Notice2026-06188
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: Black Lung Clinics Program Performance Measures, OMB No. 0915-0292-Revision
Primary source
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Published
March 31, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentHealth Resources and Services Administration
Abstract
In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16008-16009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06188]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection:
Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: Black
Lung Clinics Program Performance Measures, OMB No. 0915-0292--Revision
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public
comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection
Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the
public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the
ICR.
DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received no later than June 1,
2026.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7707160712050018051c371f05041659101801"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="681809180d1a1f071a0328001a1b09460f071e">[email protected]</span></a> or mail the HRSA
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 13N82, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and
draft instruments, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f08091809582879f829bb098828391de979f86"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5e2e3f2e3b2c29312c351e362c2d3f70393128">[email protected]</span></a> or call Samantha Miller,
the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, at (301) 443-3983.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting
information, please include the ICR title for reference.
Information Collection Request Title: Black Lung Clinics Program
Measures, OMB No. 0915-0292--Revision
Abstract: The Black Lung Clinics Program (BLCP) is authorized under
Sec. 427(a) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30
U.S.C. 937(a)) and accompanying regulations (42 CFR part 55a). The
purpose of the BLCP is to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated
with occupationally related coal mine dust lung disease through the
screening, diagnosis, and treatment of active, inactive, retired, and/
or disabled coal miners. HRSA currently collects information about BLCP
awards using an OMB-approved set of performance measures and seeks to
revise the approved collection. The proposed changes are a result of
keeping this instrument relevant, responsive to the BLCP needs, and to
improve clarity and ease of reporting for respondents.
Need and Proposed Use of the Information: HRSA has revised the
performance measures, in which BLCP awardees will submit to HRSA on an
annual basis. The purpose of the revised data collection is to assess
BLCP awardees' progress toward meeting BLCP program goals (as stated in
the authorizing statute) and how well each awardee is meeting the needs
of these miners in their communities. The proposed changes include
deleting five questions, adding three new questions, and changing three
existing questions. These updates were made to streamline data
collection and improve usability. Clinical diagnosis fields will be
consolidated into a single datapoint, replacing separate fields for
primary, secondary, and other diagnoses. The difference between these
categories was often subjective, limiting HRSA's ability to use the
data to monitor for black lung rates. Filling out three separate
questions about diagnoses was also burdensome for clinics.
Additionally, COVID-related data fields are removed due to decreased
relevance, reducing the reporting burden on awardees. A new cardiology
diagnosis field is added to better capture conditions closely linked to
pulmonary disease and assist HRSA in tracking population needs and
making relevant programmatic updates based on those needs. Benefits
counseling measures are also enhanced to collect filing dates and case
status details. This update will help HRSA track case timelines, which
translates to better monitoring of implementation of benefits
counseling services. These changes strengthen HRSA's monitoring and
assessment of the impact of the BLCP program and ensure that funds are
effectively used to provide services that meet the target population's
needs. There is no change in the burden hours.
Likely Respondents: Respondents will be the BLCP award recipients.
Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by
[[Page 16009]]
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide the
information requested. This includes the time needed to review
instructions; to develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating, and verifying
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to
a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for
this ICR are summarized in the table below.
Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
Number of Number of Total burden per Total burden
Form name respondents responses per responses response (in hours
respondent hours)
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Black Lung Clinics Program 15 1 15 7 105
Performance Measures...........
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Total....................... 15 1 15 7 105
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HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and
utility of the proposed information collection for the proper
performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the
estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology to
minimize the information collection burden.
Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2026-06188 Filed 3-30-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P
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