Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 86650-86652 [2023-27462]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2023 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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 proposed
updates to the currently approved
information collection project: ‘‘Medical
Expenditures Panel Survey—Household
and Medical Provider Components.’’
This proposed information collection
was previously published in the Federal
Register on September 29, 2023 and
allowed 60 days for public comment.
AHRQ received two substantive
comments from members of the public.
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, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting
‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open
for Public Comments’’ or by using the
search function.
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 doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Proposed Project
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Medical Expenditures Panel Survey—
Household and Medical Provider
Components
AHRQ requests that OMB approve a
change to AHRQ’s collection of
information for the Medical
Expenditures Panel Survey—Household
and Medical Provider Components:
OMB Control number 0935–0118,
expiration November 30, 2025.
Requested changes are for the
Household Component (MEPS–HC)
only.
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The MEPS was initiated in 1996. Each
year a new panel of sample households
is selected. Recent annual MEPS–HC
sample sizes average about 13,500
households. Data can be analyzed at
either the person, family, or event level.
The panel design of the survey, which
includes 5 rounds of interviews
covering 2 full calendar years, provides
data for examining person level changes
in selected variables such as
expenditures, health insurance
coverage, and health status.
This research has the following goals:
(1) To produce nationally
representative estimates of health care
use, expenditures, sources of payment,
and health insurance coverage for the
U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized
population.
(2) To produce nationally
representative estimates of respondents’
health status, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, employment,
access to care, and satisfaction with
health care.
Proposed Changes for the Fall 2024
MEPS–HC:
• Core MEPS Interview—Seven
economic burden questions will be
added to the Core interview. Five of
these questions come from the
Preventive Care Services SelfAdministered Questionnaire (PSAQ),
and two are new to the MEPS. The
specific topics of the five questions
moving from the PSAQ are partial and
late payments for bills, having been
contacted by debt collection agencies,
and ability to pay for unexpected
expenses. The questions were modified
to be asked at the household level.
These topics are important for
understanding the context families face
in paying for health care. The new
questions asking about medical debt are
modified versions of questions used in
the Survey of Income and Program
Participation (SIPP). The SIPP asks the
question at a person level; AHRQ has
modified it to be asked at the household
level. Collecting medical debt amounts
will enable analyses of how medical
debt is related to health care access, use,
health outcomes, and financial status. In
addition, the wording for eight food
security questions has been slightly
modified to allow for proxy responses;
thus, all households will be asked these
questions.
• Preventive Care Services SelfAdministered Questionnaire (PSAQ)—
The PSAQ will have the following
changes for Fall 2024:
• Removing five economic burden
questions, which will be added to the
Core interview;
• Combining the Male and Female
PSAQ questionnaires into a single
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Sfmt 4703
questionnaire and revising the sexspecific questions accordingly;
• Adding Sexual Orientation and
Gender Identity (SOGI) questions to the
end of the questionnaire;
• Changing the age-specific skips to
reflect new recommendations for
specific preventive health screening
procedures;
• Creating a web-based mode of
completion as an alternative option to
the traditional pen-and-paper-based
survey.
The incorporation of SOGI questions
into the PSAQ aligns with the objectives
outlined in Executive Order 14075,
titled ‘‘Advancing Equality for Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and
Intersex Individuals.’’ The inclusion of
these questions necessitated further
adjustments to the questionnaires,
including the consolidation of the
traditionally segregated male and female
questionnaires into a unified form.
Optimally incorporating sex-specific
preventive care questions (e.g., prostate
cancer screening) in surveys in a
manner that respects all gender
identities requires balancing multiple
competing factors. AHRQ consulted
with federal agencies fielding surveys
with SOGI and preventive care
questions, and they have not yet
modified their preventive care questions
to account for gender minorities. For
this initial attempt in the MEPS, AHRQ
balanced the following considerations:
respect for gender minority respondents,
cognitive burden among cisgender
respondents, minimizing skip patterns
to maintain consistency between penand-paper and web-based modes of the
PSAQ, and the strong expectation that
the number of gender minority
respondents in the relevant age ranges
will be too small to support estimates of
receipt of sex-specific preventive
services in this population. AHRQ will
continue to monitor best practices and
empirical studies by consulting with
NCHS and the National Cancer Institute
(NCI) to revise the PSAQ when it is
fielded again in the future.
• Cancer Self-Administered
Questionnaire (Cancer SAQ)—The NCI
has collaborated in previous years with
AHRQ to create the MEPS Experiences
with Cancer Supplement, which
oversampled households with cancer
survivors from the prior year National
Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and
fielded a special survey about economic
burden and access to care in cancer
survivors. Due to a change in the NHIS
sample design, MEPS will not be able to
oversample cancer survivors in the 2024
data collection. The current effort will
field an updated version of the MEPS
Experiences with Cancer Survey in the
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2023 / Notices
Fall 2024 MEPS–HC. The new version
of the survey will include most of the
same questions as the earlier survey to
allow comparisons of trends and will
replace some survey items that are now
less critical or available from other data
sources with new questions on
employment impacts and workplace
accommodations; survivorship care;
social determinants of health; and social
isolation and support.
This study is being conducted by
AHRQ through its contractor, Westat,
pursuant to AHRQ’s statutory authority
to conduct and support research on
healthcare and on systems for the
delivery of such care, including
activities with respect to the cost and
use of health care services and with
respect to health statistics and surveys.
42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(3) and (8); 42 U.S.C.
299b–2.
Method of Collection
The MEPS–HC uses a combination of
computer assisted personal interviewing
(CAPI), computer assisted video
interviewing (CAVI), and selfadministered paper and web
questionnaires, to collect information
about each household member, and the
survey builds on this information from
interview to interview. CAVI is a new
data collection technology and offers the
best of both telephone and in-person
interviewing, while offering
opportunities for cost savings and more
accurate reporting.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated
annualized burden hours for the
respondents’ time to participate in the
MEPS–HC and the MEPS–MPC.
The MEPS–HC Core Interview will be
completed by 11,750 ‘‘family level’’
respondents. Since the MEPS–HC
typically consists of 5 rounds of
interviewing covering a full two years of
data, the annual average number of
responses per respondent is 2.5
responses per year. The MEPS–HC core
requires an average response time of 88
minutes to administer. The Adult SAQ
is completed once during the 2-year
panel, in rounds 2 and 4 during odd
numbered years, making the annualized
average 0.5 times per year. The Adult
SAQ will be completed by 5,688 adults
and requires an average of 7 minutes to
complete. The PSAQ is completed once
during the 2-year panel, in rounds 2 and
4 during even numbered years, making
the annualized average 0.5 times per
year. The PSAQ will be completed by
5,688 adults and requires an average of
7 minutes to complete. The Diabetes
Care Survey will be completed by 1,000
persons each year and requires 3
minutes to complete. The Cancer SAQ
will be completed by 1,500 persons each
year and requires 20 minutes to
complete. Authorization forms for the
MEPS–MPC and Pharmacy Survey will
be completed by 11,750 respondents.
Each respondent will complete an
average of 4.66 forms each year, with
each form requiring an average of 3
minutes to complete. A validation
interview will be conducted with 4,225
respondents each year and requires 5
minutes to complete. The total burden
hours for the respondents’ time to
participate in the MEPS–HC is
estimated to be 47,387 hours.
The MEPS–MPC Contact Guide/
Screening Call will be conducted with
54,758 providers and pharmacies each
year and requires 5 minutes to
complete. The Home Care Providers
Event Form will be completed by 886
providers, with each provider
completing an average of 5.8 forms and
each form requiring 3 minutes to
complete. The Office-based Providers
Event Form will be completed by 14,950
providers. Each provider will complete
an average of 4.3 forms and each form
requires 3 minutes to complete. The
Separately Billing Doctors Event Form
will be completed by 12,690 providers,
with each provider completing 1.4
forms on average, and each form
requiring 3 minutes to complete. The
Hospital Event Form will be completed
by 8,302 hospitals or HMOs. Each
hospital or HMO will complete 7.5
forms on average, with each form
requiring 3 minutes to complete. The
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form
will be completed by 118 institutions,
with each institution completing 1.3
forms on average, and each form
requiring 3 minutes to complete. The
Pharmacy Event Form will be
completed by 9,079 pharmacies. Each
pharmacy will complete 37.6 forms on
average, with each form requiring 3
minutes to complete. The total burden
hours for the respondent’s time to
participate in the MEPS–MPC is
estimated to be 29,111 hours. The total
annual burden hours for the MEPS–HC
and MPC is estimated to be 76,498
hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annual
cost burden associated with the
respondents’ time to participate in this
information collection. The annual cost
burden for the MEPS–HC is estimated to
be $1,410,236; the annual cost burden
for the MEPS–MPC is estimated to be
$569,200. The total annual cost burden
for the MEPS–HC and MPC is estimated
to be $1,979,436.
EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS
Number of
respondents
Form name
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MEPS–HC:
MEPS–HC Core Interview ........................................................................
Adult SAQ * ...............................................................................................
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) ** ..............................................................
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS) ...................................................................
Cancer SAQ .............................................................................................
Authorization forms for the MEPS–MPC Provider and Pharmacy Survey .........................................................................................................
MEPS Validation Interview .......................................................................
Subtotal for the MEPS–HC ...............................................................
MEPS–MPC:
MPC Contact Guide/Screening Call .........................................................
Home Care Providers Event Form ...........................................................
Office-based Providers Event Form .........................................................
Separately Billing Doctors Event Form ....................................................
Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form) ................................................
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form ......................................................
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Number of
responses per
respondent
Hours per
response
Total burden
hours
11,750
5,688
5,688
1,000
1,500
2.5
0.5
0.5
1
1
88/60
7/60
7/60
3/60
20/60
43,083
332
332
50
500
11,750
4,225
4.66
1
3/60
5/60
2,738
352
41,600
........................
........................
47,387
54,758
886
14,950
12,690
8,302
118
1
5.8
4.3
1.4
7.5
1.3
5/60
3/60
3/60
3/60
3/60
3/60
4,563
257
3,214
888
3,113
8
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2023 / Notices
EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS—Continued
Number of
respondents
Form name
Number of
responses per
respondent
Hours per
response
Total burden
hours
Pharmacies Event Form ...........................................................................
9,079
37.6
3/60
17,068
Subtotal for the MEPS–MPC .............................................................
100,783
........................
........................
29,111
Grand Total ................................................................................
142,383
........................
........................
76,498
* The Adult SAQ is completed once every two years, on the odd numbered years.
** The PSAQ is completed once every two years, on the even numbered years.
EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN
Number of
respondents
Form name
MEPS–HC:
MEPS–HC Core Interview ........................................................................
Adult SAQ .................................................................................................
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) ..................................................................
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS) ...................................................................
Cancer SAQ .............................................................................................
Authorization forms for the MEPS–MPC Provider and Pharmacy Survey .........................................................................................................
MEPS Validation Interview .......................................................................
Total burden
hours
Average
hourly wage
rate
Total cost
burden
11,750
5,688
5,688
1,000
1,500
43,083
332
332
50
500
$29.76 *
29.76 *
29.76 *
29.76 *
29.76 *
$1,282,150
9,880
9,880
1,488
14,880
11,750
4,225
2,738
352
29.76 *
29.76 *
81,483
10,475
Subtotal for the MEPS–HC ...............................................................
MEPS–MPC:
MPC Contact Guide/Screening Call .........................................................
Home care Providers Event Form ............................................................
Office-based Providers Event Form .........................................................
Separately Billing Doctors (SBD) Event Form .........................................
Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form .................................................
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form ......................................................
Pharmacies Event Form ...........................................................................
41,600
47,387
........................
1,410,236
54,758
886
14,950
12,690
8,302
118
9,079
4,563
257
3,214
888
3,113
8
17,068
19.84 **
19.84 **
19.84 **
19.84 **
19.84 **
19.84 **
19.35 ***
90,530
5,099
63,766
17,618
61,762
159
330,266
Subtotal for the MEPS–MPC .............................................................
100,783
29,111
........................
569,200
Grand Total ................................................................................
142,383
77,067
........................
1,979,436
* Mean hourly wage for All Occupations (00–0000).
** Mean hourly wage for Medical Secretaries (43–6013).
*** Mean hourly wage for Pharmacy Technicians (29–2052).
Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United States, U.S. Department of
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
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
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17:39 Dec 13, 2023
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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: December 11, 2023.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2023–27462 Filed 12–13–23; 8:45 am]
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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 for Healthcare Research
and Quality, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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 proposed
information collection project
‘‘TeamSTEPPS® 3.0 Training
Assessment.’’ This proposed
information collection was previously
published in the Federal Register on
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86650-86652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27462]
[[Page 86650]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 proposed updates to the
currently approved information collection project: ``Medical
Expenditures Panel Survey--Household and Medical Provider Components.''
This proposed information collection was previously published in the
Federal Register on September 29, 2023 and allowed 60 days for public
comment. AHRQ received two substantive comments from members of the
public. 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, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
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
Medical Expenditures Panel Survey--Household and Medical Provider
Components
AHRQ requests that OMB approve a change to AHRQ's collection of
information for the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey--Household and
Medical Provider Components: OMB Control number 0935-0118, expiration
November 30, 2025. Requested changes are for the Household Component
(MEPS-HC) only.
The MEPS was initiated in 1996. Each year a new panel of sample
households is selected. Recent annual MEPS-HC sample sizes average
about 13,500 households. Data can be analyzed at either the person,
family, or event level. The panel design of the survey, which includes
5 rounds of interviews covering 2 full calendar years, provides data
for examining person level changes in selected variables such as
expenditures, health insurance coverage, and health status.
This research has the following goals:
(1) To produce nationally representative estimates of health care
use, expenditures, sources of payment, and health insurance coverage
for the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population.
(2) To produce nationally representative estimates of respondents'
health status, demographic and socio-economic characteristics,
employment, access to care, and satisfaction with health care.
Proposed Changes for the Fall 2024 MEPS-HC:
Core MEPS Interview--Seven economic burden questions will
be added to the Core interview. Five of these questions come from the
Preventive Care Services Self-Administered Questionnaire (PSAQ), and
two are new to the MEPS. The specific topics of the five questions
moving from the PSAQ are partial and late payments for bills, having
been contacted by debt collection agencies, and ability to pay for
unexpected expenses. The questions were modified to be asked at the
household level. These topics are important for understanding the
context families face in paying for health care. The new questions
asking about medical debt are modified versions of questions used in
the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The SIPP asks
the question at a person level; AHRQ has modified it to be asked at the
household level. Collecting medical debt amounts will enable analyses
of how medical debt is related to health care access, use, health
outcomes, and financial status. In addition, the wording for eight food
security questions has been slightly modified to allow for proxy
responses; thus, all households will be asked these questions.
Preventive Care Services Self-Administered Questionnaire
(PSAQ)--The PSAQ will have the following changes for Fall 2024:
Removing five economic burden questions, which will be
added to the Core interview;
Combining the Male and Female PSAQ questionnaires into a
single questionnaire and revising the sex-specific questions
accordingly;
Adding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)
questions to the end of the questionnaire;
Changing the age-specific skips to reflect new
recommendations for specific preventive health screening procedures;
Creating a web-based mode of completion as an alternative
option to the traditional pen-and-paper-based survey.
The incorporation of SOGI questions into the PSAQ aligns with the
objectives outlined in Executive Order 14075, titled ``Advancing
Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex
Individuals.'' The inclusion of these questions necessitated further
adjustments to the questionnaires, including the consolidation of the
traditionally segregated male and female questionnaires into a unified
form. Optimally incorporating sex-specific preventive care questions
(e.g., prostate cancer screening) in surveys in a manner that respects
all gender identities requires balancing multiple competing factors.
AHRQ consulted with federal agencies fielding surveys with SOGI and
preventive care questions, and they have not yet modified their
preventive care questions to account for gender minorities. For this
initial attempt in the MEPS, AHRQ balanced the following
considerations: respect for gender minority respondents, cognitive
burden among cisgender respondents, minimizing skip patterns to
maintain consistency between pen-and-paper and web-based modes of the
PSAQ, and the strong expectation that the number of gender minority
respondents in the relevant age ranges will be too small to support
estimates of receipt of sex-specific preventive services in this
population. AHRQ will continue to monitor best practices and empirical
studies by consulting with NCHS and the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
to revise the PSAQ when it is fielded again in the future.
Cancer Self-Administered Questionnaire (Cancer SAQ)--The
NCI has collaborated in previous years with AHRQ to create the MEPS
Experiences with Cancer Supplement, which oversampled households with
cancer survivors from the prior year National Health Interview Survey
(NHIS) and fielded a special survey about economic burden and access to
care in cancer survivors. Due to a change in the NHIS sample design,
MEPS will not be able to oversample cancer survivors in the 2024 data
collection. The current effort will field an updated version of the
MEPS Experiences with Cancer Survey in the
[[Page 86651]]
Fall 2024 MEPS-HC. The new version of the survey will include most of
the same questions as the earlier survey to allow comparisons of trends
and will replace some survey items that are now less critical or
available from other data sources with new questions on employment
impacts and workplace accommodations; survivorship care; social
determinants of health; and social isolation and support.
This study is being conducted by AHRQ through its contractor,
Westat, pursuant to AHRQ's statutory authority to conduct and support
research on healthcare and on systems for the delivery of such care,
including activities with respect to the cost and use of health care
services and with respect to health statistics and surveys. 42 U.S.C.
299a(a)(3) and (8); 42 U.S.C. 299b-2.
Method of Collection
The MEPS-HC uses a combination of computer assisted personal
interviewing (CAPI), computer assisted video interviewing (CAVI), and
self-administered paper and web questionnaires, to collect information
about each household member, and the survey builds on this information
from interview to interview. CAVI is a new data collection technology
and offers the best of both telephone and in-person interviewing, while
offering opportunities for cost savings and more accurate reporting.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours for the
respondents' time to participate in the MEPS-HC and the MEPS-MPC.
The MEPS-HC Core Interview will be completed by 11,750 ``family
level'' respondents. Since the MEPS-HC typically consists of 5 rounds
of interviewing covering a full two years of data, the annual average
number of responses per respondent is 2.5 responses per year. The MEPS-
HC core requires an average response time of 88 minutes to administer.
The Adult SAQ is completed once during the 2-year panel, in rounds 2
and 4 during odd numbered years, making the annualized average 0.5
times per year. The Adult SAQ will be completed by 5,688 adults and
requires an average of 7 minutes to complete. The PSAQ is completed
once during the 2-year panel, in rounds 2 and 4 during even numbered
years, making the annualized average 0.5 times per year. The PSAQ will
be completed by 5,688 adults and requires an average of 7 minutes to
complete. The Diabetes Care Survey will be completed by 1,000 persons
each year and requires 3 minutes to complete. The Cancer SAQ will be
completed by 1,500 persons each year and requires 20 minutes to
complete. Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC and Pharmacy Survey will
be completed by 11,750 respondents. Each respondent will complete an
average of 4.66 forms each year, with each form requiring an average of
3 minutes to complete. A validation interview will be conducted with
4,225 respondents each year and requires 5 minutes to complete. The
total burden hours for the respondents' time to participate in the
MEPS-HC is estimated to be 47,387 hours.
The MEPS-MPC Contact Guide/Screening Call will be conducted with
54,758 providers and pharmacies each year and requires 5 minutes to
complete. The Home Care Providers Event Form will be completed by 886
providers, with each provider completing an average of 5.8 forms and
each form requiring 3 minutes to complete. The Office-based Providers
Event Form will be completed by 14,950 providers. Each provider will
complete an average of 4.3 forms and each form requires 3 minutes to
complete. The Separately Billing Doctors Event Form will be completed
by 12,690 providers, with each provider completing 1.4 forms on
average, and each form requiring 3 minutes to complete. The Hospital
Event Form will be completed by 8,302 hospitals or HMOs. Each hospital
or HMO will complete 7.5 forms on average, with each form requiring 3
minutes to complete. The Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form will be
completed by 118 institutions, with each institution completing 1.3
forms on average, and each form requiring 3 minutes to complete. The
Pharmacy Event Form will be completed by 9,079 pharmacies. Each
pharmacy will complete 37.6 forms on average, with each form requiring
3 minutes to complete. The total burden hours for the respondent's time
to participate in the MEPS-MPC is estimated to be 29,111 hours. The
total annual burden hours for the MEPS-HC and MPC is estimated to be
76,498 hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annual cost burden associated with
the respondents' time to participate in this information collection.
The annual cost burden for the MEPS-HC is estimated to be $1,410,236;
the annual cost burden for the MEPS-MPC is estimated to be $569,200.
The total annual cost burden for the MEPS-HC and MPC is estimated to be
$1,979,436.
Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of
Form name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC:
MEPS-HC Core Interview...................... 11,750 2.5 88/60 43,083
Adult SAQ *................................. 5,688 0.5 7/60 332
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) **............... 5,688 0.5 7/60 332
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS).................. 1,000 1 3/60 50
Cancer SAQ.................................. 1,500 1 20/60 500
Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC 11,750 4.66 3/60 2,738
Provider and Pharmacy Survey...............
MEPS Validation Interview................... 4,225 1 5/60 352
---------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-HC................ 41,600 .............. .............. 47,387
MEPS-MPC:
MPC Contact Guide/Screening Call............ 54,758 1 5/60 4,563
Home Care Providers Event Form.............. 886 5.8 3/60 257
Office[dash]based Providers Event Form...... 14,950 4.3 3/60 3,214
Separately Billing Doctors Event Form....... 12,690 1.4 3/60 888
Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form)...... 8,302 7.5 3/60 3,113
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form...... 118 1.3 3/60 8
[[Page 86652]]
Pharmacies Event Form....................... 9,079 37.6 3/60 17,068
---------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-MPC............... 100,783 .............. .............. 29,111
---------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Total......................... 142,383 .............. .............. 76,498
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The Adult SAQ is completed once every two years, on the odd numbered years.
** The PSAQ is completed once every two years, on the even numbered years.
Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Form name Number of Total burden hourly wage Total cost
respondents hours rate burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC:
MEPS-HC Core Interview...................... 11,750 43,083 $29.76 * $1,282,150
Adult SAQ................................... 5,688 332 29.76 * 9,880
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ).................. 5,688 332 29.76 * 9,880
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS).................. 1,000 50 29.76 * 1,488
Cancer SAQ.................................. 1,500 500 29.76 * 14,880
Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC 11,750 2,738 29.76 * 81,483
Provider and Pharmacy Survey...............
MEPS Validation Interview................... 4,225 352 29.76 * 10,475
---------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-HC................ 41,600 47,387 .............. 1,410,236
MEPS-MPC:
MPC Contact Guide/Screening Call............ 54,758 4,563 19.84 ** 90,530
Home care Providers Event Form.............. 886 257 19.84 ** 5,099
Office[dash]based Providers Event Form...... 14,950 3,214 19.84 ** 63,766
Separately Billing Doctors (SBD) Event Form. 12,690 888 19.84 ** 17,618
Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form....... 8,302 3,113 19.84 ** 61,762
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form...... 118 8 19.84 ** 159
Pharmacies Event Form....................... 9,079 17,068 19.35 *** 330,266
---------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-MPC............... 100,783 29,111 .............. 569,200
---------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Total......................... 142,383 77,067 .............. 1,979,436
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Mean hourly wage for All Occupations (00-0000).
** Mean hourly wage for Medical Secretaries (43-6013).
*** Mean hourly wage for Pharmacy Technicians (29-2052).
Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United States,
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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: December 11, 2023.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-27462 Filed 12-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P
