i1020 (0960-0696) - Justfication for Non-Substantive Changes

SSA-1020/i1020 (APPLICATION FOR EXTRA HELP WITH MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN COSTS)

OMB No. 0960-0696

Justification for Non-Substantive Change

Background

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is planning to implement a Spanish-language version of the i1020 (the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs). As part of the Spanish i1020 release, we are also revising and updating the introductory and welcome screens in our English-language i1020 application. Below we describe and justify SSA’s planned non-substantive changes to this collection.

Justification for the non-substantive changes:

Our goal in implementing the Spanish-language i1020 is to enable Spanish-speaking applicants and others who wish to file an Extra Help application in Spanish to do so electronically. This initiative also supports Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency.” E.O. 13166 requires Federal agencies to improve access to their programs and activities for individuals with limited English proficiency.

We are making changes to multiple screens within the English i1020 to accomplish the following:

• Align with new SSA Internet templates;

• Upgrade to new architecture platform known as User Experience Framework (UEF);

• Incorporate results of usability and accessibility testing; and,

• Increase clarity and readability.

Summary of Changes

Change 1: Header and Banner Change

• The SSA emblem and title will now display at the top of every page.

• The Extra Help With Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs banner changed from a red and blue color scheme to a gray and blue color scheme.

• Justification: Align with new SSA Internet templates.

Change 2: Page Navigation

• We have replaced ‘Next’ and ‘Previous’ buttons with ‘Previous’ and ‘Continue’ buttons.

• We also moved buttons from the right-hand margin to the left-hand margin.

• The primary action, which is ‘Next’ in most cases, we present first with the secondary action, ‘Previous’ following next to it.

• We changed the “Sign Out (Finish this Later)” button to ‘Save & Exit’ and placed it at the bottom of the screen.

• Justification: Incorporates results of usability and accessibility testing.

Change 3: Progress Bar

• The Progress Bar now contains numbered indicators, as opposed to plain unnumbered bullets.

• Justification: Aligns with new SSA Internet templates.

Change 4: Support Panel

• Each data collection screen within the application now contains a Support Panel along the right-hand side. This Support Panel will include the #800 information as well as the agency’s hours of operation.

• The ‘Need Help?’ link is now contained within this Support Panel.

• Justification: Application upgrade to new architecture platform, UEF.

Change 5: Text Size and Accessibility Help

• The user option to increase the text size is now available in the upper right-hand corner of each screen.

• An ‘Accessibility Help’ link is also now available in the upper right-hand corner of each screen.

• Justification: Incorporates results of usability and accessibility testing.

Change 6: Progressive Disclosure

A new feature of the application condenses the application when a respondent answers a question regarding income or wages with ‘No.’ For instance, if the user answers the question “Do you expect to earn wages this calendar year?” as ‘No,’ the user will not see the text and data collection field related to the amount of their expected wages.

• Justification: Application upgrade to new architecture platform, UEF.

Change 7: Question and Answer Layout

We positioned the radio button options and associated text fields below the question. Previously, these fields were located to the right of the question.

• Justification: Application upgrade to new architecture platform, UEF.

• Justification: Incorporates results of usability and accessibility testing.

Change 8: Telephone Number Fields

Telephone number fields are now one input field as opposed to three smaller input fields.

• Justification: Application upgrade to new architecture platform, UEF.

Change 9: Address Line Fields

We renamed all Address Line fields to ‘Street Line’ fields, and reduced the number of available address fields from three to two, with the option to expand the number of fields to four if necessary. We removed the ‘Apt No.’

• Justification: Application upgrade to new architecture platform, UEF.

Change 10: Name Fields

All Name Fields now have the ‘First,’ ‘M.I.,’ ‘Last,’ and, ‘Suffix’ field identifiers below the actual field. These indicators were previously under the field title (i.e. Spouse’s Name, Primary Applicant’s Name, etc)

• Justification: Upgrade to new architecture platform, UEF.

Change 11: Social Security Number (SSN) Fields

SSN fields did not previously accept dashes or hyphens. We removed the reminder ‘(Do NOT include dashes or hyphens.)’ since the field now accepts these values.

• Justification: Upgrade to a new architecture platform, UEF.

Change 12: Help Screens

All Help screens now begin with ‘Help:’ and the appropriate topic follows the colon. Also, each Help screen now contains a ‘Close’ box as opposed to the text ‘Close this window to return to the application.’

• Justification: Aligns with new SSA Internet templates.

Change 13: Message Screens

On each Message screen containing a ‘Close’ box, we replaced the text ‘Close this window to return to the application.’ with ‘Close.’

• Justification: Aligns with current SSA internet templates.

Change 14: Welcome Screens

We deleted the paragraph: “If your state pays your Medicare premiums because you belong to a Medicare Savings Program, you should contact your state Medicaid office for more information. You could get the extra help automatically and may not need to complete this application.”

• Justification: Removed to improve clarity and readability.

0960-0696 (i1020) change request

3