[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 89 (Monday, May 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25043-25044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11534]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection: 
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 allow a proposed information collection: ``Medical 
Expenditure Panel Survey Medical Provider Component (MEPS-MPC) for 
1998, 1999 and 2000.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHCPR, invites the 
public to comment on this proposed information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 9, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Allison Eydt, Human 
Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, OMB: New Executive Office Building, Room 10235; Washington, DC 
20503.
    All comments will become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth A. Celtnieks, AHCPR Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 594-6659.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

Medical Panel Expenditure Survey Medical Provider Component (MEPS-MPC) 
for 1998, 1999 and 2000.

    The ``Medical Panel Expenditure Survey Medical Provider Component 
(MEPS-MPC) for 1998, 1999 and 2000.''

[[Page 25044]]

is a survey of hospitals, physicians and other medical providers. The 
purpose of this survey is to supplement and verify the information 
provided by household respondents in the household component of the 
MEPS (MEPS-HC) about the use of medical services. With the permission 
of members of the households surveyed in the MEPS-HC, we plan to 
contact their medical providers to determine the actual dates of 
service, the diagnoses, the services provided, the amount that was 
charged the amount that was paid and the source of payment. Thus, the 
MPC is derived from or is based upon the core survey, the MEPS-HC.
    The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC) 
to be conducted will provide annual, nationally representatives 
estimates of health care use, expenditures, and sources of payment and 
insurance coverage for the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized 
population. MEPS is cosponsored by the Agency for Health Care Policy 
and Research (AHCPR) and the National Center for Health Statistics 
(NCHS).
    MEPS data confidentially is protected under sections 308(d) and 
903(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m and 42 U.S.C. 
299a-1).
    Data from medial providers linked to household respondents in the 
MEPS Household component for calendar year 1998 will be collected 
beginning in 1999 and continuing into the year 2000, data for calendar 
year 1999 will be collected beginning in 2000 and continue into the 
year 2001. Data for calendar year 2000 will be collected beginning in 
2001 and continue into the year 2002.

Method of Collection

    The medical provider survey will be conducted predominantly by 
telephone, but may include self-administered mail surveys, if requested 
by the respondent.
    The estimated annual hour burden is as follows:

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                                                   Average  number      Average
         Type of provider             Number of     of  patients/      number of        Average  burden/event
                                     respondents      providers     events/patient
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Hospital.........................           3,500              2               3.2  5 min. (.083 hrs.)
Office-based doctor..............           8,500              1.3             3.5  5 min.
Separately billing doctor (e.g.,              800              1               1.3  5 min
 radiologists, anesthesiologists
 or those who bill hospital
 patients directly).
Home health......................             500              1.1             5.8  5 min.
Pharmacy.........................           6,000              1.8            10.3  3 min.
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    Estimated Annual Burden Total: 11,759 hours.

Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) The necessity of the proposed 
collection; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of 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 upon the 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques of 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection.
    Copies of these proposed collection plans and instruments can be 
obtained from the AHCPR Reports Clearance Office (see above).

    Dated: May 3, 1999.
John M. Eisenberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-11534 Filed 5-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M