Notice2023-28774
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and Comment Request
Primary source
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Published
December 29, 2023
Issuing agencies
Social Security Administration
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 249 (Friday, December 29, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 249 (Friday, December 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90223-90225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28774]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No: SSA-2023-0050]
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 104-13, the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice
includes revisions of OMB-approved information collections, and one
extension collection for OMB-approval.
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, email, or fax your
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following
addresses or fax numbers.
(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202-395-6974.
(SSA), Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports
Clearance Director, Mail Stop 3253 Altmeyer, 6401 Security Blvd.,
Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 833-410-1631, Email address:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7e8f589f5c2d7c8d5d3d489e4cbc2c6d5c6c9c4c2e7d4d4c689c0c8d1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cb8499e599aebba4b9bfb8e588a7aeaab9aaa5a8ae8bb8b8aae5aca4bd">[email protected]</span></a>.
Or you may submit your comments online through <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain</a> by clicking on Currently under
Review--Open for Public Comments and choosing to click on one of SSA's
published items. Please reference Docket ID Number [SSA-2023-0050] in
your submitted response.
I. The information collection below is pending at SSA. SSA will
submit it 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
February 27, 2024. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection
instruments by writing to the above email address.
Employee Work Activity Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1574(a)(1)-(3)--
0960-0483. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries
and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients qualify for payments
when a verified physical or mental impairment prevents them from
working. If disability claimants attempt to return to work after
receiving payments, but are unable to continue working, they submit
Form SSA-3033, Employee Work Activity Questionnaire, so SSA can
evaluate their work attempt. SSA also uses this form to evaluate
unsuccessful subsidy work and determine applicants' continuing
eligibility for disability payments. The respondents are employers of
SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients who unsuccessfully attempted to
return to work.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
[[Page 90224]]
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Average Average wait
Average burden Estimated theoretical time for Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost teleservice opportunity
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount centers cost (dollars)
(dollars) * (minutes) ** ***
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SSA-3033 Phone.......................... 5,000 1 15 1,250 $59.07 19 *** $167,345
SSA-3033 Returned via mail.............. 10,000 1 15 2,500 59.07 .............. *** 147,675
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Totals.............................. 15,000 .............. .............. 3,750 .............. .............. 315,020
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* We based this figure on average general and operations manager's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (<a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes111021.htm">https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes111021.htm</a>).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2023 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
respondents to complete the application.
II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for
clearance. Your comments regarding these information collections would
be most useful if OMB and SSA receive them 30 days from the date of
this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive
them no later than January 29, 2024. Individuals can obtain copies of
these OMB clearance packages by writing to the
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ade2ff83ffc8ddc2dfd9de83eec1c8ccdfccc3cec8eddedecc83cac2db"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bdf2ef93efd8cdd2cfc9ce93fed1d8dccfdcd3ded8fdcecedc93dad2cb">[email protected]</span></a>.
1. Medicaid Use Report--20 CFR 416.268--0960-0267. Section 1619(b)
of the Social Security Act (Act) and 20 CFR 416.268 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (Code) require SSA to determine eligibility for:
(1) special SSI payments, and (2) special SSI eligibility status for a
person who works despite a disabling condition. Section 20 CFR 416.268
of the Code also provides that to qualify for special SSI eligibility
status, an individual must establish that termination of eligibility
for benefits under title XIX of the Act would seriously inhibit their
ability to continue employment. SSA uses the collected information to
determine if an individual is entitled to special title XVI SSI
payments and, consequently, to Medicaid or Medi-Cal.
In most cases, if an SSI beneficiary is blind or disabled,
regardless of age, and they have Medicaid before beginning to work
again, they can retain their Medicaid benefits while continuing to work
as long as their disabling condition still exists. During a personal or
telephone Redetermination interview with the SSI recipient, an SSA
employee asks the following questions:
<bullet> Have you used any medical care or services in the past 12
months that were paid for by Medicaid (or Medi-Cal, etc.)?
<bullet> Do you expect to receive any medical care or services in
the next 12 months that will be paid for by Medicaid (or Medi-Cal,
etc.)?
<bullet> Without Medicaid (Medi-Cal, etc.), would you be unable to
pay your medical bills if you become ill or injured in the next 12
months?
Generally, a response of ``yes'' to one of those three questions
will lead to SSA determining that an SSI recipient whose payments have
stopped based on earnings, is entitled to special SSI payments and,
consequently, to Medicaid benefits under section 1619 (b) of the Act.
The respondents are SSI recipients for whom SSA has stopped payments
based on earnings.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average wait
Average time in field Total annual
Number of Frequency of Average burden Estimated theoretical offices and opportunity
Modality of completion respondents response per response total annual hourly cost teleservice cost (dollars)
(minutes) burden (hours) amount centers ***
(dollars) * (minutes) **
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20 CFR 416.268 SSI Claims System........ 99,000 1 3 4,950 * $12.81 ** 21 *** $507,276
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* We based this figure on average SSI payments based on SSA's current FY 2023 data (<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2023factsheet.pdf">https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2023factsheet.pdf</a>).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2023 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
respondents to complete the application.
2. Appeal of Determination for Extra Help with Medicare
Prescription Drug Costs--0960-0695. Public Law 108-173, also known as
the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of
2003 (MMA), amended title XVIII of the Act to establish a subsidy
program to help certain individuals with limited income and resources
pay for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. SSA also commonly
refers to this subsidy program as Extra Help.
Individuals seeking Extra Help may apply via the SSA-1020 paper
form or i1020 online application (OMB No. 0960-0696). If SSA determines
that the claimant is not eligible for Extra Help, SSA will mail a
notice to the claimant indicating that SSA denied the claim. Extra Help
denial notices include appeal rights and explain how to request an
appeal. Individuals learn about the appeal process for Extra Help via
determination notices, 800# representatives, as well as SSA and CMS
websites. Individuals voluntarily initiate the Extra Help appeal
process by printing the form from SSA's online website and sending the
completed form to SSA, contacting SSA's 800 Number to request an
appeal, or going into the field office to request the appeal. If the
individual chooses to call the 800# or go into the field office, an SSA
technician enters the individual's request into the MAPS system. The
system then electronically sends the request to the Subsidy
Determination Unit, who
[[Page 90225]]
schedules an appointment for the appeal and sends an appointment notice
to the individual.
Individuals who appeal SSA's decision regarding eligibility or
continuing eligibility for Medicare Part D Extra Help must complete
Form SSA-1021. The respondent may mail the completed form to either the
local field office or to the Wilkes-Barre Direct Operations Center. The
respondent may also complete the form with assistance from an SSA
technician via an in-person interview at the Field Office or over the
telephone. SSA technicians enter all claims into Medicare Application
Processing System (MAPS), which automatically adjudicates claims based
on the data the technicians input. Respondents are Medicare
beneficiaries, or proper applicants acting on behalf of a Medicare
beneficiary, who do not agree with the outcome of an SSA Extra Help
eligibility determination and want to file an appeal.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average
Average burden Estimated theoretical Average wait Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost time in field opportunity
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount office cost (dollars)
(dollars) * (minutes) ** ***
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SSA-1021--(Paper version)............... 1,859 1 10 310 * $29.76 .............. *** $9,226
SSA-1021--(Internet version: MAPS)...... 5,291 1 10 882 * $29.76 ** 24 *** $89,220
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Totals.............................. 7,150 .............. .............. 1,192 .............. .............. *** $98,446
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* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages; State and local government worker's salaries; and attorney representative payee wages as
reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (<a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm">https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm</a>).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2023 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
respondents to complete the application.
Dated: December 26, 2023.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-28774 Filed 12-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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