Signature Proxy Justification

Agency: Social Security Administration

Initiative Title: Signature Proxy

Background

Signature Proxy is an alternative to the traditional pen and ink or “wet” signature, and it eliminates the need to retain paper applications in most circumstances by allowing the technician to process the application on the claimant’s behalf, without a signature. In most instances, Signature Proxy allows SSA to store and process the entire benefit application electronically, thus reducing costs associated with mailing and storing physical files. In addition, the adoption of Signature Proxy supports faster processing of claims and will improve service to the public by eliminating the need to mail the application to the claimant and wait for it to be signed and returned.

Burden Reduction

Signature Proxy allows a Title II or Title XVI applicant or beneficiary to sign their application or redetermination form electronically. Previously, to complete the application process claimants needed to sign and mail in the application signature page to SSA. Under the Signature Proxy process, a “signature” is obtained by giving verbal consent for telephone claims or by clicking a button for Internet claims. SSA estimates Signature Proxy will reduce the amount of time required to submit the application by one minute per respondent. The calculation charts at Exhibit I attached illustrates the burden reductions achieved as a result of the Signature Proxy initiative.

Applications and Forms using Signature Proxy

Title II

• 0960-0618, Internet Social Security Benefits Application (ISBA),

SSA-1, SSA-2 & SSA-16

• 0960-0003, Application for Mother's or Father's Insurance Benefit, SSA-5-F6

• 0960-0012, Application for Parent's Insurance Benefits, SSA-7

• 0960-0013, Application for Lump-Sum Death Payment, SSA-8-F4

• 0960-0004, Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance Benefits

SSA-10-BK

• 0960-0010, Application for Child's Insurance Benefits, SSA-4-BK

• ¹0960-0014, Request to be Selected as Payee, SSA-11-BK

Title XVI

• 0960-0229, Application for Supplemental Security Income, SSA-8000-BK

• 0960-0444, Application for Supplemental Security Income, SSA-8001-F5

• 0960-0416, Statement for Determining Continuing Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income Payments, SSA-8203-BK

• 0960-0014, Request to be Selected as Payee, SSA-11-BK

Signature Proxy Burden Reduction Calculations

Title II Collections

0960-0618 / ISBA – SSA-1, 2 & 16

ISBA

Approximately 169,000 respondents complete ISBA annually and 100% of the ISBA respondents use Signature Proxy to sign their application. The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Form Type	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
ISBA	169,000	20.4 minutes	57,460
Totals:	169,000		57,460

 

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 2,817 burden hour reduction in the ISBA collection activity.

SSA-1

Approximately 1,460,692 respondents complete the SSA-1 annually. Of this total 97% (1,416,871) are completed through SSA’s ²Modernized Claims System (MCS) and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy (708,435.5). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	708,435.5	10.5 minutes	123,976
MCS/Signature Proxy	708,435.5	9.5 minutes	112,169
Paper	43,821	10.5 minutes	7,669
Totals:	1,460,692		243,814

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 11,807 burden hour reduction in the SSA-1 collection activity.

SSA-2

Approximately 700,000 respondents complete the SSA-2 annually. Of this total 95% (665,000) are completed through MCS and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy (332,500). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	332,500	15 minutes	83,125
MCS/Signature Proxy	332,500	14 minutes	77,583
Paper	35,000	15 minutes	8,750
Totals:	700,000		169,458

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 5,542 burden hour reduction in the SSA-2 collection activity.

SSA-16

Approximately 1,513,677 respondents complete the SSA-16 annually. Of this total 97% (1,468,267) are completed through SSA’s ³Modernized Supplemental Security Income Claims System (MISSICS) and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy (734,133.5). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	734,133.5	20 minutes	244,711
MCS/Signature Proxy	734,133.5	19 minutes	232,476
Paper	45,410	20 minutes	15,137
Totals:	1,513,677		492,324

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 12,235 burden hour reduction in the SSA-16 collection activity.

TOTAL BURDEN REDUCDTION FOR ISBA

As outlined in the chart below SSA’s total ISBA burden reduction through the Signature Proxy Initiative is 32,401 burden hours.

ISBA	2,817
SSA-1	11,807
SSA-2	5,542
SSA-16	12,235
Total ISBA Reduction	32,401

0960-0010 / SSA-4-BK

Approximately 1,740,000 respondents complete the SSA-4-BK annually. Of this total 95% are completed through the MCS and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy. The claims are broken down into 2 Life and Death claim categories which have different completion times. The breakdown is displayed on the following charts:

Life Claims

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	439,375	10.5 minutes	76,891
MCS/Signature Proxy	439,375	9.5 minutes	69,568
Paper	46,250	10.5 minutes	8,094
Totals:	925,000		154,553

Death Claims

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	387,125	15.5 minutes	100,007
MCS/Signature Proxy	387,125	14.5 minutes	93,555
Paper	40,750	15.5 minutes	10,527
Totals:	815,000		204,089

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 13,775 burden hour reduction in the SSA-4-BK collection activity.

0960-0003 / SSA-5-F6

Approximately 50,000 respondents complete the SSA-5-F6 annually. Of this total 95% (47,500) are completed through MCS and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy (5,542). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	23,750	15 minutes	5,938
MCS/Signature Proxy	23,750	14 minutes	5,542
Paper	2,500	15 minutes	625
Totals:	50,000		12,105

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 395 burden hour reduction in the SSA-5-F6 collection activity.

0960-0012 / SSA-7-F6

Approximately 1,400 respondents complete the SSA-7-F6 annually. Of this total 95% (1,330) are completed through MCS and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy (665). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	665	15 minutes	166
MCS/Signature Proxy	665	14 minutes	155
Paper	70	15 minutes	18
Totals:	1,400		339

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved an 11 burden hour reduction in the SSA-7-F6 collection activity.

0960-0013 / SSA-8-F4

Approximately 877,000 respondents complete the SSA-8-F4 annually. Of this total 95% (833,150) are completed through MCS and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy (416,575). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	416,575	10 minutes	69,429
MCS/Signature Proxy	416,575	9 minutes	62,486
Paper	43,850	10 minutes	7,308
Totals:	877,000		139,223

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 6,944 burden hour reduction in the SSA-8-F4 collection activity.

0960-0004 / SSA-10-BK

Approximately 288,580 respondents complete the SSA-10 annually. Of this total 95% (274,151) are completed through MCS and 50% of the MCS respondents will use Signature Proxy (137,076). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MCS	137,076	15 minutes	34,269
MCS/Signature Proxy	137,076	14 minutes	31,984
Paper	14,428	15 minutes	3,607
Totals:	288,580		69,860

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 2,285 burden hour reduction in the SSA-10 collection activity.

0960-0014 / SSA-11-BK

Approximately 1,500,000 respondents complete the SSA-11 annually. Of this total 1,000,000 are completed through the ⁴Representative Payee System (RPS) and 85% of the RPS respondents will use Signature Proxy (850,000). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
RPS	150,000	10.5 minutes	26,250
RPS/Signature Proxy	850,000	9.5 minutes	134,583
Paper	500,000	10.5 minutes	87,500
Totals:	51,500,000		248,333

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 14,167 burden hour reduction in the SSA-11 collection activity.

Title XVI Collections

0960-0229 / SSA-8000-BK

Approximately 1,128,374 respondents complete the SSA-8000 annually. Of this total 97% (1,094,523) are completed MISSICS and 25% of the MISSICS respondents will use Signature Proxy (273,631). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MISSICS	820,892	36 minutes	492,535
MISSICS/Signature Proxy	273,631	35 minutes	159,618
Paper	33,851	41 minutes	23,132
Totals:	1,128,374		675,285

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 4,561 burden hour reduction in the SSA-8000-BK collection activity.

0960-0444 / SSA-8001

SSA has accounted for the Signature Proxy initiative in the ICR which was approved by OMB on April 21, 2006.

0960-0416 / SSA-8203 -BK

Approximately 900,000 respondents complete the information collected by the SSA-8203 annually. Of this total 85% (765,000) are completed through MISSICS and 25% of the MISSICS respondents will use Signature Proxy (191,250). The breakdown is displayed on the following chart:

Collection Method	Number of Respondents	Estimated Completion time	Burden Hours
MISSICS	573,750	19 minutes	181,688
MISSICS/Signature Proxy	191,250	18 minutes	57,375
Paper	135,000	19 minutes	42,750
Totals:	900,000		281,813

As a result of the Signature Proxy initiative SSA has achieved a 3,187 burden hour reduction in the SSA-8203 collection activity.

Summary

Through the ICB Signature Proxy Initiative SSA has achieved a total FY 2006 reduction of 77,726 burden hours. (As Shown Below.)

SSA Collection	Net Burden Reduction
ISBA / 0960-0618	32,401
SSA-4-BK / 0960-0010	13,775
SSA-5-F6 / 0960-0003	395
SSA-7-F6 / 0960-0012	11
SSA-8-F4 / 0960-0013	6,944
SSA-10-BK / 0960-0004	2,285
SSA-11-BK / 0960-0014	14,167
SSA-8000-BK / 0960-0229	4,561
SSA-8203-BK / 0960-0416	3,187
Total Signature Proxy Burden Reduction	77,726

1 The figures cited for the SSA-11 are for both Title II and XVI.

2 Modernized Claims System (MCS) – SSA’s automated system for taking and processing title II Applications.

3 Modernized Supplemental Security Income Claims System (MISSICS) -- SSA’s automated system for taking and processing title XVI applications & redeterminations.

4 Representative Payee System (RPS) – SSA’s automated system for taking and processing Applications to be Selected a Payee for both Title II & XVI claimants.

5 Based on the latest management information of this form’s usage, SSA is also adjusting the total number of annual respondents to the SSA-11 from 2,121,686 to 1,500,000.

2 300501