03-31378. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects:

Title: National Medical Support Notice (NMSN).

OMB No.: 0970-0222.

Description: The information collected by state IV-D child support enforcement agencies is used to complete the National Medical Support Notice (NMSN) that is sent to employers of employee/obligors and used as a means of enforcing the health care coverage provision in a child support order. Primarily, the information the state child support enforcement agencies use to complete the NMSN is information that is necessary for the enrollment of the child in employment-related health care coverage, such as the employee/obligor's name, address, and social security number; the employer's name and address; the name and address of the alternate recipient (child); and the custodial parent's name and address. The employer forwards the second part of the NMSN which contains the same individual identifying information to the group health plan administrator. The plan administrator requires this information to determine whether to enroll the alternate recipient in the group health plan. If necessary, the employer also initiates withholding from the employee's wages for the purpose of paying premiums to the group health plan for enrollment of the child.

Respondents: State and local title IV-D child support enforcement agencies initiate the process of enforcing medical health care coverage for the child by completing and sending the notice to known employers of the noncustodial parents (employee/obligor). Employers and plan administrators are on the receiving end of the notice.

Annual Burden Estimates:

Instrument	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours
NMSN	54	13,454	.17	123,507

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 123,507.

In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for children and Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above. Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.

Dated: December 10, 2003.

Robert Sargis,

Reports Clearance Officer.