Department of Health and Human Services
Indian Health Service
AGENCY:
Indian Health Service, HHS.
ACTION:
Notice and request for comments; request for reinstatement.
SUMMARY:
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, which requires a 60-day public comment period on proposed information collection projects, the Indian Health Service (IHS) invites the public to take this opportunity to comment on the information collection titled, “Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) Proof of Residency” The purpose of this notice is to announce our intent to seek reinstatement of the previously approved information collection by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and to allow 60 days for public comment to be submitted to the IHS. A copy of the draft supporting statement is available at www.regulations.gov (see Docket ID IHS_FRDOC___).
www.regulations.govDATES:
Your comments regarding this information are best assured of having full consideration if received within 60 days of the date of publication. IHS must receive written comments on or before December 14, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
This notice can be found at federalregister.gov.
federalregister.govFOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Submit comments, requests for more information on the collection, or requests to obtain a copy of the data collection instrument and instructions to Mr. Thomas Hamby, Acting Information Collection Clearance Officer by email at Thomas.Hamby@ihs.gov or 240-252-0331.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The IHS is seeking renewal of this previously approved information collection and will submit it to OMB for review, as required by the PRA. This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: (1) 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; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques of other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.
Proposed Collection Title: “Indian Health Service Purchased/Referred Care Proof of Residency.”
Type of Information Collection Request: This is a reinstatement of an expired information collection.
Title: Purchased/Referred Care Proof of Residency.
OMB Control Number: 0917-0040.
Need and Use of Information Collection: The IHS PRC Program needs the information requested on the PRC Proof of Residency form to verify that individuals seeking medical services through PRC meet the residency requirements specific to PRC under 42 CFR 136.23.
42 CFR 136.23Agency Form Number: IHS-976.
Members of the Affected Public: Patients.
Type of Respondents: Individuals.
The table below provides: Type of respondent, form name, estimated number of respondents, number of responses per respondent, average burden minutes per response, and total annual burden hours.
| Type of respondent | Form name | Number of respondents | Number of responses per respondent | Average burden per response (hours) * | Total burden (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | IHS-976, PRC Proof of Residency | 18,000 | 1 | 3 | 900 |
| Total | 18,000 | 1 | 3 | 900 | |
| * For ease of understanding, the average burden is provided in actual minutes. | |||||
There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs, and/or Maintenance Costs to report.
Mark Cruz,
Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-20984 Filed 10-13-26; 8:45 am]
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