Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Standards Administration

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to

reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance

consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies

with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing

collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to

ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format,

reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,

collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of

collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

Currently, the Employment Standards Administration is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed extension collection of the

Certificate of Medical Necessity (CM-893).

A copy of the proposed information collection request can be

obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section

of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the

addresses section below on or before July 1, 1996. The Department of

Labor is particularly interested in comments which:

Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,

including whether the information will have practical utility;

Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the

burden of the proposed collection of information, including the

validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the

information to be collected; and

Minimize the burden of the collection of information on

those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting

electronic submissions of responses.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U.S. Department of Labor, 200

Constitution Ave., N.W., Room S-3201, Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone

(202) 219-7601 (this is not a toll-free number), fax 202-219-6592.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

30 U.S.C. 932 includes section 7 of Public Law 803, as amended, and

stipulates that medical treatment including services and apparatus, as

required, will be furnished to an eligible coal miner for such period

as the nature of the illness or process of recovery may require. The

implementing regulations stipulate that: there must be prior approval

before ordering an apparatus where the purchase price exceeds $100.00;

there must be ongoing supervision of the miner's medical care,

including the necessity, character and sufficiency of care to be

furnished; OWCP has the authority to request medical reports and the

right to refuse payment for failing to submit any report required. The

Certificate of Medical Necessity (CM-893) is the form devised for this

purpose.

II. Current Actions

The Department of Labor seeks the extension of approval to collect

this information in order to carry out its responsibility to determine

eligibility for black lung medical benefits under the above provisions.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Employment Standards Administration.

Title: Certificate of Medical Necessity.

OMB Number: 1215-0113.

Agency Number: CM-893.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-Profit

Institutions.

Total Respondents: 7,000.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Responses: 7,000.

Average Time per Response: 40 minutes.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,799.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget

approval of the information collection request; they will also become a

matter of public record.

Dated: April 21, 1996.

Cecily A. Rayburn,

Director, Division of Financial Management,

[FR Doc. 96-10376 Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-27-M