[Federal Register: December 17, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 242)]
[Notices]
[Page 70269-70270]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17de03-78]
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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 that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) allow the proposed information collection
project: ``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component and
Medical Provider Component (MEPS-HC and MEPS-MPC)--2004 and 2005''. In
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13
(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this
proposed information collection.
This proposed information collection was previously published in
the Federal Register on October 16, 2003 and allowed 60 days for public
comment. No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice
is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 16, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Allison Eydt, Human
Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, OMB, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC
20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1651.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Project
``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component and Medical
Provider Component (MEPS-HC and MPC)--2004 and 2005''.
The AHRQ intends to conduct an annual panel survey of U.S.
households and medical providers to collect information on a variety of
measures related to health status, health insurance coverage, health
care use and expenditures, and sources of payment for health services.
This collection project consists of two parts: the MEPS Household
Component (HC) and the MEPS Medical Provider component (MPC).
Each panel of the MEPS-HC consists of a nationally representative
sample of U.S. households with a data collection period covering 2\1/2\
years.
This time frame allows for the collection of annual data from the
MEPS sample that covers their health care experiences over two
consecutive calendar years. The first panel of MEPS began in 1996 and a
new panel has been initiated annually thereafter. The MEPS-HC is
jointly sponsored by the AHRQ and the National Center for Health
Statistics (NCHS).
The MEPS-HC will be conducted using a sample of households selected
from households which responded to the previous year's National Health
Interview Survey (NHIS) sponsored by NCHS. The NHIS is a household
survey which collects health data from approximately 50,000 households
and 110,000 individuals. The NHIS is used as the sampling frame for the
MEPS and several other surveys as part of efforts by the Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS) to integrate survey data collection
activities.
Data to be collected from each household include detailed
information on demographics, health conditions, current health status,
utilization of health care providers, charges and payments for health
care services, quality of care received, medications, employment and
health insurance.
The purpose of the MEPS-MPC is to supplement the information
provided by household respondents in the MEPS-HC about the use of
medical services in the United States based on a nationally
representative sample. The MEPS-MPC will be conducted with the
permission of members of the households surveyed in the MEPS-HC. The
AHRQ contractor will contact the medical providers of the HC Survey
respondents to determine the actual dates of service, the diagnoses,
the services provided, the amount that was charged, the amount that was
paid and the sources of payment. Thus, the MPC is derived from or is
based upon the survey, (MEPS-HC). The MPC confirms and/or improves the
quality of the core survey data.
Data from household respondents in the MEPS Household Component for
calendar year 2004, will be collected, beginning in 2004, and
continuing into the year 2005, data for calendar year 2005 will be
collected, beginning in 2005, and continuing into the year 2006.
Data from medical providers linked to household respondents in the
MEPS Household Component for calendar year 2004, will be collected,
beginning in 2005, and continuing into the year 2006, provider data for
calendar year 2005 will be collected, beginning in 2006, and continuing
into the year 2007.
Data Confidentiality Provisions
MEPS data confidentiality is protected under the AHRQ and NCHS
Confidentiality statutes, section 308(d) and section 924(c) of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m(d) and 42 U.S.C. 299c-(c),
respectively).
In accordance with SHRQ and NCHS confidentiality statutes,
statistical and non-identifying data will be made available through
publications, articles in major journals as well as public use data
files. The statistical and analytic data are intended to be used for
purposes such as:
[sbull] Generating national estimates of individual and family
health care use and expenditures, private and public health insurance
coverage, and the availability, costs and scope of private health
insurance benefits among Americans;
[sbull] Examining the effects of changes in how chronic care and
disability are managed and finances;
[sbull] Evaluating the growing impact of managed care and of
enrollment in different types of managed care plans; and,
[[Page 70270]]
[sbull] Examining access to and costs of health care for common
diseases and conditions, health care quality, prescription drug use,
and other health issues.
Statisticians and researchers will use these data to make important
generalizations about the health care of civilian non-institutionalized
population of the United States, as well as to conduct research in
which the household is the unit of analysis.
Methods of Collection
Data from the MEPS-HC will be collected using a combination of
modes. For example, the AHRQ intends to introduce study participants to
the survey through advance mailings. The first contact will provide the
household with information regarding the importance and uses of the
information obtained. The AHRQ will then conduct five (in-person)
interviews with each household to obtain health care use and expense
data for 2 calendar years. Data will be collected using a computer-
assisted personal interviewing method (CAPI). In certain cases, AHRQ
will conduct interviews over the telephone, if necessary respondents
may be asked to respond to 1 or more short self-administered
questionnaires over the course of the survey.
The medical provider survey will be conducted predominantly by
telephone, but may include self-administered mail surveys, if requested
by the respondent.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden Per Year for the MEPS HC: Each
MEPS participated is asked to complete 5 interviews over two and one
half years. Each interview averages 1.8 hours in length. Total burden
is estimated in the following chart:
MEPS Household Component Estimated Burden for 2004 and 2005
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Burden per
Survey period Number of complete Total burden
completes (hours) (hours)
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Jan-Jul '04..................................................... 22,037 1.8 39,667
Aug-Dec '04..................................................... 14,746 1.8 26,543
Jan-Jul '05..................................................... 22,418 1.8 40,352
Aug-Dec '05..................................................... 15,003 1.8 27,005
Jan-Jul '06..................................................... 14,838 1.8 26,708
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Total....................................................... .............. .............. 160,275
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Estimated Annual Respondent Burden per year for the MEPS MPC: The
MPC for Calendar Year 2004 and 2005 estimated annual hour burden is as
follows:
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Average number Number of Average number Average burden/
Type of provider Number of of patients/ patient/ of events/ event (in Total hours of
respondents provider provider pairs patient minutes) burden
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MPC 2004:
Hospital Office-based............................... 5,502 2.2 12,105 3.2 5 3,227
Doctor.............................................. 23,077 1.3 30,000 3.5 5 8,750
Separately Billing Doctor........................... 17,143 1.4 24,000 1.3 5 2,600
Home Health......................................... 545 1.1 600 5.8 5 290
Pharmacy............................................ 8,077 2.6 21,000 10.3 3 10,815
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Total........................................... 54,344 .............. 87,705 .............. .............. 25,682
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MPC 2005:
Hospital Office-based............................... 5,310 2.2 11,681 3.2 5 3,115
Doctor.............................................. 22,269 1.3 28,950 3.5 5 8,444
Separately Billing Doctor........................... 16,543 1.4 23,160 1.3 5 2,509
Home Health......................................... 526 1.1 579 5.8 5 280
Pharmacy............................................ 7,794 2.6 20,265 10.3 3 10,436
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Total........................................... 52,442 .............. 84,635 .............. .............. 24,784
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Request for Comments
In accordance with the above cited legislation, comments on the
AHRQ 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 functions of AHRQ, including
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy
of the AHRQ's estimate of 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 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 request for OMB approval of the proposed
information collection. All comments will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: November 26, 2003.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 03-31197 Filed 12-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M