Document

Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment Request

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public a...

PDF version Source Record

Department of Labor

Office of Workers' Compensation Programs

ACTION:

Notice of availability; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This program 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. This information collection request (ICR) seeks approval under the PRA for the continued use of the revised Provider Enrollment Form (Form OWCP-1168). The form requests profile information on providers that enroll in one or more of OWCP's benefit programs so its billing contractor can pay them for services rendered to beneficiaries using its automated bill processing system. In addition to the enrollment form information collection, the OWCP bill processing contractor currently collects electronic data interchange (EDI) information from the ( printed page 11120) provider only if the provider chooses a data exchange submission method. Once the new OWCP-1168 form is in place, the existing EDI template will no longer be applicable. The current EDI template collects information that is duplicative to information collected on Form OWCP-1168, such as names, addresses, and NPI. Collecting EDI information with the enrollment information in one form will improve efficiency in collecting the information from providers, reduce the time required for processing by operational staff, and will significantly reduce errors associated with mismatching provider enrollments to their EDI information. This ICR will be submitted to OMB to allow for the continued use of the revised Provider Enrollment Form (Form OWCP-1168) and to incorporate regulatory updates implementing the Black Lung benefits Act which becomes applicable on April 26, 2020. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this Notice.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the Addresses section below on or before April 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Anjanette Suggs, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone/fax (202) 354-9660, Email suggs.anjanette@dol.gov. Please use only one method of transmission for comments (mail/delivery, fax, or email).

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 et seq., the Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA), 30 U.S.C. 901 et seq., and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), 42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq. These statutes require OWCP to pay for appropriate medical and vocational rehabilitation services provided to beneficiaries. In order for OWCP's billing contractor to pay providers of these services with its automated bill processing system, providers must “enroll” with one or more of the OWCP programs that administer the statutes by submitting certain profile information, including identifying information, tax I.D. information, and whether they possess specialty or sub-specialty training. Form OWCP-1168 is used to obtain this information from each provider. This ICR will be submitted to OMB as a follow-up to an emergency processing request that was submitted to OMB on February 14, 2020 which will allow for implementation of the revised form as soon as possible. This submission will request OMB approval to use the revised form for an additional three (3) years.

II. Review Focus

The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments which:

* 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 submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

The Department of Labor seeks the approval of the extension of this currently approved information collection in order to carry out a wide range of automated bill “edits”, such as the identification of duplicate billings, the application of pertinent fee schedules, utilization review, and fraud and abuse detection. The profile information is also used to furnish detailed reports to providers on the status of previously submitted bills.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

Title: Provider Enrollment Form.

OMB Number: 1240-0021.

Agency Number: OWCP-1168.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Total Respondents: 64,325.

Total Responses: 64,325.

Time per Response: 30 minutes.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 32,163.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $37,309.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also become a matter of public record.

Anjanette Suggs,

Agency Clearance Officer, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, U.S. Department of Labor.

[FR Doc. 2020-03789 Filed 2-25-20; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-CR-P

Legal Citation

Federal Register Citation

Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.

85 FR 11119

Web Citation

Suggested Web Citation

Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.

“Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment Request,” thefederalregister.org (February 26, 2020), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2020-03789/proposed-extension-of-existing-collection-comment-request.