Proposed Extension of Information Collection; [Authorization and Certification/Letter of Medical Necessity (CA-26/CA-27), 5263-5265 [2024-01535]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2024 / Notices
Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970 (OSH Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.)
(see also 29 CFR 1911.10 and 1912.3). In
addition, the CSA and OSHA
regulations require the Assistant
Secretary to consult with ACCSH before
the agency proposes occupational safety
and health standards affecting
construction activities (40 U.S.C. 3704;
29 CFR 1911.10).
ACCSH operates in accordance with
the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. app. 2),
and its implementing regulations (41
CFR 102–3 et seq.); and Department of
Labor Manual Series Chapter 1–900 (3/
25/2022). ACCSH generally meets two
to four times a year.
II. Meetings
ACCSH Meeting
ACCSH will meet from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m., ET, Thursday, February 22, 2024.
The meeting is open to the public.
Meeting agenda: The tentative agenda
for this meeting includes:
• Assistant Secretary’s agency update
and remarks;
• Directorate of Construction industry
update;
• Women in construction discussion;
• ACCSH Workgroup reports; and
• Public comment period.
ACCSH Workgroup Meetings
In conjunction with the ACCSH
meeting, ACCSH Workgroups will meet
on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
ACCSH Workgroup meetings are open
to the public.
• Emerging Technology 9 a.m. to 11
p.m.
• Workzone 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Health in Construction 2:10 to 4:10
p.m.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
III. Meeting Information
The ACCSH Committee and ACCSH
Workgroups will meet in Conference
Room C–5521, Room 4, U.S. Department
of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20210. Public
attendance at the ACCSH Committee
and Workgroup meetings will be inperson and virtual. In-person attendance
will be limited to the first 25 people
who register to attend the meetings in
person. Please contact Ms. Gretta
Jameson, OSHA, Directorate of
Construction, U.S. Department of Labor;
telephone (202) 693–2020; email:
jameson.grettah@dol.gov, to register. Inperson meeting attendance registration
must be completed by Thursday,
February 15, 2024. Meeting in-person
attendees must use the visitor’s entrance
located at 3rd & C Streets, NW. Virtual
meeting attendance information will be
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:02 Jan 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
posted in the Docket (Docket No.
OSHA–2024–0002) and on the ACCSH
website, https://www.osha.gov/
advisorycommittee/accsh, prior to the
meeting.
Requests to speak and speaker
presentations: Attendees who wish to
address ACCSH must submit a request
to speak, as well as any written or
electronic presentation, by Thursday,
February 15, 2024, using the method
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this
notice. The request must state:
• The amount of time requested to
speak;
• The interest you represent (e.g.,
business, organization, affiliation), if
any; and
• A brief outline of your presentation.
PowerPoint presentations and other
electronic materials must be compatible
with PowerPoint 2010 and other
Microsoft Office 2010 formats.
Alternately, you may request to
address ACCSH briefly during the
public-comment period. At her
discretion, the ACCSH Chair may grant
requests to address ACCSH as time and
circumstances permit.
Docket: OSHA will place comments,
requests to speak, and speaker
presentations, including any personal
information you provide, in the public
docket without change, and those
documents may be available online at:
https://www.regulations.gov. Therefore,
OSHA cautions interested parties about
submitting personal information such as
Social Security Numbers and birthdates.
OSHA also places in the public docket
the meeting transcript, meeting minutes,
documents presented at the meeting,
and other documents pertaining to the
ACCSH meeting. These documents are
available online at: https://
www.regulations.gov. To read or
download documents in the public
docket for this ACCSH meeting, go to
Docket No. OSHA–2024–0002 at: https://
www.regulations.gov. All documents in
the public docket are listed in the index;
however, some documents (e.g.,
copyrighted material) are not publicly
available to read or download through
https://www.regulations.gov. All
submissions are available for inspection
and copying, when permitted, at the
OSHA Docket Office. For information
on using https://www.regulations.gov to
make submissions or to access the
docket, click on the ‘‘Help’’ tab at the
top of the homepage. Contact the OSHA
Docket Office at (202) 693–2350, (TTY
(877) 889–5627) for information about
materials not available through that
website and for assistance in using the
internet to locate submissions and other
documents in the docket.
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5263
Authority and Signature
James S. Frederick, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Occupational
Safety and Health, authorized the
preparation of this notice pursuant to 29
U.S.C. 655, 40 U.S.C. 3704, Secretary of
Labor’s Order No. 8–2020 (85 FR
58393), 5 U.S.C. app. 2, and 29 CFR part
1912.
Signed at Washington, DC, on January 19,
2024.
James S. Frederick,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2024–01534 Filed 1–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–26–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Worker’s Compensation
Programs
[OMB Control No. 1240–0055]
Proposed Extension of Information
Collection; [Authorization and
Certification/Letter of Medical
Necessity (CA–26/CA–27)
Division of Federal Employees’
Longshore and Harbor Workers’
Compensation, Office of Workers’
Compensation, (OWCP/DFELHWC),
Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
AGENCY:
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, OWCP/
DFELHWC is soliciting comments on
the information collection for
Authorization and Certification/Letter of
Medical Necessity, CA–26/CA–27.
DATES: All comments must be received
on or before March 26, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comment
as follows. Please note that late,
untimely filed comments will not be
considered.
Written/Paper Submissions: Submit
written/paper submissions in the
following way:
• Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit
DOL- OWCP/DFELHWC, Office of
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM
26JAN1
5264
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2024 / Notices
Workers’ Compensation Programs,
Division of Federal Employees’
Longshore and Harbor Workers’
Compensation, U.S. Department of
Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room
S–3323, Washington, DC 20210.
• OWCP/DFELHWC 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, Division of
Federal Employees Longshore, and
Harbor Workers’ Compensation, OWCP/
DFELHWC, at suggs.anjanette@dol.gov
(email); (202) 354–9660.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
I. Background
In 2013, the President of the United
States, Barack Obama, signed a law
which provides greater Federal
oversight over compounding
pharmacies that custom mix medication
in bulk for patients who may benefit
from prescriptions that are specific to
their individual medical needs. See
Compounding Quality Act, Public Law
113–54, 127 Stat. 587 (2013).
Compounded medications (which may
contain opioids) have two or more
ingredients and are offered as an
alternative to FDA-approved
medications that do not meet an
individual patient’s health needs, such
as when a patient has an allergy that
requires a medication to be made
without a certain dye. See
Compounding and the FDA: Questions
and Answers, FDA, https://www.fda.gov/
Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatory
Information/PharmacyCompounding/
ucm339764.htm.
The President had previously
announced in October 2015 that several
initiatives would be undertaken by the
Federal Government as it related to
opioid abuse and the heroin epidemic,
noting that the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) reported
that overdose deaths involving
prescription opioids quadrupled
between 1999 and 2013, with more than
16,000 deaths in 2013. The CDC has
identified addiction to prescription pain
medication as the strongest risk factor
for heroin addiction.
On March 23, 2016, the President,
responding to the escalation of
prescription opioid abuse and the
heroin epidemic, announced several
actions taken by his Administration to
address the epidemic, including steps to
expand access for treatment, prevent
overdose deaths and increase
community prevention strategies.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:02 Jan 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
Compounded drugs are not FDAapproved. This means that the FDA
does not verify the safety or
effectiveness of compounded drugs.
Consumers and health professionals rely
on the drug approval process to ensure
that drugs are safe and effective and
made in accordance with Federal
quality standards. Compounded drugs
also lack an FDA finding of
manufacturing quality before such drugs
are marketed.
Health risks associated with
compounded drugs include the use of
ingredients that may be sub- or superpotent, contaminated, or otherwise
adulterated. Additionally, patients may
use ineffective compounded drugs
instead of FDA-approved drugs that
have been shown to be safe and
effective.
Impacts on the FECA Program
The Federal Employees’
Compensation Act (FECA), 5 U.S.C.
8101 et seq., provides compensation
benefits to Federal employees for workrelated injury/illness and to their
surviving dependents if a work-related
injury/illness results in the employee’s
death. Section 8145 provides the
Secretary of Labor the authority to
delegate the responsibility to administer
the FECA program to OWCP; through
this delegation OWCP has the authority
and the responsibility to decide all
questions arising under the FECA. 5
U.S.C. 8145.
Section 8103 provides:
The United States shall furnish to an
employee who is injured while in the
performance of duty, the services,
appliances, and supplies prescribed or
recommended by a qualified physician,
which the Secretary of Labor considers
likely to cure, give relief, reduce the
degree or the period of disability, or aid
in lessening the amount of the monthly
compensation. 5 U.S.C. 8103.
A number of injured workers
receiving benefits under the FECA
program are prescribed opioid
medication. While most prescriptions
are short term in nature, some patients
remain on these habit-forming
medications for a long period of time.
Statutorily, FECA is mandated to
provide medically necessary supplies
and services to treat work related
injuries. However, the FECA statute
gives broad discretionary authority to
determine the medical necessity of
supplies and services used to treat work
related injuries. Due to the safety
concerns for both compounded drugs
and opioids, the Department of Labor
has deemed it necessary to more closely
review the medical necessity of these
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
medications in FECA claims by
instituting a pre-authorization process.
OWCP believes that the two forms
used to monitor compound and opiate
medication further strengthens medical
management procedures for prescription
drugs, assist our stakeholders in
controlling costs from medically
unnecessary treatments, and lessen the
impact of potential drug addiction and
medical fraud.
A major goal of the FECA program is
to return an injured employee back to
employment as soon as medically
feasible. The forms that are in use serve
as a means for injured workers to
continue receiving opioids and
compounded drugs only where
medically necessary and simultaneously
give OWCP greater oversight in
monitoring their use.
OWCP has issued regulations relating
to its authority to require prior
authorization for medical treatment
which will now be applied through
these forms to compounded drugs and
opioids. (20 CFR 10.310, 10.800 & 10.
809). Requiring Prior Authorization will
assist OWCP in determining whether
the prescribed medication will assist in
curing, giving relief, and lessening the
degree of disability. FECA further
provides OWCP the authority to
conduct such investigation as necessary
before making an award of
compensation (including the need for
medical treatment by certain
prescription drugs). 5 U.S.C. 8124(a)(2).
Finally, 5 U.S.C. 8149 provides OWCP
the authority to prescribe rules and
regulations necessary for the
administration of FECA.
As such, the CA–26, Authorization
Request form and Certification/Letter of
Medical Necessity for Compounded
Drugs, and CA–27, Authorization
Request form and Certification/Letter of
Medical Necessity or Opioid
Medications, fulfill these requirements
and obligations under the FECA.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
OWCP is soliciting comments
concerning the proposed information
collection (ICR) titled, ‘‘Authorization
and Certification/Letter of Medical
Necessity’’, CA–26/CA–27.
OWCP/DFELHWC 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/
DFELHWC’s estimate of the burden
related to the information collection,
including the validity of the
E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM
26JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2024 / Notices
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.
Background documents related to this
information collection request are
available at https://regulations.gov and
at DOL–OWCP/DFELHWC located at
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room S–
3323, Washington, DC 20210. Questions
about the information collection
requirements may be directed to the
person listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
notice.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
III. Current Actions
This information collection request
concerns the Authorization and
Certification/Letter of Medical
Necessity, CA–26/CA–27.
OWCP/DFELHWC 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, Division of
Federal Employees’ Longshore, and
Harbor Workers’ Compensation, OWCP/
DFELHWC.
OMB Number: 1240–0055.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households; business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 1,104.
Frequency: On occasion.
Number of Responses: 4,212.
Annual Burden Hours: 2,106 hours.
Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper
Cost: $241,685.00.
OWCP Form CA–26/CA–27,
Authorization and Certification/Letter of
Medical Necessity.
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. 2024–01535 Filed 1–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–CH–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:02 Jan 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice: 24–005]
Information Collection: NASA New
Technology Reporting System
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice of information collection;
renewal of existing approved collection.
AGENCY:
The National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork
and respondent burden, invites the
general public and other Federal
agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on proposed and/or
continuing information collections, as
required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995.
DATES: Comments are due by March 26,
2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for this information
collection should be sent within 60 days
of publication of this notice to
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Find this particular information
collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under
60-day Review-Open for Public
Comments’’ or by using the search
function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument(s) and instructions should
be directed to NASA PRA Clearance
Officer, Bill Edwards-Bodmer, NASA
Headquarters, 300 E Street SW, JF0000,
Washington, DC 20546, phone 757–864–
7998, or email hq-ocio-pra-program@
mail.nasa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Abstract
Personnel performing research and
development are required by statutes,
NASA implementing regulations, and
OMB policy to submit reports of
inventions, patents, data, and
copyrights, including the utilization and
disposition of same. The NASA New
Technology Summary Report reporting
form is being used for this purpose. This
information is required to ensure the
proper disposition of rights to
inventions made in the course of NASAfunded research contracts. The
requirement is codified in 48 CFR part
1827. The legislative authorities are 42
U.S.C. 2457 et seq., and 35 U.S.C. 200
et seq.
II. Methods of Collection
NASA FAR Supplement clauses for
patent rights and new technology
PO 00000
Frm 00066
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5265
encourage personnel to use an
electronic form and provide a hyperlink
to the electronic New Technology
Reporting System (e-NTR) site: https://
invention.nasa.gov. This website has
been set up to help NASA employees
and parties under NASA funding
agreements (i.e., contracts, grants,
cooperative agreements, and
subcontracts) to report new technology
information directly to NASA via a
secure internet connection.
III. Data
Title: NASA New Technology
Reporting System.
OMB Number: 2700–0052.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses, colleges
and university, and/or other for-profit
institutions.
Estimated Annual Number of
Activities: 3,372.
Estimated Number of Respondents
per Activity: 1.
Annual Responses: 3,372.
Estimated Time per Response: 3
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 10,116.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of NASA, including
whether the information collected has
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of
NASA’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the
proposed collection of information; (3)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (4) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including automated
collection techniques or the use of other
forms of information technology.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and
included in the request for OMB
approval of this information collection.
They will also become a matter of
public record.
William Edwards-Bodmer,
NASA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024–01286 Filed 1–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510–13–P
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
Sunshine Act Meetings
The Members of the
National Council on Disability (NCD)
will hold a quarterly business meeting
TIME AND DATE:
E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM
26JAN1
Agencies
- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
- Office of the Worker's Compensation Programs
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 18 (Friday, January 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5263-5265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01535]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Worker's Compensation Programs
[OMB Control No. 1240-0055]
Proposed Extension of Information Collection; [Authorization and
Certification/Letter of Medical Necessity (CA-26/CA-27)
AGENCY: Division of Federal Employees' Longshore and Harbor Workers'
Compensation, Office of Workers' Compensation, (OWCP/DFELHWC), 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, OWCP/DFELHWC is soliciting comments on the information
collection for Authorization and Certification/Letter of Medical
Necessity, CA-26/CA-27.
DATES: All comments must be received on or before March 26, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comment as follows. Please note that late,
untimely filed comments will not be considered.
Written/Paper Submissions: Submit written/paper submissions in the
following way:
Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit DOL- OWCP/DFELHWC,
Office of
[[Page 5264]]
Workers' Compensation Programs, Division of Federal Employees'
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation, U.S. Department of Labor,
200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-3323, Washington, DC 20210.
OWCP/DFELHWC 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, Division of Federal Employees Longshore, and
Harbor Workers' Compensation, OWCP/DFELHWC, at [email protected]
(email); (202) 354-9660.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In 2013, the President of the United States, Barack Obama, signed a
law which provides greater Federal oversight over compounding
pharmacies that custom mix medication in bulk for patients who may
benefit from prescriptions that are specific to their individual
medical needs. See Compounding Quality Act, Public Law 113-54, 127
Stat. 587 (2013). Compounded medications (which may contain opioids)
have two or more ingredients and are offered as an alternative to FDA-
approved medications that do not meet an individual patient's health
needs, such as when a patient has an allergy that requires a medication
to be made without a certain dye. See Compounding and the FDA:
Questions and Answers, FDA, https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/PharmacyCompounding/ucm339764.htm.
The President had previously announced in October 2015 that several
initiatives would be undertaken by the Federal Government as it related
to opioid abuse and the heroin epidemic, noting that the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that overdose deaths
involving prescription opioids quadrupled between 1999 and 2013, with
more than 16,000 deaths in 2013. The CDC has identified addiction to
prescription pain medication as the strongest risk factor for heroin
addiction.
On March 23, 2016, the President, responding to the escalation of
prescription opioid abuse and the heroin epidemic, announced several
actions taken by his Administration to address the epidemic, including
steps to expand access for treatment, prevent overdose deaths and
increase community prevention strategies.
Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that the FDA does
not verify the safety or effectiveness of compounded drugs. Consumers
and health professionals rely on the drug approval process to ensure
that drugs are safe and effective and made in accordance with Federal
quality standards. Compounded drugs also lack an FDA finding of
manufacturing quality before such drugs are marketed.
Health risks associated with compounded drugs include the use of
ingredients that may be sub- or super-potent, contaminated, or
otherwise adulterated. Additionally, patients may use ineffective
compounded drugs instead of FDA-approved drugs that have been shown to
be safe and effective.
Impacts on the FECA Program
The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), 5 U.S.C. 8101 et
seq., provides compensation benefits to Federal employees for work-
related injury/illness and to their surviving dependents if a work-
related injury/illness results in the employee's death. Section 8145
provides the Secretary of Labor the authority to delegate the
responsibility to administer the FECA program to OWCP; through this
delegation OWCP has the authority and the responsibility to decide all
questions arising under the FECA. 5 U.S.C. 8145.
Section 8103 provides:
The United States shall furnish to an employee who is injured while
in the performance of duty, the services, appliances, and supplies
prescribed or recommended by a qualified physician, which the Secretary
of Labor considers likely to cure, give relief, reduce the degree or
the period of disability, or aid in lessening the amount of the monthly
compensation. 5 U.S.C. 8103.
A number of injured workers receiving benefits under the FECA
program are prescribed opioid medication. While most prescriptions are
short term in nature, some patients remain on these habit-forming
medications for a long period of time.
Statutorily, FECA is mandated to provide medically necessary
supplies and services to treat work related injuries. However, the FECA
statute gives broad discretionary authority to determine the medical
necessity of supplies and services used to treat work related injuries.
Due to the safety concerns for both compounded drugs and opioids, the
Department of Labor has deemed it necessary to more closely review the
medical necessity of these medications in FECA claims by instituting a
pre-authorization process.
OWCP believes that the two forms used to monitor compound and
opiate medication further strengthens medical management procedures for
prescription drugs, assist our stakeholders in controlling costs from
medically unnecessary treatments, and lessen the impact of potential
drug addiction and medical fraud.
A major goal of the FECA program is to return an injured employee
back to employment as soon as medically feasible. The forms that are in
use serve as a means for injured workers to continue receiving opioids
and compounded drugs only where medically necessary and simultaneously
give OWCP greater oversight in monitoring their use.
OWCP has issued regulations relating to its authority to require
prior authorization for medical treatment which will now be applied
through these forms to compounded drugs and opioids. (20 CFR 10.310,
10.800 & 10. 809). Requiring Prior Authorization will assist OWCP in
determining whether the prescribed medication will assist in curing,
giving relief, and lessening the degree of disability. FECA further
provides OWCP the authority to conduct such investigation as necessary
before making an award of compensation (including the need for medical
treatment by certain prescription drugs). 5 U.S.C. 8124(a)(2). Finally,
5 U.S.C. 8149 provides OWCP the authority to prescribe rules and
regulations necessary for the administration of FECA.
As such, the CA-26, Authorization Request form and Certification/
Letter of Medical Necessity for Compounded Drugs, and CA-27,
Authorization Request form and Certification/Letter of Medical
Necessity or Opioid Medications, fulfill these requirements and
obligations under the FECA.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
OWCP is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information
collection (ICR) titled, ``Authorization and Certification/Letter of
Medical Necessity'', CA-26/CA-27.
OWCP/DFELHWC 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/DFELHWC's estimate of the
burden related to the information collection, including the validity of
the
[[Page 5265]]
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.
Background documents related to this information collection request
are available at https://regulations.gov and at DOL-OWCP/DFELHWC
located at 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-3323, Washington, DC
20210. Questions about the information collection requirements may be
directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice.
III. Current Actions
This information collection request concerns the Authorization and
Certification/Letter of Medical Necessity, CA-26/CA-27.
OWCP/DFELHWC 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, Division of
Federal Employees' Longshore, and Harbor Workers' Compensation, OWCP/
DFELHWC.
OMB Number: 1240-0055.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit.
Number of Respondents: 1,104.
Frequency: On occasion.
Number of Responses: 4,212.
Annual Burden Hours: 2,106 hours.
Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $241,685.00.
OWCP Form CA-26/CA-27, Authorization and Certification/Letter of
Medical Necessity.
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. 2024-01535 Filed 1-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CH-P