[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7268-7269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3071]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Document Identifier: OS-0990-New]


Agency Information Collection Request; 60-Day Public Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), 
Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following 
summary of a proposed information collection request for public 
comment. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this 
burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, 
including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility 
of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of 
the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology to minimize the information 
collection burden.
    To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms 
for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, e-mail your 
request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and OS 
document identifier, to [email protected], or call the 
Reports Clearance Office on (202) 690-6162. Written comments and 
recommendations for the proposed information collections must be 
directed to the OS Paperwork Clearance Officer at the above e-mail 
address within 60-days.
    Proposed Project: Evaluation of Medicare Personal Health Records 
Choice Pilot--OMB No. 0990-NEW--Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Planning and Evaluation.
    Abstract: Since 2003, HHS has worked toward the goal of 
establishing electronic, longitudinal health records for Americans that 
can be accessed safely, across the Internet, and anytime and anywhere 
by patients, doctors, and other health care providers. In addition to 
electronic health records (EHRs), where health information is created, 
stored and accessed mainly by health care organizations and 
practitioners, personal health records (PHRs), electronic, patient-
centered applications and services, are gaining increasing recognition 
and momentum. Current PHR business models represent broad and varied 
uses, from disease management to health promotion, with sponsors 
consisting of commercial vendors, heath plans, employers, and health 
care providers. We know very little about why consumers, and 
specifically Medicare beneficiaries, elect to use PHRs and what 
functionality they want from a PHR. Understanding these needs will be 
critical if HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 
are to pursue PHRs as a tool to empower consumers to manage their 
health and have the capability to link to their provider's EHR.
    In January 2009, CMS launched a new program in Arizona and Utah, 
the Medicare PHR Choice Pilot (PHRC). This pilot encourages Medicare 
fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries to take advantage of the newer, 
more robust Internet-based tools for tracking their health and health 
care services. This is the first pilot to offer a choice of PHRs to 
Medicare FFS beneficiaries, including PHRs with additional 
functionality and direct data linkages for the consumers. Pilot 
participants can choose among GoogleHealth\TM\, NoMoreClipboard\TM\, 
PassportMD\TM\, and HealthTrio\TM\, competitors in the open PHR market.
    HHS' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation 
(ASPE) has contracted with Mathematica Policy Research to conduct an 
evaluation of this pilot program, including a PHR enrollee user 
satisfaction survey to assess barriers, facilitators, and satisfaction 
with the PHRs. A self-administered paper-and-pencil instrument will be 
the primary data collection mode for the PHRC user satisfaction survey, 
with telephone followup for mail nonrespondents. The one-time data 
collection field period is expected to be 12 weeks in Fall 2010.

[[Page 7269]]



                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of    Average burden
     Forms (if necessary)            Type of         Number of     responses per     hours per     Total burden
                                   respondent       respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Self-administered               Medicare                     500               1           25/60             208
 questionnaire.                  beneficiaries.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................                               500  ..............  ..............             208
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Seleda Perryman,
Office of the Secretary, Paperwork Reduction Act Reports Clearance 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-3071 Filed 2-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-05-P