[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 159 (Thursday, August 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42425-42426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20819]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection 
Reinstatement; Comment Request

AGENCY: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the Agency for Health Care Policy and 
Research's (AHCPR) intention to request the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) to reinstate an expired information collection project. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 
(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the AHCPR invites the public to comment on 
this proposed reinstatement of an information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Carole Dillard, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHCPR, 2101 East Jefferson Street, Suite 
502, Rockville, MD 20852-4908.
    All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments 
submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in 
the request for OMB approval of the proposed information collection 
reinstatement.
    In accordance with the above cited legislation, comments on the 
reinstatement of AHCPR information collection proposal are requested 
with regard to any of the following: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
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; 
and (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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carole Dillard, AHCPR's Reports Clearance Officer, (301) 594-1357, 
extension 1324.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

    Pretest for 1997 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Insurance 
Component (MEPS-IC). AHCPR intends to conduct a survey of 
establishments in 1997 to collect information from employers concerning 
employer-sponsored health insurance. This survey will be an integration 
of two previous surveys, now components of MEPS-IC. The two surveys, 
which collected similar information, are: 1.) the 1987 Health Insurance 
Plans Survey (HIPS) sponsored by AHCPR, and 2.) the National Employer 
Health Insurance Survey (NEHIS) sponsored by AHCPR, NCHS (National 
Center for Health Statistics), HCFA (Health Care Financing 
Administration). Due to the integration of HIPS and NEHIS survey 
operations into MEPS-IC, updating of

[[Page 42426]]

the questionnaire, and proposed changes in collection methodology, 
AHCPR proposes to test this updated survey collection activity. A 
sample of potential respondents will be selected and data collection 
will be attempted. Based upon the results of this test collection 
effort, AHCPR will develop and refine the survey process of the 1997 
MEPS-IC.

Burden Estimates Follow

Number of Respondents...............................................350
Number of Surveys per Respondent......................................1
Average Burden/Response..............................................75
Estimated Total Burden..............................................263

    Copies of these proposed information collection plans and 
instruments can be obtained from AHCPR Reports Clearance Officer (see 
above for details).

    Dated: August 8, 1996.
Clifton R. Gaus,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-20819 Filed 8-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M