81 FR 11593 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 43 (March 4, 2016)

On February 29, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 43 (Friday, March 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11593-11594]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04686]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare 
Arrangements

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On February 29, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) will 
submit the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored 
information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Annual Report for 
Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements,'' to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without 
change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before April 4, 2016.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr= 201602-1210-001 or by contacting Michel Smyth by 
telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free 
numbers) or by email at [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
EBSA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-

[[Page 11594]]

395-5806 (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: 
[email protected]. Commenters are encouraged, but not 
required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments by mail or courier to 
the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, 
Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by 
email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].

     Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for 
the Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWA), 
Form M-1, information collection. The Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996, codified as Part 7 of Title I of the 
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), was enacted to 
improve the portability and continuity of health care coverage for 
group health plan participants and beneficiaries. In the interest of 
assuring compliance with Part 7, ERISA section 101(g) further permits 
the Secretary of Labor to require a MEWA, as defined in ERISA section 
3(40), to report to the Secretary in such form and manner as the 
Secretary might determine. See 29 U.S.C. 1021(g), 1002(40). The DOL 
published a final rule providing for such reporting on an annual basis, 
together with Form M-1 to be used by a MEWA for the annual report. The 
reporting requirement enables the Secretary to determine whether the 
requirements of ERISA Part 7 are being carried out. The Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119) and 
the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L.111-
152, 124 Stat. 1029) amended ERISA section 101(g) to provide that a 
MEWA providing benefits consisting of medical care (within the meaning 
of ERISA section 733(a)(2), 29 U.S.C. 1191b(a)(2)), that is not a group 
health plan, must register with the Secretary prior to operating in a 
State.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1210-0116.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal, and the DOL seeks to extend PRA authorization 
for this information collection for three (3) more years, without any 
change to existing requirements. The DOL notes that existing 
information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a 
month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For additional 
substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice 
published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2015 (80 FR 72990).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1210-0116. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information 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.
    Agency: DOL-EBSA.
    Title of Collection: Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare 
Arrangements.
    OMB Control Number: 1210-0116.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits 
and not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 456.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 456.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 95 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $81,900.

     Dated: February 26, 2016.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-04686 Filed 3-3-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-29-P