AGENCY: Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, Department of
Labor. [12/02/2002]
Volume 67, Number 231, Page 71593-71594
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration
Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted
for Public Comment; National Medical Support Notice--Part B
AGENCY: Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, Department of
Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 continuing collections
of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA 95). 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. Currently, the
[[Page 71594]]
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration is soliciting comments on
the proposed extension of the National Medical Support Notice--Part B.
A copy of the information collection request (ICR) can be obtained
by contacting the individual shown in the Addresses section of this
notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the
Addresses section on or before January 31, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Gerald B. Lindrew, Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare
Benefits Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC
20210, (202) 693-8410, FAX (202) 693-4745 (these are not toll-free
numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 609(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended (ERISA), provides that each group health plan, as
defined in ERISA section 607(1), shall provide benefits in accordance
with the applicable requirements of any ``qualified medical child
support order'' (QMCSO). Based on a desire to eliminate concerns raised
both by state agencies that enforce the programs under Title IV-D of
the SSA (known as the Child Support Enforcement Program, which is
administered by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE)
in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)), and by sponsors
and administrators of group health plans about difficulties in
establishing medical child support orders that are qualified, Congress
enacted section 401 of the Child Support Performance and Incentive Act
of 1998 (CSPIA) to amend both ERISA and the SSA.
Section 401(a) of CSPIA mandated that the Secretaries of Labor and
of Health and Human Services (the Secretaries) jointly establish a
Medical Child Support Working Group (the Working Group) whose purpose
was to identify the impediments to the effective enforcement of medical
support by state agencies and to submit a report to the Secretaries
containing recommendations for appropriate measures to address such
impediments. CSPIA specifically directed the Working Group to make
recommendations based on assessments of the form and content of QMCSOs.
As a response to the concerns of state agencies and plan
administrators regarding QMCSOs, the Department and HHS jointly
promulgated the National Medical Support Notice (Notice). The Notice
simplifies the issuance and processing of medical child support orders,
provides standardized communication between state agencies, employers,
and plan administrators, and creates a uniform and streamlined process
for enforcement of medical child support to ensure that all children
receive the health care coverage for which they are eligible and to
which they are entitled. Part B pertains to plan administrators
pursuant to ERISA.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor (Department) is particularly interested in
comments that:
[sbull] 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;
[sbull] 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;
[sbull] Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
[sbull] 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 Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of this ICR
will expire on January 31, 2003. After considering comments received in
response to this notice, the Department intends to submit the ICR to
OMB for continuing approval. No change to the existing ICR is proposed
or made at this time.
Agency: Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, Department of
Labor.
Title: National Medical Support Notice--Part B.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection of
information.
OMB Number: 1210-0113.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit; Not-for-profit institutions.
Respondents: 156,000.
Responses: 770,000.
Average Response time: One hour to and hour and three-quarters.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 785,000.
Estimated Total Burden Cost (Operating and Maintenance):
$1,100,000.
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.
Dated: November 26, 2002.
Gerald B. Lindrew,
Deputy Director, Office of Policy and Research, Pension and Welfare
Benefits Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-30425 Filed 11-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P
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