[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 221 (Monday, November 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68405-68406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27085]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Comparing 
Health Insurance Measurement Error (CHIME)

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

[[Page 68406]]


DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before January 16, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Joanne Pascale, 301-763-4920, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Abstract

    This study is designed to assess reporting accuracy in surveys that 
measure health insurance. Several federal, state and private surveys 
measure health insurance coverage, but have different origins and 
methodological approaches, and serve different purposes. They also 
produce different estimates of coverage, and few studies have assessed 
reporting accuracy across surveys. Previous research indicates that 
much of the variation in the estimates is rooted in subtle differences 
in the questionnaires. A common strategy for assessing the validity of 
a self-reported measure from a survey is a reverse ``record check'' 
study in which administrative records are assumed to contain the 
correct status on a given measure (e.g., health insurance coverage). 
Contact information from the records is used as sample to conduct a 
survey in which the same information, in this case health insurance, is 
asked about. Data from the records is then compared to the answers from 
the survey to assess reporting accuracy.
    The proposed study will survey a sample of people enrolled in 
Medica Health Plans (a Minnesota based health insurance plan) whose 
coverage type is known from the records to be Medicaid, MinnesotaCare, 
employer-sponsored insurance, non-group coverage within the marketplace 
(called MNSure) or non-group coverage outside the marketplace. The 
sample will be randomly assigned to one of two questionnaire modules on 
health insurance--the newly-redesigned Current Population Survey Annual 
Social and Economic Supplement (CPS) or the American Community Survey 
(ACS)--in order to contrast reporting error across different 
questionnaire versions. For analysis, the level of agreement between 
the data from the records and the survey report is referred to as 
``absolute accuracy,'' and the comparison of absolute accuracy for any 
given survey to the absolute accuracy for a different survey is 
referred to as ``relative accuracy.''
    In order to minimize respondent burden but still mimic actual 
survey conditions of the CPS and ACS to an extent, the survey includes 
a short subset of questions from those surveys in order to set the 
context for the health insurance modules. Thus typical questions on 
demographics (e.g.: age, race, education), employment status, 
government program participation will precede the health insurance 
questions.

II. Method of Collection

    The study will consist of a computer-assisted telephone interview 
(CATI) conducted by Census Bureau interviewers from the Hagerstown, 
Md., call center. Sample is being provided by Medica Research Institute 
(MRI), an affiliate of Medica Health Plans, based in Minnesota. Medica 
will mail an advance letter to enrollees from among five different 
markets: Medicaid, MinnesotaCare (a state-specific program for low 
income), employer-sponsored insurance, direct purchase through the 
marketplace, and direct purchase outside the marketplace. The letter 
will explain that Medica has partnered with the Census Bureau on a 
study, and it will invite enrollees who do not wish to participate to 
opt-out by calling in to the Medica call center. Medica will then draw 
a sample from among enrollees who did not opt out for transfer to the 
Census Bureau. Data collection is to take place from late February 
through early April, 2015, in order to mimic the actual time frame of 
the CPS ASEC.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): Not yet assigned.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Medica enrollees and their household members.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,000 household respondents.
    Estimated Time per Response: 13 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Interviewing: 5,000 household 
cases * 13 minutes/case = 1,083 hours; Contact attempts not resulting 
in completed interviews = 11,667 cases * 10 seconds/case = 1,945 hours; 
Total = 3,028 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    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 
(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 on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: November 12, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-27085 Filed 11-14-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P