[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64197-64199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25561]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-15-15CF]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-639-7570 or 
send comments to Leroy A. Richardson, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, 
Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an email to [email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-
up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services 
to provide information. Burden means the total time, effort, or 
financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This 
includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, 
install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of 
collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and 
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to 
train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of 
information, to search data sources, to complete and review the 
collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the 
information. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this 
notice.

Proposed Project

    Health Insurance Plans Research Study--New--Office of Health System 
Collaboration, Office of the Associate Director for Policy, Office of 
the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The Health Insurance Plans Research Study will uniquely examine the 
prevalence, characteristics, and differences of prevention and wellness 
programs offered by health insurance plans in this critical era of 
healthcare reform. There are no known studies that have addressed the 
prevalence of prevention and wellness programs across health plans or 
explored the granular details of these programs as this study is 
intended to do. Not conducting this study would be one less step toward 
increasing healthy years of life.

[[Page 64198]]

    Furthermore, the Health Insurance Plans Research Study will address 
the priorities and goals of the CDC Office of the Associate Director 
for Policy, Office of Health System Collaboration: (a) Identify and 
catalyze policy opportunities such as the Affordable Care Act to 
enhance healthcare transformation, (b) advance CDC's public health-
healthcare strategy to improve population health, (c) strengthen 
strategic partnerships with healthcare systems and payers, federal and 
non-federal, and (d) fully leverage performance measures as a tool to 
improve the health of individuals across health systems and payers.
    The CDC Office of the Associate Director for Policy intends to 
request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve a new 
collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act for three 
years. This data collection will occur once, and respondents will be 
surveyed once.
    A sample of approximately 150 commercial health insurance plans in 
the United States that differ by size and geography, in the 50 states 
and the District of Columbia, will be selected to complete a web-based 
survey, the Prevention and Wellness Assessment Survey. The survey will 
be completed electronically; the burden should be minimal as compared 
to a paper-and-pencil survey. Information about the survey and 
instructions will be provided to health plan points of contact in 
advance and will also be available on the Web site, eliminating any 
interactions between the respondent and the project team, unless a 
respondent(s) has questions or concerns during completion of the 
survey.
    The survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete per 
respondent for a total estimated burden of 75 hours. Some burden 
associated with coordinating the time and identifying a person to take 
the survey will be imposed on key health plan contacts (e.g., medical 
directors, nurse directors, or other healthcare professional). The 
burden associated with this activity is estimated at 30 minutes per key 
health plan contact for a maximum of one key contact per health plan (1 
key contact x 150 health plans = 150 key contacts), resulting in a 
total burden of 75 hours. In addition, administrative support staff at 
select health plans may assist with coordinating communications between 
key health plan points of contact and AHIP; the estimated burden is 30 
minutes per health plan, resulting in a total burden of 75 hours.
    Following the analysis of survey data, the project team will 
conduct one-hour telephone interviews with no more than nine health 
plans (1 hour x 9 health plans) to gain a better understanding of 
lessons learned and best practices associated with the design and 
implementation of prevention and wellness programs by commercial health 
insurance plans. The project team will use this information to build 
upon the knowledge gained through the survey. For example, there may be 
differences in how health plans structure prevention and wellness 
programs for different employer accounts based on employer requests. 
The estimated burden is 1 hour per health plan, resulting in a total 
burden of 9 hours.
    As shown in the burden table, the total burden calculation in hours 
for key health plan points of contact, and health plan respondents 
(e.g., physicians, nurses, other healthcare professionals) and 
administrative support staff for this data collection is 234 hours.
    Best practices in outreach will be utilized to maximize survey 
response rates. Key health plan contacts at non-responding health plans 
will receive follow up by telephone and one-to-one assistance will be 
provided if needed.
    The results of this study are of great interest not only to the CDC 
Office of the Associate Director for Policy but to other CDC Centers, 
Institutes, and Offices; and other federal agencies and partners such 
as the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the members 
of the CDC Advisory Committee to the Director, and the CDC Public 
Health-Health Care Collaboration Workgroup (federal, state, and local 
public health; public and private organizations; healthcare providers; 
professional membership associations; and academia representation). The 
government intends to accomplish the following as a result of this data 
collection: (a) Identify high priority opportunities for public health 
and healthcare collaboration, (b) inform a public health-healthcare 
strategic agenda, (c) improve the use of clinical preventive services, 
and (d) improve capacity of healthcare systems to incorporate public 
health practices and principles. At the conclusion of this study, a 
formal report, two issue briefs, and potentially a manuscript for 
publication will be produced.
    CDC is requesting approval for approximately 234 burden hours 
annually. There are no costs to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Number      Average burden
      Type of respondent            Form name         Number       responses per   per  response   Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)         hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Physician, Nurse, or Other      Prevention and               150               1           30/60              75
 Healthcare Professional (To     Wellness
 Complete Survey).               Assessment
                                 Survey.
Key Health Plan Contact.......  N/A.............             150               1           30/60              75
Administrative Support........  N/A.............             150               1           30/60              75
Physician, Nurse, or Other      N/A.............               9               1               1               9
 Healthcare Professional (To
 Complete 1-hour Interview
 Post Survey).
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             234
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[[Page 64199]]

Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2014-25561 Filed 10-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P