[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 199 (Friday, October 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63959-63960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26542]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Summary: In accordance with the requirement of Section 
3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides 
opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of 
proposed data collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    1. Title and purpose of information collection: Appeal Under the 
Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act; OMB 3220-
0007.
    Under Section 7(b)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), and 
Section 5(c) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) any 
person aggrieved by a decision on his or her application for an annuity 
or benefit under that Act has the right to appeal to the RRB. This 
right is prescribed in 20 CFR part 260 and 20 CFR part 320. The 
notification letter, which is sent at the time of the original action 
on the application, informs the applicant of such right. When an 
applicant protests a decision, the concerned RRB office reviews the 
entire file and any additional evidence submitted and sends the 
applicant a letter explaining the basis of the determination. The 
applicant is then notified that if he or she wishes to protest further, 
they can appeal to the RRB's Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. The appeal 
process is prescribed in 20 CFR 260.5 and 260.9 and 20 CFR 320.12 and 
320.38.
    The form prescribed by the RRB for filing an appeal under the RRA 
or RUIA is Form HA-1, Appeal Under the Railroad Retirement Act or 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. The form asks the applicant to 
explain the basis for their request for an appeal and, if necessary, to 
describe any additional evidence they wish to submit in support of the 
appeal. Completion is voluntary, however, if the information is not 
provided the RRB cannot process the appeal. The RRB proposes minor

[[Page 63960]]

editorial and cosmetic changes to Form HA-1.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The Estimated Annual Respondent Burden is as Follows]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses     Time  (minutes)  Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HA-1.........................................................             600               20              200
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Application for 
Benefits Due but Unpaid at Death; OMB 3220-0055.
    Under Section 2(g) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act 
(RUIA), benefits that accrued but were not paid because of the death of 
the employee shall be paid to the same individual(s) to whom benefits 
are payable under Section 6(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act. The 
provisions relating to the payment of such benefits are prescribed in 
20 CFR 325.5 and 20 CFR 335.5.
    The RRB provides Form UI-63 for use in applying for the accrued 
sickness or unemployment benefits unpaid at the death of the employee 
and for securing the information needed by the RRB to identify the 
proper payee. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion 
is required to obtain a benefit. The RRB proposes no changes to Form 
UI-63.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The Estimated Annual Respondent Burden is as Follows]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses     Time  (minutes)  Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-63........................................................              25                7                3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Medicare; OMB 3220-
0082.
    Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Medicare program for 
persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The RRB uses Form 
AA-6, Employee Application for Medicare; Form AA-7, Spouse/Divorced 
Spouse Application for Medicare; and Form AA-8, Widow/Widower 
Application for Medicare; to obtain the information needed to determine 
whether individuals who have not yet filed for benefits under the RRA 
are qualified for Medicare payments provided under Title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act.
    Further, in order to determine if a qualified railroad retirement 
beneficiary who is claiming supplementary medical insurance coverage 
under Medicare is entitled to a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and/or 
premium surcharge relief because of coverage under an Employer Group 
Health Plan (EGHP), the RRB needs to obtain information regarding the 
claimant's EGHP coverage, if any. The RRB uses Form RL-311-F, Evidence 
of Coverage Under An Employer Group Health Plan, to obtain the basic 
information needed by the RRB to establish EGHP coverage for a 
qualified railroad retirement beneficiary. Completion of the forms is 
required to obtain a benefit. One response is requested of each 
respondent. The RRB proposes minor editorial changes to Forms AA-6, AA-
7 and AA-8. The RRB proposes no changes to Form RL-311-F.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses     Time  (minutes)  Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-6.........................................................             180                8               24
AA-7.........................................................              50                8                7
AA-8.........................................................              10                8                1
RL-311-F.....................................................             800               10              133
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, contact Charles Mierzwa, the RRB Clearance 
Officer, at (312) 751-3363 or [email protected]. Comments 
regarding the information collection should be addressed to Patricia 
Henaghan, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, 
Illinois 60611-2092 or e-mailed to [email protected]. Written 
comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-26542 Filed 10-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P