[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 213 (Monday, November 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87586-87588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25556]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-25-0891; Docket No. CDC-2024-0086]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or 
continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed 
information collection project titled World Trade Center (WTC) Health 
Program Enrollment, Appeals & Reimbursement. The WTC Health Program is 
a Federal limited benefit health care program providing medical 
monitoring and treatment benefits to eligible firefighters and related 
personnel, law enforcement officers, and rescue, recovery, and cleanup 
workers who responded to the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York 
City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania (responders), 
and to eligible persons who were present in the dust or dust cloud on 
September 11, 2001, or who worked, resided, or attended school, 
childcare, or adult daycare in the New York City disaster area 
(survivors).

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before January 3, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2024-
0086 by either of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to www.regulations.gov.

    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (www.regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed 
above.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329;

[[Page 87587]]

Telephone: 404-639-7570; Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#26494b446645424508414950"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b2dddfd0f2d1d6d19cd5ddc4">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they 
conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires Federal agencies 
to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each 
proposed collection of information, including each new proposed 
collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. 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;
    2. 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;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    4. 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; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    World Trade Center Health Program Enrollment, Appeals & 
Reimbursement (OMB Control No. 0920-0891, Exp. 09/30/2025)--Revision--
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
seeks OMB approval for a Revision of an ongoing information collection 
titled World Trade Center Health Program Enrollment, Appeals & 
Reimbursement (OMB Control No. 0920-0891). In accordance with the James 
Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, individuals newly 
seeking enrollment in the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program as 
responders or survivors may apply to the Program. The recently passed 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA) expands 
Program enrollment eligibility for Pentagon and Shanksville responders. 
title I of the Zadroga Act (Pub. L. 111-347, as amended by Pub. L. 114-
113 and Pub. L. 116-59), added title XXXIII to the Public Health 
Service Act (PHS Act), establishing the World Trade Center (WTC) Health 
Program within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The 
Director of NIOSH serves as the Administrator of the WTC Health Program 
for most purposes, with certain payment functions carried out by the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. As established by the Zadroga 
Act, the WTC Health Program is a Federal limited benefit health care 
program providing medical monitoring and treatment benefits to eligible 
firefighters and related personnel, law enforcement officers, and 
rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers who responded to the September 
11, 2001, attacks in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in 
Shanksville, Pennsylvania (responders), and to eligible persons who 
were present in the dust or dust cloud on September 11, 2001, or who 
worked, resided, or attended school, childcare, or adult daycare in the 
New York City disaster area (survivors). The WTC Health Program has 
been authorized for 75 years (through 2090).
    Respondents are WTC Health Program members and potential members. 
In this Revision, NIOSH requests OMB approval of the revised WTC Health 
Program Pentagon/Shanksville Application for Enrollment, to include 
language regarding the expanded eligibility criteria mandated by the 
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024. NIOSH 
also requests OMB approval of a new web-based Youth Research Cohort 
(YRC) Registration portal that will be used to engage future cohort 
members and allow them to self-enroll into the YRC.
    In this Revision, total annualized burden will increase from 12,882 
hours to 16,132 (+3,250 hours). The greatest increase in burden (+3,000 
hours) is the result of the new secure, public-facing web-based portal 
for the YRC. In December 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2023 (Pub. L. 117-328), amended section 3341 of the PHS Act to direct 
the Administrator to establish a new cohort for future research. This 
portal has been developed to engage with future cohort members and 
streamline the enrollment process into the YRC. This web-based portal 
will maintain the privacy and data protection of future cohort members 
in accordance with the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability 
and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and HIPAA regulations.
    Another increase in annualized burden (+250 hours) is due to the 
expanded eligibility for Program membership for Pentagon and 
Shanksville responders, as mandated in the NDAA. The WTC Health Program 
Pentagon/Shanksville Application for Enrollment has been updated to 
reflect the new eligibility criteria mandated by the NDAA. The revised 
application now includes an additional eligibility question targeting 
specific groups such as active duty, retired, or reserve members of the 
military, civilian employees of the Department of Defense (DOD), or 
certain DOD contractors who responded to the Pentagon or Shanksville 
sites. The application also now clarifies that in addition to the work 
status, the responder must have participated in rescue, recovery, 
demolition, debris cleanup, or other related services to be eligible to 
enroll in the Program.

                                                            Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                Number of
            Type of respondent                         Form name                Number of     responses per      Average  burden per       Total  burden
                                                                               respondents     respondent        response  (in hours)          hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FDNY Responder...........................  World Trade Center Health                    140               1  30/60......................              70
                                            Program FDNY Responder
                                            Application for Enrollment.

[[Page 87588]]

 
General Responder........................  World Trade Center Health                  6,215               1  30/60......................           3,108
                                            Program Responder Application
                                            for Enrollment (Other than
                                            FDNY).
Pentagon/Shanksville Responder...........  World Trade Center Health                    742               1  30/60......................             371
                                            Program Pentagon/Shanksville
                                            Responder Application for
                                            Enrollment.
WTC Survivor.............................  World Trade Center Health                  9,240               1  30/60......................           4,620
                                            Program Survivor Application
                                            for Enrollment (all languages).
General responder........................  Clinic Selection Postcard for              3,830               1  15/60......................             958
                                            new general responders in NY/NJ
                                            to select a clinic.
Interested Party.........................  Petition for the addition of                  35               1  1..........................              35
                                            health conditions.
Program Applicants or Members............  Designated Representative                  1,300               1  15/60......................             325
                                            Appointment Form.
Program Applicants or Members............  Designated Representative HIPAA            1,300               1  15/60......................             325
                                            Release Form.
Program Members..........................  Member Satisfaction Survey......           6,600               1  30/60......................           3,300
General Public...........................  WTC Health Program HIPAA                      30               1  15/60......................               8
                                            Authorization for Deceased
                                            Individuals.
Program Applicants or Members............  WTC Health Program General HIPAA              30               1  15/60......................               8
                                            Authorization to Third Parties.
Program Applicants or Members............  Designated Representative                     15               1  15/60......................               4
                                            Appointment Form.
Youth Research Cohort Enrollees..........  Youth Research Cohort                      6,000               1  30/60......................           3,000
                                            Registration Portal.
                                          --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total................................  ................................  ..............  ..............  ...........................          16,132
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health 
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-25556 Filed 11-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>