Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and Comment Request

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and

Comment Request

In compliance with Pub. L. 104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of

1995, SSA is providing notice of its information collections that

require submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 on ways to minimize burden on

respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

I. The information collections listed below will be submitted to

OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. Therefore, comments

and recommendations regarding the information collections would be most

useful if received by the Agency within 60 days from the date of this

publication. Comments should be directed to the SSA Reports Clearance

Officer at the address listed at the end of this publication. You can

obtain a copy of the collection instruments by calling the SSA Reports

Clearance Officer on (410) 965-4145, or by writing to him at the

address listed at the end of this publication.

1. Permanent Residence in the United States Under Color of Law

(PRUCOL)-0960-0451. Under Pub. L. 104-193, the Personal Responsibility

and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, which was effective August 22, 1996,

a noncitizen must be a ``qualified alien'' and meet certain additional

requirements in order to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income

(SSI). This law also established an exception to the new requirements

for certain ``nonqualified'' aliens (i.e., noncitizens who are not

``qualified aliens'') to remain on the roles for a temporary period of

time. Pub. L. 105-306, Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other

Technical Amendments Act of 1998, enacted October 28, 1998, provided

that nonqualified aliens who were receiving SSI on August 22, 1996

would remain eligible for SSI as long as all other requirements for

eligibility were met (e.g., income and resources, etc.). Title 20

Sec. 416.1618 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires nonqualified

aliens to give SSA certain evidence which proves that they are lawfully

admitted to the United States in order to qualify for SSI benefits.

PRUCOL aliens must present evidence of their status at the time of

application for SSI benefits and periodically thereafter. The

respondents are nonqualified aliens who apply for or receive SSI

benefits.

Number of Respondents: 9,000.

Frequency of Response: Annually.

Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 750 hours.

2. Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits-0960-

0004. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses the information

collected on Form SSA-10-BK to determine whether the applicant meets

the statutory and regulatory conditions for entitlement to widow(er)'s

benefits. The respondents are applicants for widow(er)'s benefits.

Number of Respondents: 288,850.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 72,213 hours.

3. Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery or Change in

Repayment Notice--0960-0037. Form SSA-632 collects information on the

circumstances surrounding overpayment of Social Security Benefits to

recipients. SSA uses the information to determine whether recovery of

an overpayment amount can be waived or must be repaid and, if repaid,

how recovery will be made. The respondents are recipients of Social

Security, Medicare, Black Lung or Supplemental Security Income

overpayments.

Number of Respondents: 500,000.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 120 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 1,000,000 hours.

4. Voluntary Customer Surveys in Accordance with E.O. 12862 within

the Social Security Administration--0960-0526. These voluntary customer

surveys will be used to ascertain customer satisfaction with the Social

Security Administration in terms of timeliness, appropriateness,

access, and other measures of quality service. Surveys will involve

individuals that are the direct or indirect beneficiaries of SSA

services. The average burden per response for these activities is

estimated to range from 5 minutes for a simple comment card to 2 hours

for participation in a focus group.

FY 2000:

Number of Respondents: 1,328,264.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Estimated Annual Burden: 123,231 Hours.

FY 2001:

Number of Respondents: 1,325,760.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Estimated Annual Burden: 122,274 Hours.

FY 2002:

Number of Respondents: 1,327,400.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Estimated Annual Burden: 121,734 Hours.

II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to

OMB for clearance. Written comments and recommendations on the

information collections would be most useful if received within 30 days

from the date of this publication. Comments should be directed to the

SSA Reports Clearance Officer and the OMB Desk Officer at the addresses

listed at the end of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB

clearance package by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer on (410)

965-4145, or by writing to him.

1. Annual Earnings Test--Direct Mail Follow-Up Program Notices--

0960-0369. As part of the effort to reinvent government, in 1997 SSA

began to use the information reported on W-2's and self-employment tax

returns to adjust benefits under the earnings test rather than have

beneficiaries make a separate report, which often showed the same

information. Since SSA eliminated the annual report forms (formerly

Forms SSA-L9778-SM and SSA-L9779-SM), the Mid-Year Mailer (Forms SSA-

L9778-SM-SUP, SSA-L9779-SM-SUP and SSA-L9781-SM) has become an even

more important tool in helping us to ensure the correct payment of

Social Security benefits. The Mid-Year Mailer is used by beneficiaries

to update their current year estimate of earnings and to give SSA an

estimate of earnings for the following year.

Number of Respondents: 400,000.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 66,667 hours.

2. Marriage Certification--0960-0009. Form SSA-3 is used by SSA to

determine whether the claimant's spouse has the necessary relationship

to the worker as required by section 216(h)(1) of the Social Security

Act (the Act).

The respondents are applicants for Spouse's Benefits.

Number of Respondents: 180,000.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.

[[Page 38230]]

Estimated Annual Burden: 15,000 hours.

3. Claimant's Work Background--0960-0300. The information collected

on Form HA-4633 is used by SSA in cases in which claimants for

disability benefits have requested a hearing, which is a statutory

right granted to claimants under the Act, on the decision regarding

their claim. A completed form provides an updated summary of a

claimant's past relevant work and helps the Administrative Law Judge

better decide whether or not the claimant is disabled. The respondents

are claimants who request a hearing on entitlement to disability

benefits, under titles II and/or XVI of the Act.

Number of Respondents: 120,000.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 30,000 hours.

4. Report on Individual with Childhood Impairment--0960-0084. Form

SSA-1323 is used by SSA to determine the claimant's medical status

prior to making disability determinations. The respondents are public

and nonpublic schools and agencies who provide status reports on

claimants applying for disability benefits.

Number of Respondents: 7,000.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 20 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 2,333 hours.

5. Medicare Buy-In Part B Screening Guide--0960-0601. Pub. L. 105-

277 authorizes SSA to conduct a Medicare buy-in demonstration project

to evaluate means to promote the Medicare buy-in programs targeted to

elderly and disabled individuals under titles XVIII and XIX of the

Social Security Act. A lack of awareness about the Medicare buy-in

programs appears to be one of the major obstacles to enrollments. Other

obstacles to enrollment include the confusion of potential eligibles as

to how to apply for these programs and a preference for dealing with

SSA field offices rather than with local Medicaid offices.

SSA will screen respondents voluntarily for potential Medicare Part

B buy-in eligibility using a screening guide developed for this

purpose. The screening guide will collect information from SSA

beneficiaries regarding income, resources, marital status, and living

arrangements and also ask questions about their awareness of Medicare

Part B buy-in programs. SSA will gather this information to identify

and overcome obstacles to Medicare Part B buy-in enrollments and to

determine potential eligibility for Medicare Part B benefits. The

screening guide will be in use from March 1, 1999 through December 31,

1999.

Number of Respondents: 130,000.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 20 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 43,333 hours.

6. State Report of Incorrect Bendex Information--0960-0517. SSA

uses the information collected on Form SSA-1086 to correct its master

database and to facilitate the electronic exchange of data. The

respondents are State agencies administering programs for Aid to

Families with Dependent Children.

Number of Respondents: 123.

Frequency of Response: 2.

Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 41 hours.

(SSA Address)

Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Frederick W. Brickenkamp,

6401 Security Blvd., 1-A-21 Operations Bldg., Baltimore, MD 21235.

(OMB Address)

Office of Management and Budget, OIRA, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, New

Executive Office Building, Room 10230, 725 17th St., NW., Washington,

DC 20503.

Dated: July 9, 1999.

Frederick W. Brickenkamp,

Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.

[FR Doc. 99-18059 Filed 7-14-99; 8:45 am]

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