SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
Assistance Reporting Tool
OMB Control Number 0720-0060
Summary of Changes from Previously Approved Collection
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1. Need for the Information Collection
The information collection requirement is necessary to:
Provide pre-authorization for civilian medical care for remotely located Active Duty and Reserve Component service members
Authorize payment of civilian medical claims for remotely located Active Duty and Reserve Component service members
Coordinate civilian health care services for remotely located service members
Collaborate with unit representatives regarding line of duty (LOD) care for remotely located service members
Provides authorization for active duty service members accepted for VA medical care under the DOD/VA MOA for diagnosis for SCI, TBI or blindness
Review claims for Fitness for Duty determinations
Assist beneficiaries and others with TRICARE-related inquiries
Research healthcare-related concerns
Assist TRICARE Prime Remote Enrolled Service members deferred to military hospitals or clinics for specialty referrals upon request
Assist beneficiaries who have a negative credit report or debt collection action taken against him or her related to a TRICARE claim
Assist beneficiaries with questions or issues at a military hospital or clinic.
The following authorize this collection of information:
38 U.S.C. 1781: Medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veteransI
Defense Health Agency-Procedural Instruction Number 6015.02, “Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinator (BCAC) and Debt Collection Assistance Officer (DCAO),” April 12, 2021
Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) Memorandum, “Debt Collection Assistance Officer Program to Assist Service Members with TRICARE Claims Collection Problems,” June 27, 20001
TRICARE Operations Manual 6010.62-M, April 2021, Chapter 16
TRICARE Operations Manual 6010.62-M, April 2021, Chapter 17
DODI 6000.14 DoD Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities in the Military Health System (MHS)
DHA-PI 6025.10 Standard Processes, Guidelines, and Responsibilities of the DoD Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities in the Military Health System (MHS) Military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs)
DHA-AI 6025.33 Patient Advocacy Program (Pending Publication)
2. Use of the Information
The Assistance Reporting Tool (ART) is a web-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. ART is not open to public access. Rather, access is limited only to personnel with current and appropriate affiliation with the DoD Military Health System (MHS). Users of the system are comprised of individuals who serve in a customer service role within the MHS (e.g., Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinators, Debt Collection Assistance Officers, Patient Advocates). All users must have a CAC and must have completed ART and operations security (OPSEC) training before they are granted access to the system.
Respondents are made up of MHS beneficiaries (including Service Members), providers, and other individuals who may have questions or issues relating to TRICARE or care at a military hospital or clinic.
The respondent, not the ART user, initiates contact. Contact may be via phone, in person, email, correspondence, social media, or web application. Information is collected when a respondent contacts a member of the MHS customer service community (CSC) for assistance with a TRICARE question/issue or question/issue about care at a military hospital or clinic. Depending on the question/issue, the ART user will ask the respondent for information needed to research and answer/solve the respondent’s question/issue. This information may not already be in ART and the customer service representative will enter the information into ART. Examples of information collected include name, DoD Benefits Number, date of service for claim, provider name, and prescription name. Providing the information to the ART user is voluntary. If the respondent refuses to provide information, the ART user may only be able to provide general information. For example, if a respondent would like to check on the status of a claim but refuses to provide demographic information and the date of service, then the ART user may only provide general information on claims processing timelines. Any information the respondent provides is entered into ART and is used to answer/resolve the respondent’s question/issue. Once the question/issue has been answered/resolved, the ART user closes the case.
Respondents do not have access to ART. Since ART is a system and not a form or survey, the respondents cannot complete or return information via ART. There are no other invitations or other communications sent to the respondents associated with the information collection.
3. Use of Information Technology
100% of responses are collected electronically. An ART user enters responses directly into ART. The collection of information does not involve the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
4. Non-duplication
The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Less Frequent Collection
Collections are driven by the needs of the respondents. If collection were conducted less frequently, beneficiary satisfaction would be impacted because the beneficiary’s question/issue would not be answered/resolved.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
A 60-Day Federal Register Notice (FRN) for the collection published on Friday, January 10, 2025. The 60-Day FRN citation is 90 FRN 1988.
No comments were received during the 60-Day Comment Period.
A 30-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Monday, July 21, 2025. The 30-Day FRN citation is 90 FRN 34259.
Part B: CONSULTATION
No additional consultation apart from soliciting public comments through the Federal Register was conducted for this submission.
9. Gifts or Payment
No payments or gifts are being offered to respondents as an incentive to participate in the collection.
10. Confidentiality
A Privacy Act Statement (PAS) is required for this collection. It is provided in ART and can be accessed via a link. ART users are required to read the PAS to the respondent if the collection occurs via telephone. If the collection is in person, the ART user may read the PAS or provide a printed copy to the respondent.
ART is currently under the EDTMA 04 SORN, which can be viewed here:
https://pclt.defense.gov/DIRECTORATES/Privacy-and-Civil-Liberties-Directorate/Privacy/SORNsIndex/Article/4011222/edtma-04/
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) “Assistance Reporting Tool” is currently published. It can be viewed here:
https://www.health.mil/Reference-Center/Forms/2023/12/21/Assistance-Reporting-Tool-ART-2024
As applicable, Federal records will be maintained in accordance with the following records disposition schedule:
FILE NUMBER: 102-21
FILE TITLE: Public Customer Service Operations Records
FILE DESCRIPTION: Records from operating a customer call center or service center providing services to the public. Services may address a wide variety of topics such as understanding agency mission-specific functions or how to resolve technical difficulties with external-facing systems or programs. Includes:
• Incoming requests and responses
• Trouble tickets and tracking logs
• Recordings of call center phone conversations with customers used for quality control and customer service training
• System data, including customer ticket numbers and visit tracking
• Evaluations and feedback about customer services
• Information about customer services, such as “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs) and user guides
• Reports generated from customer management data
• Complaints and commendation records; customer feedback and satisfaction surveys, including survey instruments, data, background materials, and reports.
DISPOSITION: Temporary. Cut off after resolved or when no longer needed for business use, whichever is appropriate. Destroy 1 year after cutoff.
AUTHORITY: GRS 6.5, item 010 (DAA-GRS-2017-0002-0001)
PRIVACY ACT: Not applicable
11. Sensitive Questions
ART collects information of a sensitive nature. The types of personal information about individuals collected in the system include:
Social Security Number (SSN)
Truncated SSN
DOD Benefits Number
DOD ID Number
Date of Birth
Address
Phone Number
Health Information (ICD-10, CPT/HCPCS)
Financial Information (related to medical claims)
Anecdotal Notes (reflecting TRICARE-related inquiries/concerns, and authorization and claims related information.
The information collection is only required to verify eligibility for DoD benefits, process medical authorizations, issue line of duty determinations, and answer TRICARE-related benefit questions. All personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) collected is voluntarily given by the respondent. At any time during the case resolution process, individuals may object to the collection of PII/PHI via verbal or written notice. Individuals will be informed that, without PII/PHI, the authorized ART user may not be able to assist in case resolution, and that answers to questions/concerns would be generalities regarding the topic at hand.
An SSN Justification Memorandum has been included as a part of this submission package.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Assistance Reporting Tool (ART)
Number of Respondents: 157,073
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 157,073
Response Time: 15 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 39,268 hours
Total Submission Burden (Summation or average based on collection)
Total Number of Respondents: 157,073
Total Number of Annual Responses: 157,073
Total Respondent Burden Hours: 39,268 hours
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Assistance Reporting Tool (ART)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 157,073
Response Time: 15 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $32.66
Labor Burden per Response: $8.17
Total Labor Burden: $1,282,501
Overall Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: 157,073
Total Labor Burden: $1,282,501
The Respondent hourly wage determined by using the 2024 All Occupations Mean Hourly Wage on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/industry/000000.
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Assistance Reporting Tool (ART)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 157,073
Processing Time per Response: 15 minutes
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $21.82
Cost to Process Each Response: $5.46
Total Cost to Process Responses: $856,833
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 157,073
Total Labor Burden: $856,833
The Hourly Wage of Worker(s) was determined by using the 2024 Customer Service Representatives Mean Hourly Wage on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/industry/000000
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $0
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $9,278.32
Other:
Other G&A (Hosting): $52,562
Other G&A (Cyber): $123,190.25
Operating Site Personnel (Annual Operations): $620,181.92
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $805,212.49
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $856,833
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $805,213
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $1,662,046
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
This is being submitted as a reinstatement with change to a previously approved collection. Therefore, this request registers as an increase in burden. However, the estimated burden has actually decreased since the previous approval. This is based on an observed decrease in the amount of annual responses.
16. Publication of Results
The results of this information collection will not be published.
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2025-08-08 |