[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 241 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64836-64837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30851]



[[Page 64836]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare 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.
    The proposed information collection was previously published in the 
Federal Register on October 3, 2001 and allowed 60 Days for public 
comment. No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice 
is to allow an additional 30 Days for public comment.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 14, 2002.

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.
    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.

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 purposes 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 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 contract 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 NCHS and AHRQ 
confidentiality statutes, sections 308(d) and 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:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Average      Average      Average
                                                 Number of     number of    number of     burden/    Total hours
               Type of provider                 respondents    patients/     events/     event (in    of burden
                                                               providers     patient      minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hospital......................................        5,000          2.15          3.2      5 (.083        2,867
                                                                                              hrs.)
Office-based Director.........................       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
                                                                                                    ------------
Estimated Annual Burden Total.................  ...........  ............  ...........  ...........       20,415
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MPC for Calendar Year 2002

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Average      Average      Average
                                                  Number of    number of    number of     burden/    Total hours
                Type of provider                 respondents   patients/     events/     event  (in   of burden
                                                               providers     patient      minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hospital.......................................        5,000         2.60          3.2      5 (.083        3,467
                                                                                              hrs.)
Office-based Doctor............................       24,000         1.15          3.5            5        8,050
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
                                                                                                    ------------
Estimated Annual Burden Total..................  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........       23,216
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[[Page 64837]]

Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above cited Paperwork Reduction Act 
legislation, comments on this AHRQ information collection proposals are 
requested with regard to any of the following: (a) Whether the proposed 
collections of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (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 the proposed collection plans, data collection 
instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be 
obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer (see above).

    Dated: December 7, 2001.
John M. Eisenberg,
Director.
[FR Doc. 01-30851 Filed 12-13-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M