[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50437-50438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24744]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Health Care Research and Quality


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to allow the proposed information 
collection project; ``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Medical 
Provider Component (MEPS-MPC) for 2001 and 2002''. In accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act as amended (see in particular 44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed 
information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 3, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Cynthia D. 
McMichael, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 2101 East Jefferson Street, 
Suite 500, Rockville, MD 20852-4908.
    Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection 
instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be 
obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 594-3132.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

    ``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Medical Provider Component 
(MEPS-MPC) for 2001 and 2002.''
    The MEPS-MPC is a survey of hospitals, physicians and other medical 
providers. The purpose of this survey is

[[Page 50438]]

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 in the United States based on a nationally 
representative sample.
    With the permission of members of the households surveyed in the 
MEPS-HC, AHRQ contractor will contact the medical providers of the HC 
Survey respondents 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, (MEPS-HC) and will 
improve the quality of the core survey data.
    The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC) 
to be conducted in 2001 through 2003, will provide annual, nationally 
representative estimates of health care use, expenditures, sources of 
payment and insurance coverage, for the U.S. civilian non-
institutionalized population for 2001 and 2002 respectively. MEPS is 
co-sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) 
and the National Center For Health Statistics (NCHS). Data from medical 
providers linked to household respondents in the MEPS Household 
component for calendar year 2001, will be collected beginning in 2002 
and continuing into the year 2003, data for calendar year 2002 will be 
collected beginning in 2003 and continue into the year 2004.

Data Confidentiality Provisions

    MEPS data confidentiality is protected under the AHRQ and NCHS 
confidentiality statutes, sections 308(d) as well as the section 924(c) 
of the Public Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m(d) and 42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c) 
respectively).

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 MPC for Calendar year 2001 estimated annual hour burden is as 
follows:

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                                                                                          Average
                                                    No. of    Average No.  Average No.    burden/    Total hours
                Type of provider                 respondents  of patients/  of events/   event  (in   of burden
                                                               providers     patient      minutes)
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Hospital.......................................        5,000         2.15          3.2      5 (.083        2,867
                                                                                              hrs.)
Office-based Doctor............................       23,000         1.15          3.5            5        7,715
Separately Billing Doctor......................       11,200         1.22          1.3            5        1,480
Home Health....................................          500          1.0          5.8            5          242
Pharmacy.......................................        9,000         1.75         10.3            3        8,111
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  Estimated Annual Burden Total................  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........       20,415
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                                           MPC for Calendar Year 2002
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                                                                                          Average
                                                    No. of    Average No.  Average No.    burden/    Total hours
                Type of provider                 respondents  of patients/  of events/   event  (in   of burden
                                                               providers     patient      minutes)
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Hospital.......................................        5,000         2.60          3.2      5 (.083        3,467
                                                                                              hrs.)
Office-based Doctor............................       18,000         1.15          3.5            5        6,038
Separately Billing Doctor......................       13,360         1.22          1.3            5        1,766
Home Health....................................          600         1.00          5.8            5          290
Pharmacy.......................................       10,700         1.75         10.3            3        9,643
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  Estimated Annual Burden Total................  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........       21,204
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Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) The necessity of the proposed 
collections; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of burden 
(including hours and cost) 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 or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for OMB approval of the proposed 
information collection. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.
    Copies of these proposed collection plans and instruments can be 
obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer (see above).

    Dated: September 27, 2001.
John M. Eisenberg,
Director.
[FR Doc. 01-24744 Filed 10-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M