[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23558-23559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09824]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
Request for Public Comment: 60-Day; Proposed Information
Collection: Indian Health Service; Loan Repayment Program (LRP)
AGENCY: Indian Health Service, HHS.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments. Request for extension of
approval.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.), which requires 60 days
for public comment on proposed information collection projects, the
Indian Health Service (IHS) invites the general public to take this
opportunity to comment on the information collection Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 0917-0014, titled, ``IHS
Loan Repayment Program (LRP).''
This previously approved information collection project was last
published in the Federal Register (77 FR 27467) on May 10, 2012, and
allowed 30 days for public comment. No public comment was received in
response to the notice. This notice announces our intent to submit this
collection, which expires May 31, 2015, to OMB for approval of an
extension and solicit comments on specific aspects for the proposed
information collection.
A copy of the draft supporting statement is available at
www.regulations.gov (see Docket ID IHS-2015-0003).
Proposed Collection: Title: 0917-0014, ``Indian Health Service Loan
Repayment Program.'' Type of Information Collection Request: Extension
of currently approved information collection, 0917-0014, ``Indian
Health Service Loan Repayment Program.'' The LRP application is
available in an electronically fillable and fileable format. Form(s):
The IHS LRP Information Booklet contains the instructions and the
application formats. Need and Use of Information Collection: The IHS
LRP identifies health professionals with pre-existing financial
obligations for education expenses that meet program criteria and who
are qualified and willing to serve at, often remote, IHS health care
facilities. Under the program, eligible health professionals sign a
contract through which the IHS agrees to repay part or all of their
indebtedness in exchange for an initial two-year service commitment to
practice fulltime at an eligible Indian health program. This program is
necessary to augment the critically low health professional staff at
IHS health care facilities.
Any health professional wishing to have their health education
loans repaid may apply to the IHS LRP. A two-year contract obligation
is signed by both parties, and the individual agrees to work at an
eligible Indian health program location and provide health services to
American Indian and Alaska Native individuals.
The information collected via the on-line application from
individuals is
[[Page 23559]]
analyzed and a score is given to each applicant. This score will
determine which applicants will be awarded each fiscal year. The
administrative scoring system assigns a score to the geographic
location according to vacancy rates for that fiscal year and also
considers whether the location is in an isolated area. When an
applicant accepts employment at a location, the applicant in turn
``picks-up'' the score of that location. Affected Public: Individuals
and households. Type of Respondents: Individuals.
The table below provides: Types of data collection instruments,
Estimated number of respondents, Number of responses per respondent,
Annual number of responses, Average burden hour per response, and Total
annual burden hour(s).
Estimated Burden Hours
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Number of Average burden Total annual
Data collection instrument(s) Number of responses per per response responses (in
respondents respondent (in hours) hours)
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LRP Application............................. 816 1 1.5 1,224
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There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs, and/or Maintenance
Costs to report.
Requests For Comments: Your comments and/or suggestions are invited
on one or more of the following points:
(a) Whether the information collection activity is necessary to
carry out an agency function;
(b) whether the agency processes the information collected in a
useful and timely fashion;
(c) the accuracy of public burden estimate (the estimated amount of
time needed for individual respondents to provide the requested
information);
(d) whether the methodology and assumptions used to determine the
estimates are logical;
(e) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information being collected; and
(f) how the newly created online application assists the applicant
efficiently and effectively.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to Jackie Santiago by one of the following
methods:
Mail: Jackie Santiago, Chief, Loan Repayment Program, 801
Thompson Avenue, TMP, STE 450, Rockville, MD 20852-1627.
Phone: 301-443-2486.
Email: [email protected].
Fax: 301-443-4815.
To Request More Information On The Proposed Collection, Contact:
Jackie Santiago through one of the following methods:
Mail: Jackie Santiago, Chief, Loan Repayment Program, 801
Thompson Avenue, TMP, STE 450, Rockville, MD 20852-1627.
Phone: 301-443-2486.
Email: [email protected].
Fax: 301-443-4815.
Comment Due Date: June 29, 2015. Your comments regarding this
information collection are best assured of having full effect if
received within 60 days of the date of this publication.
Dated: April 13, 2015.
Robert G. McSwain,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-09824 Filed 4-27-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P