[Federal Register: July 19, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 138)]
[Notices]
[Page 41055-41056]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19jy06-137]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employee Benefits Security Administration
Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Request for Public
Comment Establishing Prior Creditable Coverage
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (Department), 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
[[Page 41056]]
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)((A)). This program helps to
ensure that the data the Department gathers can be provided in the
desired format, that the reporting burden on the public (time and
financial resources) is minimized, that the public understands the
Department's collection instruments, and that the Department can
accurately assess the impact of collection requirements on respondents.
Currently, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is
soliciting comments concerning the extension of a currently approved
collection of information arising from the Department's regulation at
29 CFR 2590.701-5, which requires group health plans and health
insurance issuers to furnish a written certificate suitable for
establishing prior creditable coverage to participants and dependents
who are or were covered under the group health plan upon the occurrence
of specified events. A copy of the information collection request (ICR)
can be obtained by contacting the office shown in the ADDRESSES section
of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice on or before September 18, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments
regarding the information collection request and burden estimates to
Susan G. Lahne, Office of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits
Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW., Room N-5718, Washington, DC 20210, (202) 693-8410, FAX
(202) 219-4745 (these are not toll-free numbers). Comments may also be
submitted electronically to the following Internet e-mail address:
ebsa.opr@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Subsection (a) of 29 CFR 2590.701-5 requires a group health plan
and each health insurance issuer offering group health insurance
coverage under a group health plan to furnish certificates of
creditable coverage to specified individuals under specified
circumstances. EBSA previously submitted an ICR concerning the
requirement to provide certificates of creditable coverage to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under the PRA and
received approval under OMB Control No. 1210-0103. The ICR approval is
currently scheduled to expire on October 31, 2006.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
The Department is particularly interested in comments that:
Evaluate whether the 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 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., by
permitting electronic submission of responses.
III. Current Action
This notice requests comments on an extension of information
collections arising from the requirement under 29 CFR 2590.701-5 to
provide certificates of creditable coverage. The Department is not
proposing or implementing changes to the existing information
collections at this time. A summary of the ICR and the current burden
estimates follows:
Agency: Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security
Administration.
Title: Establishing Prior Creditable Coverage.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection of
information.
OMB Number: 1210-0103.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit
institutions.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Respondents: 2,600,000.
Responses: 21,000,000.
Total Estimated Burden Hours: 260,000.
Total Burden Cost (Operating and Maintenance): $18,500,000.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the extension of
this ICR; they will also become a matter of public record.
Dated: July 13, 2006.
Susan G. Lahne,
Office of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security
Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-11403 Filed 7-18-06; 8:45 am]
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