.'' This comment request is part of continuing Departmental 
efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received 
June 17, 2022.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free by 
contacting Anjanette Suggs by telephone at (202) 354-9660 (this is not 
toll-free number) or by email at [email protected].
    Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers' 
Compensation Programs, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20210; by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Anjanette Suggs by telephone at (202) 
354-9660 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOL, as part of continuing efforts to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of 
information before submitting them to the OMB for final approval. This 
program helps to ensure 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 can be properly assessed.
    The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is the agency 
responsible for administration of the Federal Employees' Compensation 
Act

[[Page 22952]]

(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. All 
three of these statutes require that OWCP pay for covered medical 
treatment provided to beneficiaries; this medical treatment can include 
medicinal drugs dispensed by pharmacies. In order to determine whether 
amounts billed for drugs are appropriate, OWCP must receive the 
required data elements, including the name of the patient/beneficiary, 
the National Drug Code (NDC) number of the drugs prescribed, the 
quantity provided, the prescription number and the date the 
prescription was filled. The regulations implementing these statutes 
require the collection of information needed to enable OWCP to 
determine if bills for drugs submitted directly by pharmacies, or 
reimbursement requests submitted by claimants, should be paid. There is 
no standardized paper form for submission of the billing information 
collected in this Information Collection Request (ICR). Over the past 
several years, almost all pharmacy bills submitted to OWCP have been 
submitted electronically using one of the industry-wide standard 
formats for the electronic transmission of billing data through 
nationwide data clearinghouses devised by the National Council for 
Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP). None of the electronic billing 
formats have been designed by or provided by OWCP; they are billing 
formats commonly accepted by other Federal programs and in the private 
health insurance industry for drugs. Nonetheless, the three programs 
(FECA, BLBA and EEOICPA) provide instructions for the submission of 
necessary pharmacy bill data elements in provider manuals distributed 
or made available to all pharmacies enrolled in the programs.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6.
    Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the 
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to 
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should mention 1240-0050.
    Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this 
ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. The DOL encourages 
commenters not to include personally identifiable information, 
confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information 
in any comments.
    The DOL is particularly interested in comments that:
     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 submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-OWCP.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Title of Collection: Pharmacy Billing Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0050.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 874,414.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 874,414.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 1 minute.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,481.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $784,103.58.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Anjanette Suggs,
Agency Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-08224 Filed 4-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CR-P