[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 105 (Thursday, May 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46945-46947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11803]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No: SSA-2024-0016]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment 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, Fax:
202-395-6974
(SSA) Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance
Director, Mail Stop 3253 Altmeyer, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD
21235, Fax: 833-410-1631, Email address: [email protected]
Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain by clicking on Currently under
Review--Open for Public Comments and choosing to click on one of SSA's
published items. Please reference Docket ID Number [SSA-2024-0016] in
your submitted response.
SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for
clearance. Your comments regarding these information collections would
be most useful if OMB and SSA receive them 30 days from the date of
this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive
them no later than July 1, 2024. Individuals can obtain copies of these
OMB clearance packages by writing to the [email protected].
1. Development of Participation in a Vocational Rehabilitation or
Similar Program--20 CFR 404.316(c), 404.337(c), 404.352(d),
404.1586(g), 404.1596, 404.1597(a), 404.327, 404.328, 416.1321(d),
416.1331(a)-(b), and 416.1338, 416.1402--0960-0282. State Disability
Determination Services (DDS) determine if Social Security disability
payment recipients whose disability ceased and who participate in
vocational rehabilitation programs may continue to receive disability
payments. To do this, DDSs need information about the recipients, the
types of program participation, and the services they receive under the
rehabilitation program. SSA uses Form SSA-4290 to collect this
information. The respondents are State employment networks, vocational
rehabilitation agencies, or other providers of educational or job
training services.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average wait
Average time in field
Number of Frequency of Average burden Estimated theoretical office or for Total annual
Modality of completion respondents response per response total annual hourly cost teleservice opportunity cost
(minutes) burden (hours) amount centers (dollars) ***
(dollars) * (minutes) **
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SSA-4290-F5 (By mail)................... 2,400 1 40 1,600 * $21.27 .............. *** $34,032
SSA-4290-F5 (Telephone)................. 600 1 30 300 * 21.27 ** 19 *** 10,422
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Totals.............................. 3,000 .............. .............. 1,900 .............. .............. *** 44,454
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* We based this figure on average Social and Human Service Assistant's hourly salary, as reported by (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211093.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2024 wait times for field offices phone calls, 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.
2. Application to Collect a Fee for Payee Services--20 CFR
404.2040a & 416.640a--0960-0719. Sections 205(j) and 1631(a) of the
Social Security Act (Act) allow SSA to authorize certain organizational
representative payees to collect a fee for providing payee services.
Before an organization may collect this fee, they complete and submit
Form SSA-445. SSA uses the information to determine whether to
authorize or deny permission to collect fees for payee services. The
respondents are private sector businesses, or State and local
government offices, applying to become a fee-for-service organizational
representative payee.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
[[Page 46946]]
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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)
(hours) (dollars) * **
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Private sector business.................................... 80 1 13 17 * $18.48 ** $314
State/local government offices............................. 10 1 10 2 * 18.48 ** 37
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Totals................................................. 90 .............. .............. 19 .............. ** 351
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* We based these figures on average Personal Care and Service Occupations hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes390000.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. Screen Pop--20 CFR 401.45--0960-0790. Section 205(a) of the Act
requires SSA to verify the identity of individuals who request a record
or information pertaining to themselves, and to establish procedures
for disclosing personal information. SSA established Screen Pop, an
automated telephone process, to speed up verification for such
individuals. Accessing Screen Pop, callers enter their Social Security
number (SSN) using their telephone keypad or speech technology prior to
speaking with a National 800 Number Network (N8NN) agent. The automated
Screen Pop application collects the SSN and routes it to the ``Start
New Call'' Customer Help and Information (CHIP) screen. Functionality
for the Screen Pop application ends once the SSN connects to the CHIP
screen and the SSN routes to the agent's screen. When the call connects
to the N8NN agent, the agent can use the SSN to access the caller's
record as needed. The respondents for this collection are individuals
who contact SSA's N8NN to speak with an agent.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average Average wait
Average Estimated total theoretical time for Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of burden per annual burden hourly cost teleservice opportunity cost
respondents response response (hours) amount centers (dollars) ***
(minutes) (dollars) * (minutes) **
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Screen Pop............................. 51,933,760 1 1 865,563 * $31.48 ** 19 *** $544,958,276
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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#00-00000).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2024 wait times for 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.
4. Electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification--20
CFR 400.100--0960-0817. The electronic Consent Based Social Security
Number Verification (eCBSV) is a fee-based SSN verification service
which allows permitted entities (a financial institution as defined by
section 509 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, 42 U.S.C. 405(b)(4), and
Pub. L. 115-174; or service provider, subsidiary, affiliate, agent,
subcontractor, or assignee of a financial institution), to verify that
an individual's name, date of birth (DOB), and SSN match our records
based on the SSN holder's signed, including electronic consent in
connection with a credit transaction or any circumstance described in
section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681b).
Background
SSA established the eCBSV service in response to section 215 of the
Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018
(Banking Bill), Public Law 115-174. Permitted entities are able to
submit the SSN, name, and DOB of the number holder in connection with a
credit transaction, or any circumstances described in section 604 of
the Fair Credit Reporting Act to SSA for verification via an
application programming interface. eCBSV allows SSA to verify permitted
entities who submit SSN, name, and DOB matches, or does not match, the
data contained in SSA's records. After obtaining number holders'
consents, a permitted entity submits the names, DOBs, and SSNs of
number holders to the eCBSV service. SSA matches the information
against our Master File, using SSN, name, and DOB. The eCBSV service
responds in real time with a match, or no match indicator (and an
indicator if our records show that the number holder died). SSA does
not provide specific information on what data elements did not match,
nor does SSA provide any SSNs or other identifiable information. The
verification does not authenticate the identity of the number holders
or conclusively prove the number holders we verify are who they are
claiming to be.
Consent Requirements
Under the eCBSV process, the permitted entities do not submit the
number holder's consent forms to SSA. SSA requires each permitted
entity to retain a valid consent for each SSN verification request
submitted for a period of 5 years. SSA allows the permitted entities to
retain the consent in an electronic format, and SSA requires a wet or
electronic signature on the consent. Permitted entities may request
verification of a number holder's SSN on behalf of a financial
institution pursuant to the terms of the Banking Bill; the user
agreement between SSA and the PE; and the SSN Holder's consent. The
permitted entity ensures the financial institution agrees to the terms
in the user agreement to only use the SSN verification for the purpose
stated in the consent, and prohibits public entities from further using
or disclosing the SSN verification. This relationship is subject to the
terms in the user agreement between SSA and the PE.
Compliance Review
SSA requires each permitted entity to undergo compliance reviews
which an SSA approved certified public accountant (CPA) conducts. The
compliance reviews ensure the permitted entities meet all terms and
conditions of the user agreement, including obtaining valid consent
from number holders. The permitted entities pay all compliance review
costs through the eCBSV fees. In general, SSA requests annual reviews
with additional reviews
[[Page 46947]]
as necessary. The CPA follows review standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and contained in the
Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS).
Initially, SSA only allowed 10 permitted entities access to use the
service, with an estimated 307,000,000 requests. Now, with the open
enrollment, eCBSV is available to all interested permitted entities, as
defined in section 215 of the Banking Bill with an estimated annual
77,000,000 requests, and 20 participating public entities. The
respondents are permitted entities; members of the public who consent
to SSN verifications; and CPAs who provide compliance review services.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average
Average burden Estimated theoretical Total annual
Requirement Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost opportunity cost
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount (dollars) **
(dollars) *
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(a) People whose SSNs SSA will verify--Reading and 76,000,000 1 3 3,800,000 * $13.30 ** $50,540,000
Signing.............................................
(a) Sending in the verification request, calling our 76,000,000 1 1 1,266,667 * 43.55 ** 55,163,348
system, getting a response..........................
(c) CPA Compliance Review and Report ***............. 21 1 4,800 1,680 * 43.65 ** 73,332
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Totals........................................... 152,000,021 .............. .............. 5,068,347 .............. ** 105,776,680
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* We based these figures on average Business and Financial operations occupations (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes130000.htm), and Accountants and
Auditors hourly salaries (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132011.htm), as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and average DI payments, as
reported in SSA's disability insurance payment data (https://mwww.ba.ssa.gov/legislation/2024FactSheet.pdf).
** 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.
*** The enrollment process occurs automatically through the eCBSV Customer Connection, and entails providing consent for SSA to verify the EIN;
electronically signing the eCBSV User Agreement, and the permitted entities certification; selecting their annual tier level; and linking to pay.gov
to make payment for services.
**** SSA uses one CPA firm (an SSA-approved contractor) to conduct compliance reviews and prepare written reports of findings on the permitted entities.
Cost Burden
The public cost burden depends on the number of permitted entities
using the service and the annual transaction volume. SSA based the
current tier fee schedule below on 20 participating public entities in
fiscal year (FY) 2023 submitting an anticipated annual volume of 65
million transactions. For FY 2024, we are maintaining the current tier
structure, based our analysis, which estimated 20 participating public
entities with an anticipated annual volume of 52 million. Since our
analysis and initial estimate, one permitted entity noted the potential
for a significant increase in volume in FY 2024. The total cost for
developing and operating the service is $62 million through FY 2023. Of
this amount, $37 million remains unrecovered/unreimbursed. The current
subscription tier structure and associated fees intend to recover these
costs over a four-year period, assuming projected enrollments and
transaction volumes meet these projections. SSA uses the fee to
allocate for forecasted systems and operational expenses; agency
oversight; and overhead necessary to sustain the service.
eCBSV Tier Fee Schedule
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Annual transaction
Tier threshold Annual fee
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1.............................. Up to 10,000 (1-10,000) $7,000
2.............................. Up to 200,000 (10,001- 130,000
200,000).
3.............................. Up to 1 million 630,000
(200,001-1 million).
4.............................. Up to 2.5 million 1,500,000
(1,000,001-2.5
million).
5.............................. Up to 5 million 3,000,000
(2,500,001-5 million).
6.............................. Up to 10 million 4,500,000
(5,000,001-10 million).
7.............................. Up to 15 million 5,000,000
(10,000,001-15
million).
8.............................. Up to 20 million 6,250,000
(15,000,001-20
million).
9.............................. Up to 25 million 7,250,000
(20,000,001-25
million).
10............................. Up to 75 million 8,250,000
(25,000,001-200
million).
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SSA calculates fees based on forecasted systems and operational
expenses, agency oversight, overhead, and Certified Public Accountant
audit contract costs.
Section 215(h)(1)(B) of the Banking Bill requires that the
Commissioner shall ``periodically adjust'' the price paid by users to
ensure that amounts collected are sufficient to fully offset the costs
of administering the eCBSV system. SSA will monitor costs incurred to
provide eCBSV services on at least and annual basis, and will revise
the tier fee schedule accordingly. SSA will notify permitted entities
of the tier fee schedule in effect at the renewal of the eCBSV user
agreements; when a permitted entity begins a new 365-day agreement
period; and via notice in the Federal Register. SSA will govern
permitted entities renewals by the tier in effect at the time of
renewal.
Dated: May 23, 2024.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-11803 Filed 5-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P