2016-04686. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

On February 29, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, “Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES:

The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives on or before April 4, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAViewICR?​ref_​nbr=​ 201602-1210-001 or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email at [e-mail].

Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-EBSA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: [phone] (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: [e-mail]. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email at [e-mail].

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for the Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWA), Form M-1, information collection. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, codified as Part 7 of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), was enacted to improve the portability and continuity of health care coverage for group health plan participants and beneficiaries. In the interest of assuring compliance with Part 7, ERISA section 101(g) further permits the Secretary of Labor to require a MEWA, as defined in ERISA section 3(40), to report to the Secretary in such form and manner as the Secretary might determine. See 29 U.S.C. 1021(g), 1002(40). The DOL published a final rule providing for such reporting on an annual basis, together with Form M-1 to be used by a MEWA for the annual report. The reporting requirement enables the Secretary to determine whether the requirements of ERISA Part 7 are being carried out. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L.111-152, 124 Stat. 1029) amended ERISA section 101(g) to provide that a MEWA providing benefits consisting of medical care (within the meaning of ERISA section 733(a)(2), 29 U.S.C. 1191b(a)(2)), that is not a group health plan, must register with the Secretary prior to operating in a State.

This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under Control Number 1210-0116.

OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) years without renewal, and the DOL seeks to extend PRA authorization for this information collection for three (3) more years, without any change to existing requirements. The DOL notes that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2015 (80 FR 72990).

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1210-0116. The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:

• 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;
• 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 submission of responses.

Agency: DOL-EBSA.

Title of Collection: Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements.

OMB Control Number: 1210-0116.

Affected Public: Private Sector—businesses or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 456.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 456.

Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 95 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $81,900.

Dated: February 26, 2016.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.