[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39483-39484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14734]


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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 (ARHQ) to request the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to allow the proposed information 
collection project: 2004-2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--
Insurance Component (MEPS-IC). In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the pubic 
to comment on this proposed information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 30, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Cynthia McMichael, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room 5202, 
Rockville, MD 20850.
    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 McMichael, AHRQ Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1651.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

2004-2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Insurance Component (MEPS-
IC).

    The MEPS-IC, an annual survey of the characteristics of employer-
sponsored health insurance, was first conducted by AHRQ in 1997 for the 
calendar year 1996. The survey has since been conducted annually for 
calendar years 1997 through 2003. AHRQ proposes to continue this annual 
survey of establishments for calendar years 2004 through 2006. The 
survey data for calendar year 2004 will be collected in 2005. Likewise, 
calendar year 2005 will be collected in 2006 and calendar year 2006 
data in 2007. The survey will collect information from both public and 
private employers.
    This survey will be conducted for AHRQ by the Bureau of the Census 
using a sample comprised of:
    1. An annual sample of employers selected from Census Bureau lists 
of private sector employers and governments (known as the List Sample), 
and
    2. An every fourth year sample of employers identified by 
respondents to the MEPS-Household Component (MEPS-HC) for the same 
calendar year (known as the Household Sample). The MEPS-HC is an annual 
household survey designed to collect information concerning health care 
expenditures and related data for individuals. This sample is next 
scheduled to be collected for the 2006 survey year.
    Data to be collected from each employer will include a description 
of the business (e.g., size, industry) and descriptions of health 
insurance plans available, plan enrollments, total plan costs and costs 
to employees.

Data Confidentiality Provisions

    MEPS-IC List Sample data confidentiality is protected under the 
U.S. Census Bureau confidentiality statute, Section 9 of Title 13, 
United States Code. MEPS-IC Household Sample data confidentiality is 
protected under sections 308(d) and 924(c) of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 242m and 42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c)).
    Section 308(d), the confidentiality statute of the National Center 
for Health Statistics, is applicable because the MEPS-HC sample is 
derived from respondents of an earlier NCHS survey. Section 924(c), the 
confidentiality statute of AHRQ, applies to all data collected for 
research that is supported by AHRQ. All data products listed below must 
fully comply with the data confidentiality statute under which the raw 
data was collected as well as any additional confidentiality provisions 
that apply.

Data Products

    Data will be produced in three forms: (1) Files derived from the 
Household Sample, which can be linked back to other information from 
household respondents in the MEPS-HC, will be available to researchers 
at the AHRQ Research Data Center; (2) files containing employer 
information from the List Sample will be available for use by 
researchers at the Census Bureau's Research Data Centers; and (3) a 
large compendium of tables of estimates, also based on List Sample 
data, will be produced and made available on the AHRQ website. These 
tables will contain descriptive, but non-identifiable statistics, such 
as, numbers of establishments offering health insurance, average 
premiums, average contributions, total enrollments, numbers of self 
insured establishments and other related statistics for a large number 
of population subsets defined by firm size, state, industry and 
establishment characteristics, such as, age, profit/nonprofit status 
and union/non-union.
    The data are intended to be used for purposes such as:
     Generating national and State estimates of employer health 
insurance offerings;
     Producing estimates to support the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in their 
production of health care expenditure estimates for the National Health 
Accounts and the Gross Domestic Product;
     Producing national and State estimates of spending on 
employer-sponsored health insurance to study the

[[Page 39484]]

results of national and State health care policies;
     Supply data for modeling the demand for health insurance; 
and
     Providing data on health plan choices, costs, and benefits 
that can be linked back to households' use of health care resources in 
the MEPS-HC for studies of the consumer health insurance selection 
process.
    These data provide the basis for researchers to address important 
questions for employers and policymakers alike.

Method of Collection

    The data will be collected using a combination of modes. The Census 
Bureau's first contact with employers will be made by telephone. This 
contact will provide information on the availability of health 
insurance from that employer and essential persons to contact. Based 
upon this information, Census will mail a questionnaire to the 
employer.
    In order to assure high response rates, Census will follow-up with 
a second mailing after an interval of approximately 30 working days, 
followed by a telephone call to collect data from those who have not 
responded by mail.
    As part of this process, for larger respondents with high burdens, 
such as State employers and very large firms, we will, if needed, 
perform personal visits and do customized collection, such as, 
acceptance of data in computerized formats and use of special forms.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

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                                                                  Estimated time     Estimated       Estimated
                  Survey years                     Annual number  per respondent   total annual   annual cost to
                                                  of respondents     in hours      burden hours   the government
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2004............................................          34,507              .6          19,708      $8,800,000
2005............................................          34,507              .6          19,708       9,138,000
2006............................................          39,791              .6          23,550      10,660,000
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Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above cited Paperwork Reduction Act 
legislation, comments on AHRQ's information collection 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 AHRQ, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the AHRQ's estimate of the 
burden (including hours and costs) 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 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.

    Dated: June 23, 2004.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 04-14734 Filed 6-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M