Notice2024-28046
Proposed Revision of a Currently Approved Collection: Uniform Billing Form (OWCP-04)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 29, 2024
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentWorkers' Compensation Programs Office
Abstract
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance request for comment to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request 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 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is soliciting comments on the information collection for Uniform Billing Form (OWCP-04).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 230 (Friday, November 29, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 94765-94766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28046]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
[OMB Control No. 1240-0019]
Proposed Revision of a Currently Approved Collection: Uniform
Billing Form (OWCP-04)
AGENCY: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
request for comment to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request
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 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is
soliciting comments on the information collection for Uniform Billing
Form (OWCP-04).
DATES: All comments must be received on or before January 28, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comment as follows. Please note that late,
untimely filed comments will not be considered.
Written/Paper Submissions: Submit written/paper submissions in the
following way:
<bullet> Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit DOL-OWCP, Office of
Workers' Compensation Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue NW, Room S3524, Washington, DC 20210.
<bullet> OWCP will post your comment as well as any attachments,
except for information submitted and marked as confidential, in the
docket at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anjanette Suggs, Office of Workers'
Compensation Programs, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2c5f594b4b5f024d42464d42495858496c484340024b435a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6211170505114c030c08030c0716160722060d0e4c050d14">[email protected]</span></a> (email) or (202) 354-
9660 (voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is the agency
responsible for administration of the Federal Employees' Compensation
Act (FECA), 5 U.S.C. 8101, the Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA), 30
U.S.C. 901, and
[[Page 94766]]
the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of
2000 (EEOICPA), 42 U.S.C. 7384. All three of these statutes require
that OWCP pay for medical treatment of beneficiaries; this medical
treatment can include inpatient/outpatient hospital services, as well
as services provided by nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities.
In order to determine whether billed amounts are appropriate, OWCP
needs to identify the patient, the specific services that were rendered
and their relationship to the work-related injury or illness. The
regulations implementing these statutes require the use of Form OWCP-04
or OWCP-04 for the submission of medical bills from institutional
providers (20 CFR 10.801, 30.701, 725.405, 725.406, 725.701 and
725.715).
The Uniform Billing Form, also known as the paper OWCP-04, has been
approved by the American Hospital Association. It is used by the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Tricare, the
Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), and the private sector to request
payment to institutional providers for medical services. The paper
OWCP-04 has been designed by the National Uniform Billing Committee and
is neither a government-printed form nor distributed by OWCP; OWCP has,
however, developed detailed instructions for institutional providers
that use the OWCP-04 to ensure that they provide the information needed
to evaluate their requests for payment. The paper OWCP-04 is an ideal
billing instrument for the provider community that services FECA, BLBA
and EEOICPA beneficiaries because of its familiarity, its common use,
and its acceptance by both government and private health service
payers.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
OWCP is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information
collection related to the Uniform Billing Form.
OWCP is particularly interested in comments that:
<bullet> Evaluate whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information has practical utility;
<bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of OWCP's estimate of the burden
related to the information collection, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used in the estimate;
<bullet> Suggest methods to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and
<bullet> Minimize the burden of the information collection 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
submission of responses.
Background documents related to this information collection request
are available at <a href="https://regulations.gov">https://regulations.gov</a> and at DOL-OWCP located at 200
Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-3524, Washington, DC 20210. Questions
about the information collection requirements may be directed to the
person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section of this notice.
III. Current Actions
This information collection request concerns the Uniform Billing
Form. OWCP has updated the data with respect to the number of
respondents, responses, burden hours, and burden costs supporting this
information collection request from the previous information collection
request.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
OMB Number: 1240-0019.
Affected Public: Private Sector: Business or other for-profits and
not-for-profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 7,549.
Frequency: On Occasion.
Number of Responses: 198,830.
Annual Burden Hours: 16,420.
OWCP Forms: Uniform Billing Form [OWCP-04], [Uniform Billing Form].
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized in
the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the
proposed information collection request; they will become a matter of
public record and will be available at <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov">https://www.reginfo.gov</a>.
Anjanette C. Suggs,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-28046 Filed 11-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CR-P
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