[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 161 (Monday, August 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48548-48549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7068]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
    This proposed information collection was previously published in 
the Federal Register on June 2, 2006 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 September 20, 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, (301) 427-1477.

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 (MEPS-HC) and Medical 
Provider Component (MEPS-MPC). This clearance requests continuance of 
this annual survey through 2009. The MEPS is jointly sponsored by the 
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 dates of services, diagnosis and service 
codes, as well as charges and payments for services. Subject to AHRQ 
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. 242m).

[[Page 48549]]

Methods of Collection

    AHRQ introduces the study to respondents of the Household Component 
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 Medical Provider Component is completed predominately by 
telephone and mail. A substantial portion of the pharmacy providers 
elect to submit their responses electronically.

                                 MEPS-HC Annual Data Collection Estimated Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of       House per       Burden in
              Activity                           Unit                responses       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 diabetes..             800             0.1              80
    05 panel interview.............  Households.................           7,400             1.5          11,100
    05 panel DCS...................  Persons 18+ with diabetes..             750             0.1              75
    Re-interview...................  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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                    MEPS-MPC Annual Data Collection Estimated Burden--Pair Level Calculation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Number of                                    Response time/
              Type                   patient/       Events per     Total events        event         Burden in
                                  provider pairs       pair                          (minutes)         hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............          18,485
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                  MEPS Summary Data Collection Burden 2007-2009
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Unit type                          2007            2008            2009            Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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: (a) 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: August 14, 2006.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 06-7068 Filed 8-17-06; 9:08 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M