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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18453-18456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06734]

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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No: SSA-2022-0014]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice 
includes one new, and one revision of OMB-approved information 
collections.
    SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden 
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to 
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your 
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the 
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following 
addresses or fax numbers.

(OMB) Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA

    Comments: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Submit your 
comments online referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2022-0014].
    (SSA) Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Director, 3100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 
21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email address: [email protected].
    Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-
2022-0014].
    I. The information collection below is pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit it to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be 
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than May 
31, 2022. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instrument by 
writing to the above email address.

1. Disability Perception Survey (DPS)--0960--NEW

Background

    The Social Security Administration's (SSA's) Social Security 
Disability Insurance (SSDI) program provides crucial financial support 
to individuals unable to work due to a medical condition. Having access 
to and understanding information about SSDI among working adults is an 
important factor in connecting people with benefits. The purpose of the 
survey to is understand the type of information working adults 
currently have about the SSDI program to improve projections of 
disability applications and incidence.
    SSA is requesting clearance to administer the Disability Perception 
Survey (DPS) to a sample of working age adult SSDI program recipients, 
and those who may qualify for this benefit, to capture attitudes and 
perceptions about SSDI among working-age adults in the general 
population, and to

[[Page 18454]]

determine what roles those factors ultimately play in an individual's 
decision to apply to the program.
    The DPS evaluation will consist of two parts: (1) The DPS survey 
administered to working-age adults (18 to 64 years of age) SSDI program 
recipients, and those who may qualify for SSDI benefits; and (2) links 
of the survey data, including the individuals' social security numbers, 
to individuals' administrative records for research purpose. SSA will 
use the data the DPS collects to learn about the average American SSDI 
adult recipient's knowledge and understanding of the SSDI program and 
about who qualifies for these benefits. Section 1110(a) of the Social 
Security Act (Act) gives the Commissioner of Social Security 
authorization to help fund research or demonstration projects relating 
to the prevention and reduction of dependency. SSA contracted with NORC 
at the University of Chicago to conduct the DPS data collection.

DPS Project Description

    The DPS survey will focus on a series of multiple-choice, open-
ended, and vignette-style questions across five topic areas:
     General knowledge about the SSDI program, including 
perspectives on the causes of disability, eligibility requirements, the 
likelihood of receiving benefits, and the documentation required to 
apply for the program;
     Perceptions about the impact of work-limiting 
impairments--including how and to what degree people with disabilities 
participate in the workforce, their work outcomes, use of services, 
barriers to work, and knowledge about Social Security Administration 
(SSA) programs designed to help beneficiaries find and keep jobs;
     Thoughts about SSDI based on personal experience or 
associations with SSDI beneficiaries and others, the likelihood of 
receiving benefits due to changes in one's personal health status, the 
impact of reduced financial resources, and factors considered when 
deciding whether to apply for SSDI;
     Opinions and reactions to how impairments described in 
brief vignettes of work-limiting and disabling experiences may affect 
current or future employment; and
     The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment or 
participation in SSDI or other safety net programs.
    The DPS is targeting 5,011 completed interviews among 18-64 year 
old adults across the U.S. population.

Recruitment

    NORC will sample respondents for the study through NORC's 
AmeriSpeak sampling frame. AmeriSpeak uses a multi-stage probability 
sample that fully represents the U.S. household population. NORC uses a 
two-stage process for AmeriSpeak panel recruitment:
     Initial recruitment: NORC will invite panelists to 
participate in the DPS by email and or SMS text, with an invitation 
through the AmeriSpeak member web portal, which alerts panelist there 
is a survey available to them. The participant will receive an email 
with the survey URL which allows them to log into AmeriSpeak. NORC will 
also invite panelists who previously indicated their preference for 
responding to surveys by telephone. For those who request a telephone 
survey, NORC's telephone interviewers will call the respondent and ask 
them to participate in the survey, if the respondent wants to 
participate NORC will conduct the survey.
     Non-response follow-ups: NORC will sample a portion of 
non-responders and follow-up with a face-to face recruitment of the 
sampled non-responders. Non-response follow-up reduces non-response 
bias significantly by improving the representativeness of the 
AmeriSpeak Panel with respect to certain hard-to-reach segments of the 
population underrepresented by recruitment relying only on mail and 
telephone.
    Eligibility criteria include those ages 18-64 years old who 
understand English or Spanish, and who have the ability to provide 
informed consent as well as a Social Security Number.
    Participants in the DPS will receive the Informed Consent as part 
of the first screens of the survey. If NORC conducts the survey by 
telephone, the interviewer will review the main points on the consent 
with the participant. The Informed Consent, whether online or read by 
the interviewer, will include:
     The purpose of the survey and the primary topics addressed 
in the survey questions;
     The information that the respondents may withdraw at any 
time;
     The voluntary nature of the study;
     A statement that the information collected is completely 
confidential and will not be used by SSA for the purposes of 
determining eligibility for benefits, nor for purposes other than 
research or program evaluation;
     The approximate time it will take to complete the survey;
     The incentive amount for participation, and how the 
respondent will receive their incentive;
     Information on who to call if they have questions about 
their rights as a survey participants;
    If the respondents give their informed consent, but cannot provide 
their SSN, the survey will end, and the respondent will not continue 
further. Survey participants will receive $20 as reimbursement for 
completing the DPS.
    Following the emailing of the survey URL, NORC will follow up 10 
times over the course of a 32-week field period to remind respondents 
to complete the survey. NORC will send the participants reminder 
scripts both by email and text messages to complete the survey. NORC 
will also send reminders by mail, via a reminder letter and postcard. 
The respondents are working adults (age 18-64) SSDI program recipients, 
and those who may qualify for SSDI benefits for SSDI benefits.
    Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.

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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
                 Modality of completion                      Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                            (dollars) *         **
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DPS (Web version).......................................            4259               1              17           1,207        * $10.95      ** $13,217
DPS (Phone version).....................................             752               1              17             213         * 10.95        ** 2,332
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................           5,011  ..............  ..............           1,420  ..............         $15,549
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* We based this figure on the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2021 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2021FactSheet.pdf).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

[[Page 18455]]

2. COVID-19 Symptoms Screener for In-Person Hearings, and VIPr Mobile 
Application and Telephone Screener for Office Visits--20 CFR 404.929, 
404.933, 416.1429, 416.1433, 418.1350, 422.103-422.110, and 422.203-
0960-0824.

Background

    During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, SSA conducted its services 
almost exclusively online or by telephone, to protect the health of 
both the public and our employees. We took these measures in accordance 
with relevant Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 pandemic guidance, 
and to comply with existing Occupational Safety and Health Act 
provisions regarding workplace safety.
    While in-person hearings have not been available since March 2020, 
claimants or their appointed representatives who wished to appeal a 
redetermination could choose to participate in an online video hearing 
or phone hearing instead. In addition, SSA also restricted in-person 
field office visits to limited appointments only, with prioritization 
of requests for new Social Security Number cards. During this period, 
we used the initial version of the CDC-suggested COVID-19 screening 
symptoms questionnaire with people who had these limited field office 
appointments.
    We made the questionnaire available for in-office visits via 
telephone or SSA mobile application (VIPr App). We required 
satisfactory answers to the screening questions, i.e., demonstrating 
that field office visitors did not demonstrate symptoms of COVID-19 and 
had not been exposed to someone with COVID-19, for the appointment to 
proceed. If the individuals answered yes to any of the COVID screening 
questions, we offered them the option of completing their interview via 
video teleconferencing or using our online options, or we offered to 
reschedule their in-person interview for a later date.
    We are resuming in-person hearings and field office visits on a 
limited-capacity basis. Initially, we plan to keep the number of in-
person hearings to an average of three separate hearings per hearings 
office per day, to ensure the continued health and safety of the public 
and SSA employees. We also plan to keep the number of in-person field 
office visits to a limited number, based on the capacity of each field 
office, but hope to also allow for walk-ins, as we expand our plans for 
reentry. We may revise the number of in-person hearings per hearing 
office or reassess our capacity per field office for in-person visits, 
over the course of reentry; therefore, our information for the public 
and the unions make it clear that the screener questions are subject to 
revision as workplace safety guidance changes.

Information Collection Description

    Because of COVID-19 health and safety considerations, we plan to 
continue requiring all members of the public entering an SSA field 
office for a visit, or a hearing office to participate in an in-person 
hearing, to complete a brief screener questionnaire designed to 
identify COVID-19 symptoms.
    For individuals visiting a hearings office, we may provide a link 
to the screener questionnaire in the mailed notice of scheduled 
hearings. People participating in a hearing can complete and submit the 
questionnaire online within 24 hours before the start of the hearing. 
If hearings participants do not wish to use the internet, they can call 
the hearings office where the hearing is scheduled and complete the 
questionnaire over the phone.
    Similarly, we may give field office visitors the option of 
completing the screener questionnaire through SSA's mobile application, 
VIPr, prior to entering the building. We also have a poster in our 
field office windows visible from the outside instructing visitors 
about the need to complete the screening questionnaire and about our 
masking policies. We will continue to request satisfactory completion 
of the screener in advance of entering the building as a prerequisite 
for entering the field office.
    SSA's screener questionnaire asks questions relating to personal 
experience of any COVID symptoms; exposure to someone diagnosed with 
COVID; or travel by means other than land travel, such as car, bus, 
ferry, or train. SSA uses the screener responses to determine if the 
participant is ``cleared'' or ``not cleared'' to enter an SSA field or 
hearing office. If participants answer ``no'' to all questions, they 
are ``cleared'' to participate. If they answer ``yes'' to any part of 
the screener, they will be considered ``not cleared.'' Individuals who 
are not cleared may request SSA to provide an alternative service 
method or reschedule their visit.

Alternatives To Completing the Information Collection

    Although we will continue to require completion of the screener 
questionnaire any in-person hearing or field office visit, we do not 
require this screener questionnaire for other modalities of appeals 
hearings, or field office services. One may choose an online video 
hearing or telephone hearing as an alternative to an in-person hearing, 
just as we also have online and telephone services for field office 
transactions. Claimants may obtain Social Security payments regardless 
of the hearing method they choose, and field office visitors may submit 
their documentation using our internet services, telephone requests, or 
by mailing their documentation to SSA.
    The respondents are beneficiaries or applicants requesting an in-
person hearing, or members of the public entering a field office.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                     Average wait
                                                                                                        Average     time in office
                                       Number of     Frequency of   Average burden     Estimated      theoretical       or for          Total annual
      Modality of completion          respondents      response      per response    total annual     hourly cost     teleservice     opportunity cost
                                                                       (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          centers        (dollars) ****
                                                                                                      (dollars) *    (minutes) **
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COVID Screener Questionnaire......         359,160               1              10          59,860        * $19.01           ** 10       **** $2,275,877
VIPr Mobile App...................          16,554               1               5           1,380         * 27.07          *** 21          **** 194,200
Telephone Screener................         661,554               1              10         110,259         * 27.07          *** 21        **** 9,252,607
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 18456]]

 
    Totals........................       1,037,268  ..............  ..............         171,499  ..............  ..............       **** 11,722,684
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* We based the Covid Screener Questionnaire figure on averaging both the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2021 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2021FactSheet.pdf), and the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm). We based the VIPr Mobile App and Telephone Screener on the average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor
  Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2022 wait times for hearing offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** We based this figure on the average FY 2022 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, based on SSA's current management information
  data.
**** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    Dated: March 25, 2022.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022-06734 Filed 3-29-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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