[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 55 (Friday, March 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15782-15786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06148]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and
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 (Pub. L.)
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
[[Page 15783]]
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,
Email address: [email protected].
(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].
I. 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 May
20, 2014. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments
by writing to the above email address.
1. Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery or Change in
Repayment Notice--20 CFR 404.502--404.513, 404.515, and 20 CFR
416.550--416.570, 416.572--0960-0037. When Social Security
beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients receive
an overpayment, they must return the extra money. These beneficiaries
and recipients can use Form SSA-632-BK to take one of three actions:
(1) Request an exemption from repaying, as recovery of the payment
would cause financial hardship; (2) inform SSA they want to repay the
overpayment at a monthly rate over a period longer than 36 months; and
(3) request a different rate of recovery. In the latter two cases, the
respondents must also provide financial information to help the agency
determine how much the overpaid person can afford to repay each month.
Respondents are overpaid beneficiaries or SSI recipients who are
requesting (1) a waiver of recovery of an overpayment or (2) a lesser
rate of withholding.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Estimated
Number of Frequency of burden per total annual
Modality of completion respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waiver of Overpayment (completes entire paper 400,000 1 120 800,000
form)..........................................
Change in Repayment (completes partial paper 100,000 1 45 75,000
form)..........................................
Regional Application (New York Debt Management). 44,000 1 120 88,000
Internet Instructions (read only)............... 500,000 1 5 41,667
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 1,044,000 .............. .............. 1,004,667
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Annual Earnings Test Direct Mail Follow-Up Program Notices--20
CFR 404.452-404.455--0960-0369. SSA developed the Annual Earnings Test
Direct Mail Follow-up Program to improve beneficiary reporting on work
and earnings during the year and earnings information at the end of the
year. SSA may reduce benefits payable under the Social Security Act
(Act) when an individual has wages or self-employment income exceeding
the annual exempt amount. SSA identifies beneficiaries likely to
receive more than the annual exempt amount, and requests more frequent
estimates of earnings from them. When applicable, SSA also requests a
future year estimate to reduce overpayments due to earnings. SSA sends
letters (SSA-L9778, SSA-L9779, SSA-L9781, SSA-L9784, SSA-L9785, and
SSA-L9790) to beneficiaries requesting earnings information the month
prior to their attainment of full retirement age. We send each
beneficiary a tailored letter that includes relevant earnings data from
SSA records. The Annual Earnings Test Direct Mail Follow-up Program
helps to ensure Social Security payments are correct, and enables us to
prevent earnings-related overpayments, and avoid erroneous withholding.
The respondents are working Social Security beneficiaries with earnings
over the exempt amount.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Estimated
Number of Frequency of burden per total annual
Modality of completion respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-L9778....................................... 42,630 1 10 7,105
SSA-L9779....................................... 158,865 1 10 26,478
SSA-L9781....................................... 472,437 1 10 78,740
SSA-L9784....................................... 1,270 1 10 212
SSA-L9785....................................... 15,870 1 10 2,645
SSA-L9790....................................... 45,000 1 10 7,500
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 736,072 .............. .............. 122,680
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Questionnaire for Children Claiming SSI Benefits--0960-0499.
Section 1631(d)(2) of the Act allows SSA to determine the eligibility
of an applicant's claim for SSI payments. Parents or legal guardians
seeking to obtain or retain SSI eligibility for their children use Form
SSA-3881-BK to provide SSA with the addresses of non-medical sources
such as schools, counselors, agencies, organizations, or therapists who
have information about a child's functioning. SSA uses this information
to help determine a child's claim or continuing eligibility for SSI.
The respondents are applicants who appeal SSI childhood disability
decisions or recipients undergoing a continuing disability review.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
[[Page 15784]]
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Average Estimated
Number of Frequency of burden per total annual
Modality of completion respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appeals Cases................................... 65,000 1 30 32,500
Disability Review Cases......................... 45,000 1 30 22,500
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 110,000 .............. .............. 55,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Social Security Administration Eligible Non-Attorney
Representative--20 CFR 404.1717, 404.1745--404.1799, 416.1517, and
416.1545--416.1599--0960-0699. Section 3 of the Social Security
Disability Applicants Access to Professional Representation Act (PRA)
of 2010, Public Law 111-142, permanently extends the direct payment
provision of Section 303 of the Social Security Protection Act (SSPA)
of 2004, Public Law 108-203. The PRA permits SSA to extend direct
payment of approved fees from claimants' past-due benefits to certain
non-attorney representatives. Prior to the enactment of the SSPA and
PRA, only attorneys could receive direct payment of SSA-approved fees.
Under the PRA, non-attorneys must meet certain prerequisites to be
eligible for direct payment of fees. These prerequisites include: (1) A
bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education,
or four years of relevant professional experience and a high school
diploma or General Education Development (GED) certificate; (2) passing
a written examination administered by SSA testing the knowledge of
relevant provisions of the Act under Titles II and XVI; (3) securing
and maintaining continuous professional liability insurance, or
equivalent, to protect claimants from malpractice; (4) passing a
criminal background check; (5) demonstrating ongoing completion of
continuing education courses. The PRA requires SSA to collect the
information needed to determine if applicants have satisfied these
prerequisites.
SSA uses the information we collect on Form SSA-1691 to determine
whether an applicant has fulfilled the statutory prerequisites and
regulatory requirements as listed above. To verify this information, we
also request the five required items listed above from each new
applicant, and we request items 3 and 5 from all non-
attorney representatives (new and existing) on a yearly basis. Every
year, SSA evaluates the applications, conducts verification
investigations, and issues recommendations regarding applicants'
eligibility to sit for the examination and eligibility to receive
direct payment. The respondents are non-attorneys who want to receive
direct payment of their fees for representational services before SSA.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Estimated
Number of Frequency of burden per total annual
Modality of completion respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Respondents--paper SSA-1691................. 200 1 45 150
New Respondents--Examination.................... 200 1 120 400
New Respondents--Submission of Proof of 200 1 10 33
Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Qualification..
New and Existing Respondents--Continuing 710 1 20 237
Education Submission via email, mail, or fax of
Training Courses...............................
New and Existing Respondents--Proof of 672 1 10 112
Continuous Professional or Business Liability
Insurance Coverage (Electronic--scan and email)
New and Existing Respondents--Proof of 38 1 15 10
Continuous Professional or Business Liability
Insurance Coverage (Paper--copy and mail)......
New and Existing Respondents--Written Protests.. 45 1 45 34
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 2,065 .............. .............. 976
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II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for
clearance. Your comments regarding the 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 April 21, 2014. Individuals can obtain copies of the OMB
clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
1. Application for Survivors Benefits--20 CFR 404.611(a) and (c)--
0960-0062. Surviving family members of armed services personnel can
file for Social Security and veterans' benefits with SSA or at the
Veterans Administration (VA). If applicants file for Title II survivor
benefits at the VA, they complete Form SSA-24, which is then forwarded
to SSA for processing. SSA uses the information to determine
eligibility for benefits. The respondents are survivors of deceased
armed services personnel who are applying for benefits at the VA.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average burden Estimated total
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response annual burden
respondents response (minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-24................................ 3,200 1 15 800
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[[Page 15785]]
2. RS/DI Quality Review Case Analysis: Sampled Number Holder,
Auxiliaries/Survivors, Parents, and Stewardship Annual Earnings Test
Workbook--0960-0189. Section 205(a) of the Act authorizes the
Commissioner of SSA to conduct the quality review process, which
entails collecting information related to the accuracy of payments made
under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program (OASDI).
Sections 228(a)(3), 1614(a)(1)(B), and 1836(2) of the Act require a
determination of the citizenship or alien status of the beneficiary;
this is only one item that we might question as part of the Annual
Quality review. SSA uses Forms SSA-2930, SSA-2931, and SSA-2932 to
establish a national payment accuracy rate for all cases in payment
status, and to serve as a source of information regarding problem areas
in the Retirement Survivors Insurance (RSI) and Disability Insurance
(DI) programs. We also use the information to measure the accuracy rate
for newly adjudicated RSI or DI cases. SSA uses Form SSA-4659 to
evaluate the effectiveness of the annual earnings test and uses the
results in developing ongoing improvements in the process. About
twenty-five percent of respondents will have in-person reviews and
receive one of the following appointment letters: (1) SSA-L8550-U3
(Appointment Letter--Sample Individual); (2) SSA-L8551-U3 (Appointment
Letter--Sample Family); or (3) the SSA-L8552-U3 (Appointment Letter--
Rep Payee). Seventy-five percent of respondents will receive a notice
for a telephone review using the SSA-L8553-U3 (Beneficiary Telephone
Contact) or the SSA-L8554-U3 (Rep Payee Telephone Contact). To help the
beneficiary prepare for the interview, we include three forms with each
notice: (1) SSA-85 (Information Needed to Review Your Social Security
Claim) lists the information the beneficiary will need to gather for
the interview; (2) SSA-2935 (Authorization to the Social Security
Administration to Obtain Personal Information) verifies the
beneficiary's correct payment amount, if necessary; and (3) SSA-8552
(Interview Confirmation) confirms or reschedules the interview if
necessary. The respondents are a statistically valid sample of all
OASDI beneficiaries in current pay status or their representative
payees.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Estimated
Number of Frequency of burden per total annual
Modality of completion respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-2930........................................ 1,500 1 30 750
SSA-2931........................................ 850 1 30 425
SSA-4659........................................ 325 1 10 54
SSA-L8550-U3.................................... 385 1 5 32
SSA-L8551-U3.................................... 95 1 5 8
SSA-L8552-U3.................................... 35 1 5 3
SSA-L8553-U3.................................... 4,490 1 5 374
SSA-L8554-U3.................................... 670 1 5 56
SSA-8552........................................ 2,350 1 5 196
SSA-85.......................................... 3,850 1 5 321
SSA-2935........................................ 2,350 1 5 196
SSA-820/821 (also saved under OMB Numbers 400 1 15 100
0960[dash]0598 & 0960-0059.....................
SSA-8510 (also saved under OMB No. 800 1 5 67
0960[dash]0707.................................
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 18,100 .............. .............. 2,582
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3. Appeal of Determination for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug
Plan Costs--0960-0695. Pub.L. 108-173, the Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), established the
Medicare Part D program for voluntary prescription drug coverage for
certain low-income individuals. The MMA stipulates the provision of
subsidies for individuals who are eligible for the program and who meet
eligibility criteria for help with premium, deductible, and/or co-
payment costs. SSA uses Form SSA-1021, Appeal of Determination for Help
with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, to obtain information from
individuals who appeal SSA's decisions regarding eligibility or
continuing eligibility for a Medicare Part D subsidy. The respondents
are applicants who are appealing SSA's eligibility or continuing
eligibility decisions.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Estimated
Number of Frequency of burden per total annual
Modality of collection respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1021........................................ 2,330 1 10 388
(Paper form)....................................
SSA-1021 (Internet-Medicare Application 14,008 1 10 2,335
Processing System).............................
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 16,338 .............. .............. 2,773
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Sheltered Workshop Wage Reporting--0960-0771. Sheltered
workshops are non-profit organizations or institutions that implement a
recognized program of rehabilitation for handicapped workers, or
provide such workers with remunerative employment or other occupational
rehabilitating activity of an educational or therapeutic nature.
Sheltered workshops perform a service for their clients by reporting
monthly wages directly to SSA. SSA
[[Page 15786]]
uses the information these workshops provide to verify and post monthly
wages to the SSI recipient's record. Most workshops report monthly wage
totals to their local SSA office so we can adjust the client's SSI
payment amount in a timely manner and prevent overpayments. Sheltered
workshops are motivated to report wages voluntarily as a service to
their clients. Respondents are sheltered workshops that report monthly
wages for services performed in the workshop.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average burden Estimated
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of Number of per response total annual
respondents response responses (minutes) burden (hours)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheltered Workshop Wage Reporting.................................. 800 12 9,600 15 2,400
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: March 18, 2014.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Director, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-06148 Filed 3-20-14; 8:45 am]
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