Proposed Collection; Comment Request
[08/13/2003]
Volume 68, Number 156, Page 48414
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment Standards Administration
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. 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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed collection: Pharmacy Billing
Requirements. A copy of the proposed information collection request can
be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee
section of this Notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addressee section below on or before October 14, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Ms. Hazel M. Bell, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone
(202) 693-0418, FAX (202) 693-1451, e-mail Bell.Hazel@dol.gov. Please
use only one method of transmission for comments (mail, FAX, or e-
mail).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers 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 Acts provide, in addition to
compensation for employment-related injuries and/or illnesses, medical
benefits in the form of prescription drugs dispensed by pharmacies for
treatment of the compensable injury or illness. To determine whether
bills submitted by pharmacies for medicinal drugs, equipment and
supplies are appropriate, the FECA, BLBA, and EEOICPA programs require
that the providers billing the government supply certain information.
The majority of pharmacy bills submitted to OWCP are now submitted
electronically using one of the industry-wide standard formats for the
electronic transmission of billing data through nationwide data
clearinghouses devised by the National Council for Prescription Drug
Programs (NCPDP). This recent development has led OWCP to drop Form 79-
1A as the required paper billing format for this information
collection. However, since some pharmacy bills are still submitted
using paper-based billing formats, OWCP will continue to accept the
paper-based bills as long as they contain the required data elements
needed to process the bills. This information collection is currently
approved for use through January 31, 2004.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
[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 Department of Labor seeks approval for the extension of this
information collection in order to carry out its responsibility to
provide payment for pharmaceuticals covered under the Acts.
Type of Review: Extension.
Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
Title: Pharmacy Billing Requirements.
OMB Number: 1215-0194.
Agency Number:
Affected Public: Individual or households; Business or other for-
profit; Not-for-profit institutions.
Total Respondents: 17,295.
Total Responses: 899,331.
Time per Response: 5 minutes.
Frequency: On Occassion.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 76,644.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
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: August 6, 2003.
Bruce Bohanon,
Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of
Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and
Planning, Employment Standards Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-20578 Filed 8-12-03; 8:45 am
|
