[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)] [Notices] [Pages 17937-17938] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2025-07384] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: Information collection notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the revision of the currently approved information collection project ``Online Application Order Form for Products from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP),'' OMB # 0935-0206. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 30, 2025. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at [email protected]. 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, or by email at [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed Project Online Application Order Form for Products From the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project is a vital resource helping AHRQ achieve its research agenda, thereby furthering its goal of improving the delivery of health care in the United States. HCUP is a family of health care databases developed through a Federal-State- Industry partnership and sponsored by AHRQ. HCUP includes the largest collection of longitudinal hospital care data in the United States, with all-payer, encounter-level information beginning in 1988. The HCUP databases are annual files that contain anonymous information from hospital discharge records for inpatient care and certain components of outpatient care, such as emergency care and ambulatory surgeries. The project currently creates eight types of restricted access public release databases and related files that are released to authorized users under the terms of the HCUP Data Use Agreement (DUA). These HCUP databases and files are used by researchers for a broad range of health issues, including cost and quality of health services, medical practice patterns, access to health care programs, and outcomes of treatments at the national, State, and local market levels. This project has the following goal:Allow restricted access public release and tracking of the eight HCUP databases. To achieve this goal the following data collections and activities are required: 1. HCUP DUA Training Course--All purchasers and users of HCUP data must complete this training prior to signing the DUA. This Web-based training course outlines important terms of the DUA. The purpose of the course is to emphasize the importance of data protection, reduce the risk of inadvertent violations, and describe an individual's responsibility when using HCUP data. After completing the training course, an HCUP DUA Training Course certification code is received. This code is required to purchase or gain access to HCUP data. 2. HCUP DUA for the Nationwide Databases--The HCUP Nationwide databases include the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS), Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), Nationwide Ambulatory Surgery Sample (NASS), Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), and Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). Any person seeking permission from AHRQ to access HCUP Nationwide Databases must sign and submit this Agreement to AHRQ. 3. HCUP DUA for the State Databases--The HCUP State databases include the State Inpatient Databases (SID), State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Databases (SASD), and State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD). Any person seeking permission from AHRQ to access HCUP State Databases must sign and submit this Agreement to AHRQ. 4. Online Application Form--The application form collects relevant applicant information, shipping and billing address, and the payment method. This project is being conducted by AHRQ through its contractors, National Opinion Research Center and TurningPoint-DS Federal J.V., L.L.C., pursuant to AHRQ's statutory authority to conduct and support research on health care and on systems for the delivery of such care, including activities with respect to the outcomes, cost, cost- effectiveness, and use of health care services and access to such services. 42 U.S.C 299a(a)(3). Proposed Revisions: Revisions include a redesigned HCUP application form and reducing the number of DUAs to one state and one nationwide version. The current expiration date for 0935-0206 is 5/31/2025 and AHRQ is requesting a new expiration date, 3 years from approval of this information collection request. Method of Collection Information collected in the HCUP Online Application Form process will be used for two purposes only: 1. Business Transaction: In order to deliver the HCUP databases to the applicants, contact information is necessary for shipping the data on disk (or any other media used in the future) and payment collection. 2. Enforcement of the HCUP Data Use Agreement (DUA): The HCUP DUA contains several restrictions on use of the data. Most of these restrictions have been put in place to safeguard the privacy of individuals and establishments represented in the data. For example, data users can only use the data for research, analysis, and aggregate statistical reporting and are prohibited from attempting to identify any persons in the data. Contact information on HCUP DUAs is retained in the event that a violation of the HCUP DUA takes place requiring legal remedy. Estimated Annual Respondent Burden Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden associated with the applicants' time to order any of the HCUP databases. An estimated 1,800 persons will order HCUP data annually. To complete the ordering process, each of these persons will complete the HCUP DUA Training Course, review and sign both DUAs, and complete the [[Page 17938]] HCUP Data Purchase Ordering Form. The total burden to complete these four steps to purchase HCUP data is estimated to be 1,050 hours annually. Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden associated with the applicants' time to purchase HCUP data. The total cost burden is estimated to be $78,252 annually. Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Form name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden respondents respondent response hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. HCUP DUA Training Course................... 1,800 1 15/60 450 2. HCUP DUA for the Nationwide Databases...... 1,800 1 5/60 150 3. HCUP DUA for the State Databases........... 1,800 1 5/60 150 4. HCUP Data Purchase Ordering Form........... 1,800 1 10/60 300 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Total..................................... 7,200 NA NA 1,050 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total burden Average hourly Total cost hours wage rate * burden ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. HCUP DUA Training Course..................................... 450 $48.81 $21,965 2. HCUP DUA for the Nationwide Databases........................ 150 48.81 7,322 3. HCUP DUA for the State Databases............................. 150 48.81 7,322 4. HCUP Data Purchase Ordering Form............................. 300 48.81 41,643 ----------------------------------------------- Total....................................................... 1,050 NA 78,252 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Based upon the mean of the average wages for Life Scientists, All Other (19-1099), National Compensation Survey: Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United States, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes191099.htm. Request for Comments In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501- 3520, 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 AHRQ's health care research and health care information dissemination functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours and costs) of the proposed collection(s) 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 Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of public record. Dated: April 24, 2025. Jeffrey P. Toven, Executive Officer. [FR Doc. 2025-07384 Filed 4-29-25; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-90-P