Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations
Notice with comment period.
Citation: "80 FR 25296"
Document Number: "60Day-15-15ADW; Docket No.
Page Number: "25296"
"Notices"
SUMMARY:
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Regulation.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Mail:
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket Number. All relevant comments received will be posted without change to Regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to Regulations.gov.
Please note: All public comment should be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking portal ( 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 the Information Collection Review Office,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information, to search data sources, to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
Employer Perspectives of an Insurer-Sponsored Wellness Grant--New--
Background and Brief Description
The mission of the
Work-related injuries and illnesses are common among US workers and result in pain, disability, and substantial cost to workers and employers. A recent, comprehensive analysis of the economic burden of work-related injuries and illnesses estimated that in 2007 alone medical and indirect costs for work-related injuries and illnesses were
Workers' health is affected not only by workplace safety and health hazards, but also workers' own health behaviors. Reflecting this, two different, yet, complementary approaches exist in the workplace: OSH programs and wellness programs. Both types of programs aim to improve worker health and reduce costs to employers, workers' compensation (WC) insurers, and society. Since 2004, NIOSH has advocated an approach that coordinates wellness programs with OSH programs because emerging evidence suggests that integrating these two fields may have a synergistic effect on worker safety and health.
NIOSH has established an intramural program for protecting and promoting
There is a need for research to demonstrate a `business case' for both wellness programs and integrated OSH-wellness programs and identify OSH organizational and management policies, programs and practices that effectively reduce work-related injuries, illnesses, disabilities and WC costs. To date small employers have been largely ignored in these areas and many studies have focused on the manufacturing industry. Real-world examples of effective interventions that apply to employers of all sizes and industries will ultimately improve workers' health and safety.
For the current study, NIOSH and OHBWC are collaborating on a project to determine the effectiveness and economic return of the Workplace Wellness Grant Program (WWGP) and to understand the impact of integrating of wellness with traditional OSH programs. In early 2012 OHBWC took steps to integrate wellness and OSH programs by launching the WWGP, in which an estimated 400 (currently 321) employers and 13,000 employees will be provided a total of
The majority of the study aims will be accomplished through secondary analysis of pre- and post-intervention data being collected by OHBWC and shared with NIOSH. For the overall study, data for participating employers will include aggregate health risk appraisal data; aggregate biometric data; turnover data; health care utilization costs; information about occupational safety and health, wellness, and integrated occupational safety and health-wellness program elements; OHBWC WWGP expense records; yearly WC claims and cost data; data that details employer participation in other OHBWC programs; industry codes, and employer size. A sample of no more than 50 employers will be selected among grantees for 1-2 brief phone calls to confirm responses on an annual survey administered by OHBWC.
In addition, NIOSH will supplement the cost data extracted from existing sources with information collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with no more than 25, randomly selected, participating employers. Data gathered from these employer interviews are critical to compute ratios of total savings to total costs for the grant-supported wellness programs from the perspective of the participating employers.
NIOSH will ask a series of questions that will be used to estimate direct and indirect costs that were not directly funded by the WWGP during and after the grant funding period. This will be accomplished by collecting as detailed information as possible about the employer's wellness program and occupational and safety program costs. Topics will include questions about: The timeline and confirmation of grant funding (4 questions), non-grant funds used for wellness program costs after receiving the first grant (5 questions), non-grant funds used for wellness program costs before receiving the first grant (7 questions), time spent on wellness program after receiving the grant (3 questions), time spent on wellness program before receiving the grant (7 questions), other questions about the people planning and running the wellness program (2 or 4 questions), work time spent by employees for wellness activities (6 to 11 questions), changes to OSH plan and hazards after receiving the grant (8 to 13 questions), and other questions about their wellness program (3 to 5 questions).
The results of these interview-supplemented case studies will be used to estimate the proportion by which total employer costs exceed the cost of the primary wellness program vendor, as well as the proportion of these costs attributable to establishing the program in the first year versus operating the program in subsequent years. These estimates will be applied to generate total employer costs for all of the WWGP recipients, with sensitivity analysis based on the observed variability of employer costs in the case studies.
If the WWGP is effective at improving worker health, reducing WC claims and demonstrating a positive economic return, then other employers and insurance carriers may develop similar programs and drive the optimization of integrated OSH-wellness approaches. NIOSH expects to complete data collection in 2017.
There are no costs to respondents other than their time.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours Type of Form name Number of Number of Average Total respondent respondents responses burden per burden per response hours respondent (in hours) Wellness Employer 25 1 2 50 Program interviews Coordinators on cost of wellness and occupational safety and health program Occupational Employer 25 1 2 50 Safety and interviews Health on cost of Specialists wellness and occupational safety and health program The person Annual case 100 1 30/60 50 in charge of study the verification employer's interview wellness program Total 150
Chief, Information Collection Review Office,
[FR Doc. 2015-10286 Filed 5-1-15;
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News