Face-To-Face Interview; Telephone Interview
20 CFR 416.204(b) and 422.135
OMB No. 0960-0780
Justification
Introduction/Authoring Laws and Regulations
The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Operations (DCO) needs to document the results of interviews we conduct for the Centenarian Project and Medicare Non-Utilization Project (MNUP). SSA needs to document the results of the Centenarian and MNUP interviews we conduct to determine: (1) whether the respondents are still alive; (2) if they need a representative payee; and (3) if they need a change in representative payee. Sections 205(a) & (b) and 1631(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, corresponding to Sections 42 U.S.C. 405 and 42 U.S.C. 1383 of the United States Code, give SSA the authority to collect the information. Since these interviews may lead to changes within the recipient’s payments, 20 CFR 416.204(b) and 422.135 of the Code of Federal Regulations cover reports from beneficiaries and SSA’s policies for redeterminations. We require these anti-fraud initiatives to determine whether we are issuing improper payments and whether we need to establish or remove a representative payee.
Description of Collection
SSA field office personnel obtain information through interviews with Centenarians and MNUP beneficiaries. If Centenarians and MNUP beneficiaries have representatives or caregivers, SSA office personnel invite them to the interviews. During the interview, SSA employees make overall observations of the Centenarians, MNUP beneficiaries, and their representative payees (if applicable). The interviewer uses the appropriate Development Worksheet as a guide for the interview, in addition to documenting findings during the interview. SSA conducts the interview by phone preferably, or at the Centenarian or MNUP beneficiary’s residence. Respondents are MNUP and Centenarian beneficiaries, their representative payees, or their caregivers.
Use of Information Technology to Collect the Information
SSA employees document the outcome of the interviews on the paper Development Worksheets or key them directly into the Centenarian Project and MNUP Websites. We must conduct a telephone, or a face‑to‑face, interview at the Centenarian and MNUP beneficiary’s residence or at the field office. SSA employees print the appropriate Development Worksheet from the Centenarian Project and MNUP Website to use during the interview.
Why We Cannot Use Duplicate Information
The nature of the information we collect and the manner in which we collect it preclude duplication. SSA does not use another collection instrument to obtain similar data.
Minimizing Burden on Small Respondents
This collection does not significantly affect small businesses or other small entities.
Consequence of Not Collecting Information or Collecting it Less Frequently
The consequences of not conducting these interviews are two-fold: (1) SSA would have no means to confirm if the Centenarian and MNUP beneficiary is in need of a representative payee or a change in payee; and (2) SSA would not know if the individual is actually deceased, and someone else is committing fraud by cashing the monthly payment we send. Since we only collect the information once per Centenarian, and only once when the MNUP beneficiary meets all selection criteria, we cannot collect it less frequently. There are no technical or legal obstacles to prevent burden reduction
Special Circumstances
There are no special circumstances that would cause SSA to conduct this information collection in a manner inconsistent with 5 CFR 1320.5.
Solicitation of Public Comment and Other Consultations with the Public
The 60-day advance Federal Register Notice published on December 6, 2018, at 83 FR 62943, and SSA received no public comments. The second Notice published on February 15, 2019 at 84 FR 4597. If SSA receives any comments in response to the 30-day Notice, we will forward them to OMB.
Payment or Gifts to Respondents
SSA does not provide payment or gifts to the respondents.
Assurances of Confidentiality
SSA protects and holds confidential information it collects in accordance with 42 U. S. C. 1306, 20 CFR 401 and 402, 5 U. S. C. 552 (Freedom of Information Act), 5 U.S. C. 552a (Privacy Act of 1974), and OMB Circular No. A-130.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
The information collection does not contain any questions of a sensitive nature.
Estimates of Public Reporting Burden
SSA will attempt to contact the remaining 194 Centenarians and approximately 4,413 MNUP beneficiaries in FY 2019. We will schedule telephone or face-to-face interviews when applicable. If our contacts result in a third party death report, we will verify death and terminate the payment record.
Modality of Completion |
Number of Respondents |
Frequency of Response |
Average Burden Per Response (minutes) |
Estimated Total Annual Burden (hours) |
Centenarian Project – Title XVI Only* |
194 |
1 |
15 |
49 |
MNUP – All Title II Responses |
4,413 |
1 |
15 |
1,103 |
Totals |
4,607 |
|
|
1,152 |
*Some cases are T2 rollovers from prior Centenarian workloads.
The total burden for this ICR is 1,152 hours. We based these figures on current management information data. This figure represents burden hours and we did not calculate a separate cost burden.
Annual Cost to the Respondents (Other)
This collection does not impose a known cost burden to the respondents.
Annual Cost To Federal Government
The annual cost to the Federal Government is approximately $184,253. This estimate accounts for costs from the following areas: (1) designing, printing, and distributing the Centenarian and MNUP Development Worksheets; (2) SSA employee information collection and processing time (including visiting the beneficiaries and filling out the appropriate Worksheet); and (3) systems development, updating, and maintenance costs.
Program Changes or Adjustments to the Information Collection Request
In 2010, SSA selected Title II beneficiaries and Title XVI recipients ages 103 years and older for the Centenarian Project. In 2012, SSA changed the age range to 100 years and older; and in 2014, we changed the Centenarian Project to Title XVI recipients only. Since we only conduct these interviews once, the population that still requires interviews continues to decrease. Currently, our records show we only need to conduct 194 more Centenarian reviews. We consider these remaining 194 Centenarian reviews rollover cases. These rollovers consist of Title II and Title XVI records where SSA staff has not, yet, made a successful contact that confirms life or death. Upon completion of these rollover cases, we will discontinue the Centenarian Project. We will notify OMB when the remaining 194 Centenarian rollovers are complete, as this will affect the burden information in #12 above. The MNUP will continue as the official Title II replacement for the Centenarian Project. Currently, our records show 4,413 MNUP beneficiaries who require contact. Our yearly selections identify beneficiaries who do not use their Medicare over a period of time. Medicare usage fluctuates yearly and this influences the number of MNUP respondents. When we last cleared this IC in 2016, the burden of hours was 1,160 hours. However, we are currently reporting a burden of 1,151.75 hours. This change is due to a decrease in the total number of respondents from 4,640 to 4,607. Specifically, there was a reduction in Centenarian respondents who still require an interview from 240 to 194. In addition, there was a slight increase in the number of MNUP respondents that now require an interview from 4,400 to 4,413. There is no change to the burden time per response.
Plans for Publication Information Collection Results
SSA will not publish the results of the information collection.
Displaying the OMB Approval Expiration Date
SSA is not requesting an exception to the requirement to display an expiration date.
Exceptions to Certification Statement
SSA is not requesting an exception to the certification requirements at 5 CFR 1320.9 and related provisions at 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods
SSA does not use statistical methods for this information collection.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT |
| Author | OIG |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-20 |