Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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.

Title and Purpose of information collection:

Medical Reports: OMB 3220-0038.

Under Sections 2(a)(1)(iv), 2(a)(2) and 2(a)(3) of the Railroad

Retirement Act (RRA), annuities are payable to qualified railroad

employees whose physical or mental condition is such that they are

unable to (1) work in their regular occupation (occupational

disability); or (2) work at all (permanent total disability). The

requirements for establishment of disability and proof of continuance

of disability are prescribed in 20 CFR 220. Under Sections 2(c) and

2(d) of the RRA, annuities are also payable to qualified spouses,

widows or widowers who have in their care a qualified child who is

under a disability which began before age 22; widows or widowers age

50-59 who are under a disability; and remarried widows and surviving

divorced wives who would also be entitled under Sections 202(e) and

202(f) of the Social Security Act.

[[Page 25929]]

For entitlement under Section 2(d)(v) of the RRA, the individual must

have an impairment which is so severe that, in accordance with the

regulations of the Social Security Administration, any gainful activity

would be precluded. The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) also determines

entitlement to a period of disability or early Medicare entitlement for

qualified claimants.

To enable the RRB to determine the eligibility of an applicant or

annuitant for disability benefits under the RRA, the RRB requests

supportive medical evidence from railroad employers, personal

physicians, private hospitals and state agencies. The RRB currently

utilizes Forms G-3EMP, G-250, G-250a, G-260, GL-12, RL-11b, and RL-11d

to obtain the necessary medical evidence. Completion is voluntary. One

response is requested of each respondent.

Estimate of Respondent Burden

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Annual Time Burden

Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

G-3EMP.................................. 3,800 10 633

G-250................................... 13,500 37 8,325

G-250a.................................. 23,500 20 7,833

G-260................................... 50 25 21

GL-12................................... 10 40 7

RL-11b.................................. 9,800 10 1,633

RL-11d.................................. 250 10 42

----------- ---------

Total............................... 50,910 ......... 18,494

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The RRB proposes minor editorial changes to all of the forms in the

collection, primarily to provide respondents the option of responding

by facsimile machine and to incorporate language required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: To request more information or to

obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/

or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312)

751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be

received within 60 days of this notice.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 96-12964 Filed 5-22-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M