[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 108 (Monday, June 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32231-32233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13530]
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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 and extensions 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, e-mail, or fax your
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Director to the following
addresses or fax numbers.
(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202-395-6974, E-mail address: [email protected].
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCBFM, Attn: Director, Center
for Reports Clearance, 1333 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd.,
Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 410-965-0454, E-mail 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
August 6, 2010. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection
instruments by calling the SSA Director for Reports Clearance at 410-
965-0454 or by writing to the above e-mail address.
1. Certificate of Coverage Request--20 CFR 404.1913--0960-0554. The
United States has agreements with 21 foreign countries to eliminate
double Social Security coverage and taxation where, except for the
provisions of the agreement, a worker would be subject to coverage and
taxes in both countries. These agreements contain rules for determining
the country under whose laws the worker's period of employment is
covered, and to which country the worker will pay taxes. The agreements
further dictate that, upon the request of the worker or employer, the
country under whose system the period of work is covered will issue a
certificate of
[[Page 32232]]
coverage. The certificate serves as proof of exemption from coverage
and taxation under the system of the other country. The information we
collect assists us in determining a worker's coverage and in issuing a
U.S. certificate of coverage as appropriate. Respondents are workers
and employers wishing to establish exemption from foreign Social
Security taxes.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Total annual
Type of respondent respondents response response burden (hours)
(minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals..................................... 30,000 1 30 15,000
Private Sector.................................. 20,000 1 30 10,000
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Totals...................................... 50,000 .............. .............. 25,000
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2. Incorporation by Reference of Oral Findings of Fact and
Rationale in Wholly Favorable Written Decisions (Bench Decision
Regulation)--20 CFR 404.953 and 416.1453--0960-0694. If an
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) makes a wholly favorable oral decision
that includes all the findings and rationale for the decision for a
claimant of Title II or Title XVI payments at an administrative appeals
hearing, the records from the oral hearing preclude the need for a
written decision. This is known as the incorporation-by-reference
process. These regulations also state that if the involved parties want
a record of the oral decision, they may submit a written request for
these records. Therefore, SSA uses the identifying information
collected under the aegis of sections 20 CFR 404.953 and 416.1453 to
determine how to send interested individuals written records of a
favorable incorporation-by-reference oral decision made at an
administrative review hearing. Since there is no prescribed form to
request a written record of the decision, the involved parties send SSA
their contact information and reference the hearing for which they
would like a record. The respondents are applicants for Disability
Insurance Benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments or
their representatives to whom SSA gave a wholly favorable oral decision
under the regulations cited above.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 2,500.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 208 hours.
3. Cost Reimbursable Research Request--20 CFR 401.165--0960-0754.
Qualified researchers need SSA administrative data for a variety of
projects. To request SSA's program data for research, a researcher must
submit a completed research application, Form SSA-9901 (How to Request
SSA Program Data for Research) for SSA's evaluation. In the
application, the requesting researcher must provide basic project
information and describe the way in which the proposed project will
further SSA's mission to promote the economic security of the Nation's
people through its administration of the Old Age, Survivors, and
Disability Insurance Programs, and/or the SSI Program. SSA reviews the
application, and once we approve it, the researcher signs Form SSA-
9903, SSA Agreement Regarding Conditions for Use of SSA Data, which
outlines the conditions and safeguards for the research project data
exchange. The researcher may use the data for research and statistical
purposes only and must complete Form SSA-9902, Confidentiality
Agreement. SSA recovers all expenses incurred in providing this
information as part of this reimbursable service. The respondents are
Federal and state government agencies and/or their contractors, private
entities, and colleges/universities.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 15.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 240 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 60 hours.
4. Request to Decision Review Board to Vacate the Administrative
Law Judge Dismissal of Hearing--20 CFR 405.427--0960-0755. When an ALJ
dismisses a hearing for a claim for Title II or Title XVI disability
payments, the claimant may request to vacate or stop this decision by
completing and submitting Form SSA-525 to the SSA Decision Review Board
(Board). The Board uses this information to: (1) Establish the
continued involvement of the requestor in the claim; (2) consider the
requestor's arguments for vacating the dismissal; and (3) vacate or
decline to vacate the ALJ's dismissal order. The respondents are Social
Security disability or SSI claimants who are requesting the Board to
vacate their dismissal order.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 30,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 5,000 hours.
5. Authorization to Release Medical Report to Physician--20 CFR
401.55 & 401.100--0960-0761. When evidence provided by a disability
claimant is inadequate for SSA to determine the disability, SSA
requests a consultative examination (CE) for additional information or
clarification. If the claimant, his/her court appointed representative,
or a parent of a minor child wants the CE report sent to the claimant's
treating physician, he/she completes Form SSA-91 and sends it to SSA
for processing. SSA uses the information on the SSA-91 to release the
CE report to the authorized physician. Respondents are applicants for
disability claims.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 7,922.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 660 hours.
6. Authorization for SSA to Disclose Tax Information for Your
Appeal of Your Medicare Part B Income-Related Monthly Adjustment
Premium Amount--20 CFR 418.1350--0960-0762. Medicare Part B
beneficiaries who wish to appeal SSA's reconsideration of their Income-
Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) must ensure the relevant
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) income tax data is available to the
Health and Human Services ALJ who will consider their appeal. Through
Form SSA-54, SSA obtains beneficiary authorization to disclose the IRS
beneficiary tax data to the ALJ. The respondents are Medicare Part B
recipients who want to appeal SSA's reconsideration of their IRMAA
amount.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 6,000.
[[Page 32233]]
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 1,500 hours.
7. Appointment of Representative--20 CFR 404.1707, 404.1720,
404.1725, 410.684 and 416.1507--0960-0527. Correction Notice: SSA
inadvertently published this information collection request on May 13,
2010 at 75 FR 27036, although we were not yet ready to solicit public
comment. We will publish this request again at a future date.
II. SSA has submitted the information collections listed below to
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would
be most useful if OMB and SSA receive them within 30 days from the date
of this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must
receive them no later than August 6, 2010. You can obtain a copy of the
OMB clearance packages by calling the SSA Director for Reports
Clearance at 410-965-0454 or by writing to the above e-mail address.
1. Wage Reports and Pension Information--20 CFR 422.122(b)--0960-
0547. Pension plan administrators annually file plan information with
the IRS, who then forwards the information to SSA. SSA maintains and
organizes this information by plan numbers, plan participant's name,
and Social Security number. Under Section 1131(a) of the Social
Security Act, pension plan participants are entitled to request this
information from SSA. The Wage Reports and Pension Information
regulation, 20 CFR 422.122(b) of the Code of Federal Regulations,
stipulates that before SSA disseminates this information, the requestor
must first submit a written request with identifying information to
SSA. The respondents are requestors of pension plan information.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 600.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 300 hours.
2. Request for Reconsideration--20 CFR 404.907-404.921, 416.1407-
416.1421, 408.1009--0960-0622. SSA uses Form SSA-561-U2 to initiate and
document the reconsideration process for determining an individual's
eligibility or entitlement to Social Security benefits (Title II), SSI
payments (Title XVI), Special Veterans Benefits (Title VIII), Medicare
(Title XVIII), and for initial determinations regarding Medicare Part B
income-related premium subsidy reductions. The respondents are
individuals filing for reconsideration.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Estimated
Collection method respondents response response annual burden
(minutes) (hours)
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Paper & Modernized Claims System................ 730,850 1 8 97,447
i561............................................ 730,850 1 20 243,617
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Totals...................................... 1,461,700 .............. .............. 341,064
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3. Identifying Information for Possible Direct Payment of
Authorized Fees--0960-0730. SSA collects information from claimants'
appointed representatives on Form SSA-1695 to process and facilitate
direct payment of authorized fees to a financial institution. SSA also
needs this information to issue a Form 1099-MISC, if applicable.
Finally, SSA uses Form SSA-1695 to establish a link between each claim
for benefits and the data that we collect on the SSA-1699 for our
appointed representative database. The respondents are attorneys and
other individuals who represent claimants for benefits before SSA.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 10,000.
Frequency of Response: 40.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 66,667 hours.
Elizabeth Davidson,
Center Director, Center for Reports Clearance, Social Security
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-13530 Filed 6-4-10; 8:45 am]
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