99-33601. Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations; Establishing Prior Creditable Coverage, Health Insurance Portability for Group Health Plans  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 28, 1999)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 72698-72699]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-33601]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
    
    Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration
    
    
    Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted 
    for Public Comment and Recommendations; Establishing Prior Creditable 
    Coverage, Health Insurance Portability for Group Health Plans
    
    ACTION: Notice.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
    reduce paperwork and respondent burden, provides 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 (PRA 95) (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 Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration is 
    soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of a currently 
    approved collection of information, Establishing Prior Creditable 
    Coverage. A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) 
    can be obtained by contacting the addressee below.
    
    DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 28, 
    2000.
    
    ADDRESSES: Gerald B. Lindrew, Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare 
    Benefits Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
    20210, (202) 219-4782, FAX (202) 219-4745 (not toll-free numbers).
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Background
    
        Subtitle B of title 1 of ERISA, Part 7, section 707, added by the 
    Health Care Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-
    191, August 31, 1996) (HIPAA) authorizes the Secretary of Labor, in 
    coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and 
    the Secretary of the Treasury, to promulgate such regulations as may be 
    necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of the statute. 
    Accordingly, Interim Rules implementing the Portability Requirement for 
    Group Health Plans were published on April 8, 1997, (62 FR 16920 
    through 16923) (April 8 Interim Rules).
        In order to meet HIPAA's goal of improving access to and 
    portability of health care benefits, the statute provides that, after 
    the submission of evidence establishing prior creditable coverage, a 
    subsequent health insurance provider would be limited to the extent to 
    which it could use pre-existing condition exclusions to limit coverage. 
    This ICR covers the submission of materials sufficient to establish 
    prior creditable coverage.
    
    Review Focus
    
        The Department of Labor (Department) is particularly interested in 
    comments which:
         Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
    necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
    including
    
    [[Page 72699]]
    
    whether the information will have practical utility;
         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;
         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., permitting 
    electronic submissions of responses.
        Current Actions: The Department has not modified the ICR 
    incorporated in the April 8 Interim Rules, but intends to submit the 
    ICR to OMB for continued clearance. Comments received in response to 
    this notice will be incorporated in the submission to OMB. The existing 
    collection of information should be continued because it implements 
    disclosure provisions mandated by the portability provisions enacted in 
    section 701 of HIPAA. Specifically, this ICR implements statutory 
    requirements for establishing prior creditable coverage. Under the 
    April 8 Interim Rules, a group health plan is obligated to provide a 
    written certificate of information suitable for establishing prior 
    creditable coverage of a participant or beneficiary. To the extent that 
    a certification is not available or is inadequate to prove prior 
    creditable coverage, alternative methods of establishing creditable 
    coverage are provided.
        The April 8 Interim Rules offer model certification and notice 
    forms to be used by group health plans and health insurance issuers, 
    containing the minimum information mandated by the statute.
        Agency: Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefits 
    Administration.
        Title: Establishing Prior Creditable Coverage.
        Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
        OMB Number: 1210-0103.
        Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
    institutions, Individuals or households.
        Frequency of Response: On occasion.
        Respondents: 15,604.
        Responses: 8,000,000.
        Total Estimated Burden Hours: 336,060.
        Total Burden Cost (Operating and Maintenance): $31,800,000.
        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: December 22, 1999.
    Gerald B. Lindrew,
    Deputy Director, Office of Policy and Research, Pension and Welfare 
    Benefits Administration.
    [FR Doc. 99-33601 Filed 12-27-99; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4510-29-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
12/28/1999
Department:
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice.
Document Number:
99-33601
Dates:
Written comments must be submitted on or before February 28, 2000.
Pages:
72698-72699 (2 pages)
PDF File:
99-33601.pdf