[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 172 (Thursday, September 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61602-61604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19203]


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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 Program, 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.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for the opportunity for 
public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information 
Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks 
comments from the public regarding the burden estimate below; or any 
other aspect of the ICR.

DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received no later than November 
6, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N136B, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
draft instruments, email [email protected] or call Joella Roland, the 
HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, at 301-443-3983.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the ICR title for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Health Professions Student 
Loan (HPSL) Program, Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS) Program, 
Primary Care Loan (PCL) Program, and Nursing Student (Loan (NSL) 
Program Administrative Requirements, OMB No. 0915-0047--Revision.
    Abstract: This clearance request is for approval of the HPSL 
Program, LDS Program, PCL Program, and NSL Program Administrative 
Requirements.
    The HPSL Program, authorized by Public Health Service (PHS) Act 
sections 721-722 and 725-735, is a grant program where recipients 
provide long-term, low-interest loans to students attending schools of 
medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, 
optometry, podiatric medicine, and pharmacy. The LDS Program, 
authorized by PHS Act sections 721-722 and 724-735, is a grant program 
where recipients provide long-term, low interest loans to certain 
students attending schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic 
medicine, podiatric medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and 
veterinary medicine. The PCL Program, authorized by PHS Act sections 
721-723 and 725-735, is a grant program where recipients provide long-
term, low interest loans to students attending schools of allopathic 
medicine and osteopathic medicine to practice primary health care. The 
NSL Program, authorized by PHS Act sections 835-842, is a grant program 
where recipients provide 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 program regulations are found in 42 CFR 
57.201-218 and 57.301-318. HRSA proposes revisions to the Annual

[[Page 61603]]

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.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Participating HPSL, LDS, 
PCL, and NSL schools are responsible for determining the 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 NSL under 42 CFR 
57.310, and is included with minor revisions. The proposed revisions to 
the AOR are to modify the options selected for gender identification 
consistent with Executive Order 14075--Executive Order on Advancing 
Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex 
Individuals.
    Additionally, the deferment form is being updated to provide 
specific directions for the submission requirements to notify students 
that the deferment request must be submitted to the institution 30 days 
prior to the payment due date. The institution must respond to the 
student 30 days after receipt of the student request.
     Likely Respondents: Institutions who have received HPSL, 
LDS, PCL, and/or NSL Program awards.
    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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                                                               Responses                                Total
       Instrument (HPSL, LDS, PCL, & NSL)         Number of       per         Total      Hours per      burden
                                                 respondents   respondent   responses     response      hours
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Deferment--HRSA Form 519.......................        2,060            1        2,060          .50        1,030
AOR-HRSA--Form 501.............................          726            1          726        12.00        8,712
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................................        2,786  ...........        2,786  ...........        9,742
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        Grand Total (instruments and record-     ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........      327,979
         keeping reporting requirements).......
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                                           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:

[[Page 61604]]

 
    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           1,560
     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. 2023-19203 Filed 9-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P