Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 28784-28787 [2024-08431]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
28784
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 77 / Friday, April 19, 2024 / Notices
(Notice) for public comment on the
reporting information for the National
Registry of Appraisal Management
Companies (AMC Registry) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) of
proposed collection of information. In
conjunction with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the ASC
submitted to the OMB a request for
review of approval of information
collection listed below. The purpose of
this Notice is to allow an additional 30
days for public comment from all
interested individuals and
organizations.
Number of Appraisers (for invoicing
registry fee)
States listing AMCs on the AMC
Registry enter the above information for
each AMC for the initial entry only.
After the initial entry, the information is
retained on the AMC Registry, and will
be amended, if necessary, by the State.
Currently, 51 States have elected to
register and supervise AMCs with 50
States currently entering data in the
AMC Registry.
OMB Number: 3139–0009.
Written comments must be
received on or before May 20, 2024 to
be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent 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.
Type of Review: Regular.
Affected Public: States.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 51
States.
Estimated Burden per Response: 15
minutes.
Frequency of Response: Annually and
on occasion.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: We estimate that a State will
spend approximately 25.25 hours
annually submitting data to the ASC for
a total of 1,287.75 hours.
*
*
*
*
*
DATES:
For
information, contact Lori Schuster,
Management and Program Analyst, ASC
at (202) 595–7578 or Lori@asc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
proposed information collection was
previously published in the Federal
Register on February 5, 2024, at 89 FR
7707 and allowed 60 days for public
comment. No comments were received
to that notice.
Title: Reporting Information for the
AMC Registry.
The Dodd-Frank Act requires the ASC
to maintain the AMC Registry of those
AMCs that are either: (1) registered with
and subject to supervision by a State
that has elected to register and supervise
AMCs; or (2) are Federally regulated
AMCs. In order for a State that elected
to register and supervise AMCs to enter
an AMC on the AMC Registry, the
following items are required entries by
the State via extranet application on the
AMC Registry:
State Abbreviation
State Registration Number for AMC
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
AMC Name
Street Address
City
State
Zip
License or Registration Status
Effective Date
Expiration Date
AMC Type (State or multi-State)
Disciplinary Action
Effective Date
Expiration Date
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
02:06 Apr 19, 2024
Jkt 262001
Burden Estimates
By the Appraisal Subcommittee.
James R. Park,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2024–08377 Filed 4–18–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6700–01–P
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 a revision of the
currently approved information
collection project: ‘‘Medical
Expenditures Panel Survey—Household
and Medical Provider Components.’’ In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, AHRQ invites
the public to comment on this proposed
information collection.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by June 18, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
email at
REPORTSCLEARANCEOFFICER@
ahrq.hhs.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports
Clearance Officer, (301) 427–1477, or by
email at
REPORTSCLEARANCEOFFICER@
ahrq.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Project
Medical Expenditures Panel Survey—
Household and Medical Provider
Components
AHRQ requests that OMB approve a
revision 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 socioeconomic characteristics, employment,
access to care, and satisfaction with
health care.
Proposed Changes for the 2025 MEPS–
HC
• Core MEPS Interview and Adult
SAQ—The Core interview and the Adult
Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ)
include four questions from the
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems 5.0 (CAHPS 5.0).
These questions will have wording
changes to update them to CAHPS 5.1.
These wording changes will help
identify telehealth utilization and
access, as well as maintain consistency
between CAHPS and MEPS–HC
questionnaire items. Below are the four
E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM
19APN1
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 77 / Friday, April 19, 2024 / Notices
questions, both the current version and
the proposed version:
Current: In the last 12 months, did
{you/{PERSON}} have an illness, injury
or condition that needed care right away
in a clinic, emergency room, or doctor’s
office?
Proposed: In the last 12 months, did
{you/{PERSON}} have an illness,
injury, or condition that needed care
right away?
Current: In the last 12 months, did
you make any appointments for a checkup or routine care for {yourself/
{PERSON}} at a doctor’s office or
clinic?
Proposed: In the last 12 months, did
you make any in-person, phone, or
video appointments for a check-up or
routine care for {yourself/{PERSON}}?
Current: Looking at card CS–2, in the
last 12 months, how often did you get
an appointment for a check-up or
routine care for {yourself/{PERSON}} at
a doctor’s office or clinic as soon as
{you/he/she} needed?
Proposed: Looking at card CS–2, in
the last 12 months, how often did you
get an appointment for a check-up or
routine care for {yourself/{PERSON}} as
soon as {you/he/she} needed?
Current: Looking at card CS–3, in the
last 12 months, not counting times
{you/{PERSON}} went to an emergency
room, how many times did {you/he/
she} go to a doctor’s office or clinic to
get health care?
Proposed: Looking at card CS–3, in
the last 12 months, not counting the
times {you/{PERSON}} went to an
emergency room, how many times did
{you/he/she} get health care in person,
by phone, or by video?
• Burdens and Economic Impacts of
Medical Care Self-Administered
Questionnaire (ESAQ)—The Office of
the Secretary—Patient Centered
Outcomes Research Trust Fund is
funding this SAQ to expand the
collection of economic outcomes data
for patient-centered outcomes research
(PCOR) via the Medical Expenditure
Panel Survey (MEPS).
The ESAQ will be completed during
Round 3, Panel 30 and Round 5, Panel
29 (Spring 2025) by adult household
members (aged 18 and over). The ESAQ
will be administered in a mixed-mode
of paper and online. Respondents will
be offered a $20.00 monetary incentive
to complete the ESAQ. This is a onetime data collection and the ESAQ will
be removed from the MEPS after the
2025 fielding. The goal of the ESAQ is
to enhance the MEPS data by adding
new domains related to the economic
burdens of seeking and receiving health
care, to study economic outcomes in
patient-centered outcomes research.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
02:06 Apr 19, 2024
Jkt 262001
There is no other survey that is now
or has been recently conducted that will
meet the objectives of the ESAQ. The
ESAQ will supplement MEPS data on
direct care expenditures with data on
major indirect costs, including time
costs of getting care and administrative
hassles; lost work productivity due to
presenteeism, lost productivity in nonmarket activities, and time costs of
informal care. With this new data,
researchers will be able to better
examine health care economic burdens
and equity in health care access,
utilization, and outcomes, for example
to aggregate social costs of health care
and poor health, examine indirect costs
associated with common conditions,
and analyze disparities and equity in
indirect costs.
In developing the ESAQ, AHRQ
consulted with several experts in the
area and used their expertise to identify
priority topics and questions that have
already been tested and widely
accepted. Nearly all items are either
from Federal surveys, federally funded
surveys, or adapted from instruments
that have been carefully validated. Two
questions related to affordability and
access are from Kaiser Family
Foundation surveys. One question about
informal care was cognitively tested in
a prior question development project.
One question on the high-priority topic
of administrative hassles of health
insurance was developed from phrases
from the carefully tested and widely
accepted Consumer Assessment of
Health Plans and Systems.
• Cancer Self-Administered
Questionnaire (CSAQ)—The CSAQ will
be removed from the 2025 MEPS–HC.
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
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
28785
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.
MEPS–HC
• MEPS–HC Core Interview—
completed by 12,218 ‘‘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.
• Adult SAQ—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
11,912 adults and requires an average of
7 minutes to complete.
• Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ)—
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 11,912 adults and
requires an average of 7 minutes to
complete.
• Diabetes Care Survey (DCS)—
completed by 1,195 persons each year
and requires 3 minutes to complete.
• Burdens and Economic Impacts of
Medical Care SAQ—completed by
15,577 and is estimated to take 10
minutes to complete. This SAQ will be
completed only once in 2025 and will
be removed in 2026; to annualize the
burden hours the number of responses
per respondent is 0.5 times per year.
• Authorization forms for the MEPS–
MPC and Pharmacy Survey—completed
by 6,769 respondents. Each respondent
will complete an average of 5.7 forms
each year, with each form requiring an
average of 3 minutes to complete.
• Validation interview—conducted
with approximately 1,759 respondents
each year and requires 5 minutes to
complete. The total annual burden
hours for the respondent’s time to
participate in the MEPS–HC is
estimated to be 49,149 hours.
MEPS–MPC
• Contact Guide/Screening Call—
conducted with 38,683 providers and
pharmacies each year and requires 5
minutes to complete.
• Home Care Providers Event Form—
completed by 540 providers, with each
provider completing an average of 5
E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM
19APN1
28786
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 77 / Friday, April 19, 2024 / Notices
forms and each form requiring 3
minutes to complete.
• Office-based Providers Event
Form—completed by 9,300 providers.
Each provider will complete an average
of 2.8 forms and each form requires 3
minutes to complete.
• Separately Billing Doctors Event
Form—will be completed by 4,676
providers, with each provider
completing 1.2 forms on average, and
• Pharmacy Event Form—completed
by 6,112 pharmacies. Each pharmacy
will complete 31.3 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 15,674
hours. The total annual burden hours
for the MEPS–HC and MPC is estimated
to be 64,832 hours.
each form requiring 3 minutes to
complete.
• Hospital Event Form—completed
by 3,935 hospitals or HMOs. Each
hospital or HMO will complete 5.9
forms on average, with each form
requiring 3 minutes to complete.
• Institutions (non-hospital) Event
Form—completed by 86 institutions,
with each institution completing 1.3
forms on average, and each form
requiring 3 minutes to complete.
EXHIBIT 1—MEPS–HC AND MPC ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED RESPONDENTS AND BURDEN HOURS, 2025 TO 2027
Number of
responses per
respondent
Hours per
response
Total
burden
hours
12,218
11,912
11,912
1,195
15,577
6,769
1,759
61,342
2.5
0.5
0.5
1
0.5
5.7
1
..........................
88/60
7/60
7/60
3/60
10/60
3/60
5/60
..................
44,799
695
695
60
1,298
1,455
147
49,149
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 ...............................................................................
Pharmacies Event Form ....................................................................................................
Subtotal for the MEPS–MPC .............................................................................................
38,683
540
9,300
4,676
3,935
86
6,112
63,332
1
5.0
2.8
1.2
5.9
1.3
31.3
..........................
5/60
3/60
3/60
3/60
3/60
3/60
3/60
..................
3,224
135
1,302
281
1,161
6
9,565
15,674
Grand Total .................................................................................................................
124,674
..........................
..................
64,832
Number of
respondents
Form name
MEPS–HC
.
MEPS–HC Core Interview .................................................................................................
Adult SAQ * ........................................................................................................................
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) ** .......................................................................................
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS) ............................................................................................
Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care SAQ ....................................................
Authorization forms for the MEPS–MPC Provider and Pharmacy Survey .......................
MEPS Validation Interview ................................................................................................
Subtotal for the MEPS–HC ................................................................................................
MEPS–MPC
* 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 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 $1,462,674 and the annual cost
burden for the MEPS–MPC is estimated
to be $306,285. The total annual cost
burden for the MEPS–HC and MPC is
estimated to be $1,768,959.
EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN
Total
burden
hours
Form name
Average hourly
wage rate
Total cost
burden
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
MEPS–HC
MEPS–HC Core Interview ...................................................................................................................
Adult SAQ ............................................................................................................................................
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) .............................................................................................................
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS) ..............................................................................................................
Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care SAQ ......................................................................
Authorization forms for the MEPS–MPC Provider and Pharmacy Survey .........................................
MEPS Validation Interview ..................................................................................................................
Subtotal for the MEPS–HC ..................................................................................................................
44,799
695
695
60
1,298
1,455
147
49,149
* $29.76
* 29.76
* 29.76
* 29.76
* 29.76
* 29.76
* 29.76
............................
$1,333,218
20,683
20,683
1,786
38,628
43,301
4,375
1,462,674
3,224
135
1,302
** 19.84
** 19.84
** 19.84
63,964
2,678
25,832
MEPS–MPC
MPC Contact Guide/Screening Call ....................................................................................................
Home care Providers Event Form .......................................................................................................
Office-based Providers Event Form ....................................................................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
02:06 Apr 19, 2024
Jkt 262001
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM
19APN1
28787
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 77 / Friday, April 19, 2024 / Notices
EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN—Continued
Total
burden
hours
Form name
Average hourly
wage rate
Total cost
burden
Separately Billing Doctors (SBD) Event Form ....................................................................................
Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form ............................................................................................
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form .................................................................................................
Pharmacies Event Form ......................................................................................................................
Subtotal for the MEPS–MPC ...............................................................................................................
281
1,161
6
9,565
15,674
** 19.84
** 19.84
** 19.84
*** 19.35
............................
5,575
23,034
119
185,083
306,285
Grand Total ...................................................................................................................................
64,832
............................
1,768,959
* 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: April 15, 2024.
Mamatha Pancholi,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 2024–08431 Filed 4–18–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160–90–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Health Resources and Services
Administration
Meeting of the National Advisory
Council on Migrant Health
Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA), Department of
Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
02:06 Apr 19, 2024
Jkt 262001
In accordance with the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, this
notice announces that the Secretary’s
National Advisory Council on Migrant
Health (NACMH or Council) has
scheduled a public meeting. Information
about NACMH and the agenda for this
meeting can be found on the NACMH
website at: https://www.hrsa.gov/
advisory-committees/migrant-health.
DATES: May 15–16, 2024; 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Pacific Time.
ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held
in-person and via webinar. The meeting
address is DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
Sacramento, 2001 Point West Way,
Sacramento, CA 95815. Instructions for
joining the meeting by webinar are
posted on the NACMH website. For
meeting information updates, visit the
NACMH website at: https://
www.hrsa.gov/advisory-committees/
migrant-health.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz
Rhee, NACMH Designated Federal
Official (DFO), Office of Policy and
Program Development, Bureau of
Primary Health Care, HRSA, 5600
Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857;
lrhee@hrsa.gov, or 301–443–1082.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NACMH
advises, consults with, and makes
recommendations to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services on policy,
program development, and other
matters of significance concerning the
activities under section 217 of the
Public Health Service Act, as amended
(42 U.S.C. 218). Specifically, NACMH
provides recommendations concerning
policy related to the organization,
operation, selection, and funding of
migrant health centers and other entities
that receive grants and contracts under
section 330 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 54b). NACMH meets
twice each calendar year, or at the
discretion of the DFO in consultation
with NACMH’s Chair.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Agenda items for the meeting may
include topics and issues related to
migratory and seasonal agricultural
worker health. Refer to the NACMH
website listed above for information
concerning the May 2024 NACMH
meeting, including a draft agenda and
meeting materials.
Members of the public will have the
opportunity to provide comments at the
meeting. Public participants may submit
written statements in advance of the
scheduled meeting. Oral comments will
be honored in the order they are
requested and may be limited as time
allows. Requests to submit a written
statement or make oral comments at the
NACMH meeting should be sent to Liz
Rhee, DFO, using the contact
information above at least 3 business
days prior to the meeting.
Individuals who plan to attend and
need special assistance or another
reasonable accommodation should
notify Liz Rhee using the contact
information listed above at least 10
business days prior to the meeting.
Registration is required to attend the
meeting. Registration and meeting
attendance instructions are posted on
the NACMH website.
Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2024–08345 Filed 4–18–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services
Administration
National Vaccine Injury Compensation
Program; List of Petitions Received
Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA), Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM
19APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28784-28787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08431]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 a revision of the currently
approved information collection project: ``Medical Expenditures Panel
Survey--Household and Medical Provider Components.'' In accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, AHRQ invites the public to comment
on this proposed information collection.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 18, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at
[email protected].
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 revision 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 2025 MEPS-HC
Core MEPS Interview and Adult SAQ--The Core interview and
the Adult Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) include four questions
from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems 5.0
(CAHPS 5.0). These questions will have wording changes to update them
to CAHPS 5.1. These wording changes will help identify telehealth
utilization and access, as well as maintain consistency between CAHPS
and MEPS-HC questionnaire items. Below are the four
[[Page 28785]]
questions, both the current version and the proposed version:
Current: In the last 12 months, did {you/{PERSON{time} {time} have
an illness, injury or condition that needed care right away in a
clinic, emergency room, or doctor's office?
Proposed: In the last 12 months, did {you/{PERSON{time} {time}
have an illness, injury, or condition that needed care right away?
Current: In the last 12 months, did you make any appointments for a
check-up or routine care for {yourself/{PERSON{time} {time} at a
doctor's office or clinic?
Proposed: In the last 12 months, did you make any in-person, phone,
or video appointments for a check-up or routine care for {yourself/
{PERSON{time} {time} ?
Current: Looking at card CS-2, in the last 12 months, how often did
you get an appointment for a check-up or routine care for {yourself/
{PERSON{time} {time} at a doctor's office or clinic as soon as {you/
he/she{time} needed?
Proposed: Looking at card CS-2, in the last 12 months, how often
did you get an appointment for a check-up or routine care for
{yourself/{PERSON{time} {time} as soon as {you/he/she{time} needed?
Current: Looking at card CS-3, in the last 12 months, not counting
times {you/{PERSON{time} {time} went to an emergency room, how many
times did {you/he/she{time} go to a doctor's office or clinic to get
health care?
Proposed: Looking at card CS-3, in the last 12 months, not counting
the times {you/{PERSON{time} {time} went to an emergency room, how
many times did {you/he/she{time} get health care in person, by phone,
or by video?
Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care Self-
Administered Questionnaire (ESAQ)--The Office of the Secretary--Patient
Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund is funding this SAQ to expand the
collection of economic outcomes data for patient-centered outcomes
research (PCOR) via the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
The ESAQ will be completed during Round 3, Panel 30 and Round 5,
Panel 29 (Spring 2025) by adult household members (aged 18 and over).
The ESAQ will be administered in a mixed-mode of paper and online.
Respondents will be offered a $20.00 monetary incentive to complete the
ESAQ. This is a one-time data collection and the ESAQ will be removed
from the MEPS after the 2025 fielding. The goal of the ESAQ is to
enhance the MEPS data by adding new domains related to the economic
burdens of seeking and receiving health care, to study economic
outcomes in patient-centered outcomes research.
There is no other survey that is now or has been recently conducted
that will meet the objectives of the ESAQ. The ESAQ will supplement
MEPS data on direct care expenditures with data on major indirect
costs, including time costs of getting care and administrative hassles;
lost work productivity due to presenteeism, lost productivity in non-
market activities, and time costs of informal care. With this new data,
researchers will be able to better examine health care economic burdens
and equity in health care access, utilization, and outcomes, for
example to aggregate social costs of health care and poor health,
examine indirect costs associated with common conditions, and analyze
disparities and equity in indirect costs.
In developing the ESAQ, AHRQ consulted with several experts in the
area and used their expertise to identify priority topics and questions
that have already been tested and widely accepted. Nearly all items are
either from Federal surveys, federally funded surveys, or adapted from
instruments that have been carefully validated. Two questions related
to affordability and access are from Kaiser Family Foundation surveys.
One question about informal care was cognitively tested in a prior
question development project. One question on the high-priority topic
of administrative hassles of health insurance was developed from
phrases from the carefully tested and widely accepted Consumer
Assessment of Health Plans and Systems.
Cancer Self-Administered Questionnaire (CSAQ)--The CSAQ
will be removed from the 2025 MEPS-HC.
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.
MEPS-HC
MEPS-HC Core Interview--completed by 12,218 ``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.
Adult SAQ--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 11,912 adults
and requires an average of 7 minutes to complete.
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ)--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
11,912 adults and requires an average of 7 minutes to complete.
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS)--completed by 1,195 persons
each year and requires 3 minutes to complete.
Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care SAQ--
completed by 15,577 and is estimated to take 10 minutes to complete.
This SAQ will be completed only once in 2025 and will be removed in
2026; to annualize the burden hours the number of responses per
respondent is 0.5 times per year.
Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC and Pharmacy Survey--
completed by 6,769 respondents. Each respondent will complete an
average of 5.7 forms each year, with each form requiring an average of
3 minutes to complete.
Validation interview--conducted with approximately 1,759
respondents each year and requires 5 minutes to complete. The total
annual burden hours for the respondent's time to participate in the
MEPS-HC is estimated to be 49,149 hours.
MEPS-MPC
Contact Guide/Screening Call--conducted with 38,683
providers and pharmacies each year and requires 5 minutes to complete.
Home Care Providers Event Form--completed by 540
providers, with each provider completing an average of 5
[[Page 28786]]
forms and each form requiring 3 minutes to complete.
Office-based Providers Event Form--completed by 9,300
providers. Each provider will complete an average of 2.8 forms and each
form requires 3 minutes to complete.
Separately Billing Doctors Event Form--will be completed
by 4,676 providers, with each provider completing 1.2 forms on average,
and each form requiring 3 minutes to complete.
Hospital Event Form--completed by 3,935 hospitals or HMOs.
Each hospital or HMO will complete 5.9 forms on average, with each form
requiring 3 minutes to complete.
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form--completed by 86
institutions, with each institution completing 1.3 forms on average,
and each form requiring 3 minutes to complete.
Pharmacy Event Form--completed by 6,112 pharmacies. Each
pharmacy will complete 31.3 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 15,674 hours. The total annual burden
hours for the MEPS-HC and MPC is estimated to be 64,832 hours.
Exhibit 1--MEPS-HC and MPC Estimated Annualized Respondents and Burden Hours, 2025 to 2027
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Total
Form name Number of responses per Hours per burden
respondents respondent response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC Core Interview...................................... 12,218 2.5 88/60 44,799
Adult SAQ *................................................. 11,912 0.5 7/60 695
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) **............................... 11,912 0.5 7/60 695
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS).................................. 1,195 1 3/60 60
Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care SAQ............ 15,577 0.5 10/60 1,298
Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC Provider and Pharmacy 6,769 5.7 3/60 1,455
Survey.....................................................
MEPS Validation Interview................................... 1,759 1 5/60 147
Subtotal for the MEPS-HC.................................... 61,342 ............... .......... 49,149
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-MPC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Guide/Screening Call................................ 38,683 1 5/60 3,224
Home Care Providers Event Form.............................. 540 5.0 3/60 135
Office-based Providers Event Form........................... 9,300 2.8 3/60 1,302
Separately Billing Doctors Event Form....................... 4,676 1.2 3/60 281
Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form)...................... 3,935 5.9 3/60 1,161
Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form...................... 86 1.3 3/60 6
Pharmacies Event Form....................................... 6,112 31.3 3/60 9,565
Subtotal for the MEPS-MPC................................... 63,332 ............... .......... 15,674
---------------------------------------------------
Grand Total............................................. 124,674 ............... .......... 64,832
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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 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 $1,462,674
and the annual cost burden for the MEPS-MPC is estimated to be
$306,285. The total annual cost burden for the MEPS-HC and MPC is
estimated to be $1,768,959.
Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Form name burden Average hourly Total cost
hours wage rate burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC Core Interview........ 44,799 * $29.76 $1,333,218
Adult SAQ..................... 695 * 29.76 20,683
Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ).... 695 * 29.76 20,683
Diabetes Care Survey (DCS).... 60 * 29.76 1,786
Burdens and Economic Impacts 1,298 * 29.76 38,628
of Medical Care SAQ..........
Authorization forms for the 1,455 * 29.76 43,301
MEPS-MPC Provider and
Pharmacy Survey..............
MEPS Validation Interview..... 147 * 29.76 4,375
Subtotal for the MEPS-HC...... 49,149 ................ 1,462,674
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-MPC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MPC Contact Guide/Screening 3,224 ** 19.84 63,964
Call.........................
Home care Providers Event Form 135 ** 19.84 2,678
Office-based Providers Event 1,302 ** 19.84 25,832
Form.........................
[[Page 28787]]
Separately Billing Doctors 281 ** 19.84 5,575
(SBD) Event Form.............
Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital 1,161 ** 19.84 23,034
Event Form...................
Institutions (non-hospital) 6 ** 19.84 119
Event Form...................
Pharmacies Event Form......... 9,565 *** 19.35 185,083
Subtotal for the MEPS-MPC..... 15,674 ................ 306,285
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Total............... 64,832 ................ 1,768,959
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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: April 15, 2024.
Mamatha Pancholi,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-08431 Filed 4-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P
