[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 106 (Friday, June 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32092-32093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5056]


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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, Department of 
Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection.

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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 ``Continuance of the Medical Expenditure Panel 
Survey--Household and Medical Provider Component through 2009''. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 
(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this 
proposed collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 1, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 
AHRQ, Reports Clearance Officer, 540 Gaither Road, Suite 5036, 
Rockville, MD 20850. Copies of the proposed collection plans, data 
collection instruments and specific details of the estimated burden can 
be obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ, Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

``Continuance of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Household and 
Medical Provider Component through 2009''

    AHRQ has conducted an annual panel survey of U.S. households and 
their associated medical providers since 1996, through the Medical 
Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS)--Household Component (MEPS-HC) and 
Medical Provider Component (MEPS-MPC). This clearance requests 
continuance of this annual survey through 2009. The MEPS is jointly 
sponsored by AHRQ and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). 
The MEPS is conducted using a sample of households that responded to a 
prior year's National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) which is sponsored 
by the NCHS. The NHIS surveys approximately 40,000 households (110,000 
persons) each year.
    The NHIS is used as a sampling frame for the MEPS and other surveys 
to increase efficiency of data collection efforts within the Department 
of Health and Human Services.
    Data to be collected from each household is completed through the 
MEPS-HC and includes detailed information on demographics, health 
conditions, health status, use of health care services, charges and 
payments for medical care, medications, and employment and health 
insurance. Data to be collected from medical providers including 
hospitals, physicians, and pharmacies is completed through the MEPS-MPC 
which supplements and verifies information provided by the households. 
With the written permission of household members of the MEPS-HC, the 
MEPS-MPC collects actual stages of services, diagnosis and service 
codes, as well as charges and payments for services. Subject to AHRQ 
and NCHS confidentiality statutes, data will be made available through 
Agency publications, journals, public use files and web-based 
statistical tools. the data are intended for multiple purposes 
including:
     Generating national estimates of individual and family 
health care use and expenditures, private and public health insurance 
coverage, and the availability, cost and scope of private health 
benefits among Americans.
     Examining the quality of care for Americans, especially 
those with chronic conditions.
     Examining access to and costs of health care for common 
diseases and conditions, health care quality, prescribed medications 
and other health issues.
    Statisticians and researchers will use these data to make important 
generalizations about the civilian non-institutionalized population of 
the United States and to conduct research in which the family is the 
unit of analysis.

Data Confidentiality

    The confidentiality of MEPS data is protected under the NCHS and 
AHRQ confidentiality statutes, found in sections 934(c) and 308(d) of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c) and 42 U.S.C. 
424m(d)).

Methods of Collection

    AHRQ introduces the study to respondents of the MEPS-HC through an 
advance mailing. This first contact will provide the respondent with 
information on the importance and uses of the data. Once consent for 
participation is established, AHRQ, through its contractors will 
conduct five, in person, interviews over a 30 month time period with 
each participating household to obtain information to support two years 
of national estimates. Computer-assisted personal interviewing will be 
used. In uncommon instances, the identical interview may be 
administered over the phone. Respondents may also be asked to complete 
one or more short, self-administered questionnaires over the course of 
the study.
    The MEPS-MPC is predominantly completed by telephone and mail. 
However, a substantial portion of the pharmacy providers elect to 
submit their responses electronically.

                                MEPS.-HC Annual Data Collection Estimated Burden
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                                                                     Number of       Hours per       Burden in
               Activity                           Unit               responses       response          hours
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Jan-July:
    07 panel interview................  Households..............           7,900             2.0          15,800
    06 panel interview................  Households..............           7,650             1.5          11,475
    06 panel DCS......................  Persons 18+ with                     800             0.1              80
                                         diabetes.

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    05 panel interview................  Households..............           7,400             1.5          11,100
    05 panel DCS......................  Persons 18+ with                     750             0.1              75
                                         diabetes.
Reinterview...........................  Responses...............           2,065             0.1             207
Aug-Dec:
    07 panel interview................  Households..............           7,700             1.5          11,550
    07 panel SAQ......................  Persons 18+.............     6,950 x 1.8             0.2           2,502
    06 panel interview................  Households..............           7,550             1.5          11,325
    06 panel SAQ......................  Persons 18+.............     6,800 x 1.8             0.2           2,448
    Reinterview.......................  Responses...............           1,373             0.1             138
                                                                                                 ---------------
    Total.............................  ........................  ..............  ..............          66,700
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                   MEPS.--MPC Annual Data Collection Estimated Burden--Pair Level Calculation
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                                     Number of                                    Response time/
              Type                   patient/       Events per     Total events        event         Burden in
                                  provider pairs       pair                          (minutes)         hours
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Hospitals.......................          10,500             3.2          33,600               5            2800
HMO.............................             450             5.0            2250               5             187
SBD.............................          15,500             1.4          21,700               3            1085
Home health.....................             440             5.8            2552               5             212
OBDS............................          23,210             3.5          81,235               5            6770
Pharmacy........................          14,410            10.3         148,423               3            7421
Institutions....................             100             1.2             120               5              10
                                                                                                 ---------------
    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............          18,485
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                                 MEPS.--Summary Data Collection Burden 2007-2009
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                                                       2007            2008            2009            Total
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Unit Type:
Households......................................          66,700          66,700          66,700         200,100
    Medical Provider............................          18,485          18,485          18,485          55,455
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................          85,185          85,185          85,185         255,555
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Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above cited legislation, comments on AHRQ's 
information collection are requested with regard to any of the 
following: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of functions of AHRQ, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy 
of AHRQ'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 
records.

    Dated: May 25, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 06-5056 Filed 6-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M