[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 124 (Thursday, June 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35487-35488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3160]


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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: 2008-2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--
Insurance Component (MEPS-IC). In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (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 August 27, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: William Carroll, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room 5048, 
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: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

2008 and 2009 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 2006. AHRQ proposes to continue this annual 
survey of establishments for calendar years 2008 and 2009. The survey 
data

[[Page 35488]]

for calendar year 2008 will be collected in that year. Likewise, 
calendar year 2009 data will be collected in 2009. This is change from 
earlier MEPS-IC collections, when survey data for a calendar year were 
collected in the following year (i.e., 2005 survey data were collected 
in 2006). This changeover means that there will be no data collected 
for the year 2007. However, the data for 2008 and 2009 will now be 
released a year earlier than would have occurred under the former 
collection scheme.
    This survey will be conducted for AHRQ by the Bureau of the Census 
using a sample comprised of an annual sample of employers selected from 
Census Bureau lists of private sector employers and governments.
    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

    All MEPS-IC data collected, both identifiable and non-identifiable, 
will be stored at the Census Bureau. Their confidentiality is protected 
under the U.S. Census Bureau confidentiality statute, Section 9 of 
Title 13, United States Code. In addition, because the Census sample 
lists are developed using Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax 
Information, the data also fall under the review of the IRS which 
conducts regular audits of the data collection storage and use (Title 
26, United States Code).
    The confidentiality provisions of the AHRQ statute at 42 U.S.C. 
299c-3(c) apply 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 their raw data was collected as 
well as any additional confidentiality provisions that apply.

Data Products

    Data will be produced in two forms: (1) Files containing employer 
information will be available for use by researchers at the Census 
Bureau's Research Data Centers (all research output is reviewed by 
Census employees and no identifiable data may leave the Center) and (2) 
a large compendium of tables of estimates, produced by Census and 
containing no identifiable data, will be made available on the AHRQ Web 
site. These tables will contain descriptive 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 other 
establishment characteristics such as, age, profit/nonprofit status and 
union/nonunion status of the workforce.
    The data are intended to be used for purposes such as:
     Generating National and State estimates of employer health 
care 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 results of National 
and State health care policies; and
     Supply data for modeling the demand for health insurance.
    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.
    For larger respondents with high burdens, such as State employers 
and very large firms, Census may follow special procedures, as needed. 
These include performing personal visits and doing customized 
collection, such as accepting data in computerized formats and using 
special forms. The response rate for the most recent survey was 
approximately 79%.

                                       Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
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                                                                  Estimated time                     Estimated
                                                  Annual  number        per          Estimated    annual cost to
                  Survey years                          of         respondent in   total annual         the
                                                    respondents        hours       burden hours     government
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2008............................................          33,262             .57          19,032      $9,650,000
2009............................................          33,262             .57          19,032       9,950,000
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Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above cited legislation, comments on the 
AHRQ information collection proposal 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 Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of the Agency'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 21, 2007.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 07-3160 Filed 6-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M