90 FR 89 pgs. 19731-19732 - Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Pharmacy Billing Requirement
Type: NOTICEVolume: 90Number: 89Pages: 19731 - 19732
Pages: 19731, 19732Docket number: [OMB Control No. 1240-0050]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2025-08104 Filed 5-8-25; 8:45 am]
Agency: Labor Department
Sub Agency: Workers Compensation Programs Office
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
[OMB Control No. 1240-0050]
Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Pharmacy Billing Requirement
AGENCY:
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Labor.
ACTION:
Request for public comments.
SUMMARY:
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance request for comment to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request 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 OWCP is soliciting comments on the information collection for Pharmacy Billing Requirement.
DATES:
All comments must be received on or before July 8, 2025.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comment as follows. Please note that late, untimely filed comments will not be considered.
Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments in the following way:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments for WCPO-2025-0006. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to https://www.regulations.gov will be posted to the docket, with no changes. Because your comment will be made public, you are responsible for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such as your or anyone else's Social Security number or confidential business information.
• If your comment includes confidential information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a written/paper submission.
Written/Paper Submissions: Submit written/paper submissions in the following way:
[top] • Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit DOL-OWCP, Office of Workers'
• OWCP will post your comment as well as any attachments, except for information submitted and marked as confidential, in the docket at https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Anjanette Suggs, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, at suggs.anjanette@dol.gov (email) or (202) 354-9660 (voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is the agency responsible for administration of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), 5 U.S.C. 8101 et seq., the Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA), 30 U.S.C. 901 et seq., and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), 42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq. These statutes require OWCP to pay for appropriate medical and vocational rehabilitation services provided to beneficiaries. In order for OWCP's billing contractor to pay providers of these services with its automated bill processing system, providers must "enroll" with one or more of the OWCP programs that administer the statutes by submitting certain profile information, including identifying information, tax I.D. information, and whether they possess specialty or sub-specialty training. Form OWCP-1168 is used to obtain this information from each provider. This information collection is currently approved for use through September 30, 2025. All three of these statutes require that OWCP pay for covered medical treatment provided to beneficiaries; this medical treatment can include medicinal drugs dispensed by pharmacies. In order to determine whether amounts billed for drugs are appropriate, OWCP must receive the required data elements, including the name of the patient/beneficiary, the National Drug Code (NDC) number of the drugs prescribed, the quantity provided, the prescription number and the date the prescription was filled. The regulations implementing these statutes require the collection of information needed to enable OWCP to determine if bills for drugs submitted directly by pharmacies, or reimbursement requests submitted by claimants, should be paid. There is no standardized paper form for submission of the billing information collected in this Information Collection Request (ICR). Over the past several years, almost all pharmacy bills submitted to OWCP have been submitted electronically using one of the industry-wide standard formats for the electronic transmission of billing data through nationwide data clearinghouses devised by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP). None of the electronic billing formats have been designed by or provided by OWCP; they are billing formats commonly accepted by other Federal programs and in the private health insurance industry for drugs. Nonetheless, the three programs (FECA, BLBA and EEOICPA) provide instructions for the submission of necessary pharmacy bill data elements in provider manuals distributed or made available to all pharmacies enrolled in the programs.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
OWCP is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information collection related to the Pharmacy Billing Requirements. OWCP is particularly interested in comments that:
Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information has practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of OWCP's estimate of the burden related to the information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used in the estimate;
Suggest methods to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
Minimize the burden of the information collection 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.
Documents related to this information collection request are available at https://regulations.gov and at DOL-OWCP located at 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-3215, Washington, DC 20210. Questions about the information collection requirements may be directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section of this notice.
III. Current Actions
This information collection request concerns Pharmacy Billing Requirements. OWCP has updated the data with respect to the number of respondents, responses, burden hours, and burden costs supporting this information collection request from the previous information collection request.
Type of Review: Extension, without change, of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
OMB Number: 1240-0050.
Affected Public: Private Sector.
Number of Respondents: 874,414.
Number of Responses: 874,414.
Annual Burden Hours: 14,481.
Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $0.00.
OWCP Forms: OWCP Form Pharmacy Billing Requirements.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the proposed information collection request; they will become a matter of public record and will be available at https://www.reginfo.gov.
Anjanette Suggs,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-08104 Filed 5-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CR-P