Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 54466-54469 [2024-14474]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 126 / Monday, July 1, 2024 / Notices
this RFI. Responses should include the
name of the person(s) or organization(s)
filing the comment, as well as the
respondent type (e.g., scientists who are
studying electric vehicle batteries and
reuse and recycling solutions,
laboratories, companies, academic
institution engaged in battery use, reuse,
and recycling research; industries,
government, others interested in electric
vehicle battery reuse and recycling, and
electric vehicle equipment
manufacturers and recyclers).
Respondent’s role in the organization
may also be provided (e.g., researcher,
administrator, student, program
manager, journalist) on a voluntary
basis.
Comments containing references,
studies, research, and other empirical
data that are not widely published
should include copies or electronic
links of the referenced materials. No
business proprietary information,
copyrighted information, or personally
identifiable information (aside from that
requested above) should be submitted in
response to this RFI. Comments
submitted in response to this RFI may
be posted online or otherwise released
publicly.
Mehul Parekh,
Acting Associate Administrator, Office of
Government-wide Policy, U.S. General
Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024–14347 Filed 6–28–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820–14–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.’’
This proposed information collection
was previously published in the Federal
Register on April 19, 2024 and allowed
60 days for public comment. No
comments were received. The purpose
of this notice is to allow an additional
30 days for public comment.
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SUMMARY:
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Comments on this notice must be
received by July 31, 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
REPORTSCLEARANCEOFFICER@
ahrq.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
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
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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
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.
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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 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
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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.
MEPS–HC:
1. MEPS–HC Core Interview—
completed by 12,683 ‘‘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.
2. 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 15,600 adults and requires an average
of 7 minutes to complete.
3. 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 15,600
adults and requires an average of 7
minutes to complete.
4. DCS—completed by 1,398 persons
with diagnosed diabetes each year and
requires 3 minutes to complete.
5. Burdens and Economic Impacts of
Medical Care SAQ—completed by
16,170 and is estimated to take 10
minutes to complete. This SAQ will be
completed only once in 2025 and will
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54467
be removed in 2026; to annualize the
burden hours the number of responses
per respondent is 0.5 times per year.
6. Authorization forms for the MEPS–
MPC and Pharmacy Survey—completed
by 7,386 respondents. Each respondent
will complete an average of 5.2 forms
each year, with each form requiring an
average of 3 minutes to complete.
7. Validation interview—conducted
with approximately 1,826 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 51,814
hours.
MEPS–MPC:
1. Contact Guide/Screening Call—
conducted with 38,683 providers and
pharmacies each year and requires 5
minutes to complete.
2. Home Care Providers Event Form—
completed by 540 providers, with each
provider completing an average of 5
forms and each form requiring 3
minutes to complete.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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 67,488 hours.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 126 / Monday, July 1, 2024 / Notices
EXHIBIT 1—MEPS–HC AND MPC ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED RESPONDENTS AND BURDEN HOURS, 2025 TO 2027
Number of
respondents a
Form name
Number of
responses per
respondent
Hours per
response
Total burden
hours
MEPS–HC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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 ..........................................................................
12,683
15,600
15,600
1,398
16,170
7,386
1,826
2.5
0.5
0.5
1
0.5
5.2
1
88/60
7/60
7/60
3/60
10/60
3/60
5/60
46,504
910
910
70
1,348
1,920
152
Subtotal for the MEPS–HC .......................................................................
70,663
........................
........................
51,814
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 ..............................................................................
38,683
540
9,300
4,676
3,935
86
6,112
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
Subtotal for the MEPS–MPC ....................................................................
63,332
........................
........................
15,674
Grand Total .......................................................................................
133,995
........................
........................
67,488
MEPS–MPC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
* 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.
a See the Supporting Statement Part B, Table 1 and Table 3, for information on the sample size and number of respondents.
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 $1,631,105 and the annual cost
burden for the MEPS–MPC is estimated
to be $326,612. The total annual cost
burden for the MEPS–HC and MPC is
estimated to be $1,957,716.
EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN
Total burden
hours
Form name
Average
hourly wage
rate
Total cost
burden
MEPS–HC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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 ......................................................................................................
46,504
910
910
70
1,348
1,920
152
* $31.48
* 31.48
* 31.48
* 31.48
* 31.48
* 31.48
* 31.48
$1,463,946
28,647
27,082
2,204
42,435
60,442
4,785
Subtotal for the MEPS–HC ..................................................................................................
51,814
........................
1,631,105
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 ..........................................................................................................
3,224
135
1,302
281
1,161
6
9,565
** 20.85
** 20.85
** 20.85
** 20.85
** 20.85
** 20.85
** 20.83
67,220
2,815
27,147
5,859
24,207
125
199,239
Subtotal for the MEPS–MPC ................................................................................................
15,674
........................
326,612
Grand Total ...................................................................................................................
67,488
........................
1,957,716
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MEPS–MPC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
* Mean hourly wage for All Occupations (00–0000).
** Mean hourly wage for Medical Secretaries (43–6013).
*** Mean hourly wage for Pharmacy Technicians (29–2052).
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 126 / Monday, July 1, 2024 / Notices
54469
Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2023 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: June 26, 2024.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
Captain Luis Rodriguez, Vessel
Sanitation Program, National Center for
Environmental Health, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 4770
Buford Highway NE, MS S106–6,
Atlanta, Georgia 30341; email: vsp@
cdc.gov; phone: (800) 323–2132.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[Docket No. CDC–2024–0050]
Meeting Purpose
[FR Doc. 2024–14474 Filed 6–28–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160–90–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Vessel Sanitation Program: Annual
Program Status Meeting; Request for
Comment
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice with comment period.
AGENCY:
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) in the
Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) announces the opening
of a docket to obtain comment on the FY
2024 annual Vessel Sanitation Program
(VSP) public meeting. The August 5,
2024, annual meeting is a forum for CDC
to update cruise industry
representatives and other interested
persons on programmatic activities and
future plans. CDC is opening a public
SUMMARY:
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docket for additional comments and
materials. The official record of this
meeting will remain open through
August 30, 2024 so comments related to
the discussion topics can be part of the
record.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before August 30, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by Docket No. CDC–2024–
0050, by either of the methods listed
below. Do not submit comments by
email. CDC does not accept comments
by email.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Vessel Sanitation Program,
National Center for Environmental
Health, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE,
MS S106–6, Atlanta, Georgia 30341.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
Docket Number. All relevant comments
received will be posted without change
to https://www.regulations.gov,
including any personal information
provided. For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments received, go to https://
www.regulations.gov.
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The purpose of the annual meeting is
to inform the public of VSP’s activities
to help the cruise industry prevent the
introduction and spread of acute
gastroenteritis (AGE) to U.S. ports from
ships under VSP’s jurisdiction. Ships
under VSP jurisdiction have 13 or more
passengers and an itinerary that
includes foreign and U.S. ports.
Discussion topics: VSP programmatic
activities, epidemiology data and
projects, and partner updates.
Meeting accessibility: Interested
persons or organizations are invited to
participate in the annual meeting in
person, but space is limited to
approximately 125 people. Advanced
registration is required. Information
regarding logistics is available on the
VSP website (https://www.cdc.gov/
vessel-sanitation/php/meetings-
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announcements). Attendees at the
annual meeting normally include cruise
ship industry officials, private
sanitation consultants, and other
interested parties.
Deadline for requests for special
accommodations: Persons wishing to
participate in the public meeting who
need special accommodations should
contact Captain Luis Rodriguez by July
15, 2024 (email: vsp@cdc.gov or phone:
(800) 323–2132).
Public Participation
Interested persons or organizations
are invited to participate by submitting
written views, recommendations, and
data. In addition, CDC invites comments
specifically on the following topics for
discussion at the public meeting: VSP
programmatic activities, epidemiology
data and projects, and partner updates.
Please note that comments received,
including attachments and other
supporting materials, are part of the
public record and are subject to public
disclosure. Comments will be posted on
https://www.regulations.gov. Therefore,
do not include any information in your
comment or supporting materials that
you consider confidential or
inappropriate for public disclosure. If
you include your name, contact
information, or other information that
identifies you in the body of your
comments, that information will be on
public display. CDC will review all
submissions and may choose to redact,
or withhold, submissions containing
private or proprietary information such
as Social Security numbers, medical
information, inappropriate language, or
duplicate/near duplicate examples of a
mass-mail campaign. Do not submit
comments by email. CDC does not
accept comment by email.
Noah Aleshire,
Chief Regulatory Officer, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024–14475 Filed 6–28–24; 8:45 am]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54466-54469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14474]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.'' This proposed
information collection was previously published in the Federal Register
on April 19, 2024 and allowed 60 days for public comment. No 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 July 31, 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 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 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.
[[Page 54467]]
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:
1. MEPS-HC Core Interview--completed by 12,683 ``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.
2. 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 15,600 adults and
requires an average of 7 minutes to complete.
3. 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 15,600 adults and requires an
average of 7 minutes to complete.
4. DCS--completed by 1,398 persons with diagnosed diabetes each
year and requires 3 minutes to complete.
5. Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care SAQ--completed by
16,170 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.
6. Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC and Pharmacy Survey--
completed by 7,386 respondents. Each respondent will complete an
average of 5.2 forms each year, with each form requiring an average of
3 minutes to complete.
7. Validation interview--conducted with approximately 1,826
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 51,814 hours.
MEPS-MPC:
1. Contact Guide/Screening Call--conducted with 38,683 providers
and pharmacies each year and requires 5 minutes to complete.
2. Home Care Providers Event Form--completed by 540 providers, with
each provider completing an average of 5 forms and each form requiring
3 minutes to complete.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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 67,488 hours.
[[Page 54468]]
Exhibit 1--MEPS-HC and MPC Estimated Annualized Respondents and Burden Hours, 2025 to 2027
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Number of
Form name respondents responses per Hours per Total burden
\a\ respondent response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. MEPS-HC Core Interview....................... 12,683 2.5 88/60 46,504
2. Adult SAQ *.................................. 15,600 0.5 7/60 910
3. Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) **................ 15,600 0.5 7/60 910
4. Diabetes Care Survey (DCS)................... 1,398 1 3/60 70
5. Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care 16,170 0.5 10/60 1,348
SAQ............................................
6. Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC Provider 7,386 5.2 3/60 1,920
and Pharmacy Survey............................
7. MEPS Validation Interview.................... 1,826 1 5/60 152
---------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-HC.................... 70,663 .............. .............. 51,814
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-MPC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Contact Guide/Screening Call................. 38,683 1 5/60 3,224
2. Home Care Providers Event Form............... 540 5.0 3/60 135
3. Office-based Providers Event Form............ 9,300 2.8 3/60 1,302
4. Separately Billing Doctors Event Form........ 4,676 1.2 3/60 281
5. Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form)....... 3,935 5.9 3/60 1,161
6. Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form....... 86 1.3 3/60 6
7. Pharmacies Event Form........................ 6,112 31.3 3/60 9,565
---------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-MPC................... 63,332 .............. .............. 15,674
---------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Total............................. 133,995 .............. .............. 67,488
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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.
\a\ See the Supporting Statement Part B, Table 1 and Table 3, for information on the sample size and number of
respondents.
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 $1,631,105
and the annual cost burden for the MEPS-MPC is estimated to be
$326,612. The total annual cost burden for the MEPS-HC and MPC is
estimated to be $1,957,716.
Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total burden Average hourly Total cost
Form name hours wage rate burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-HC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. MEPS-HC Core Interview....................................... 46,504 * $31.48 $1,463,946
2. Adult SAQ *.................................................. 910 * 31.48 28,647
3. Preventive Care SAQ (PSAQ) **................................ 910 * 31.48 27,082
4. Diabetes Care Survey (DCS)................................... 70 * 31.48 2,204
5. Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care SAQ............. 1,348 * 31.48 42,435
6. Authorization forms for the MEPS-MPC Provider and Pharmacy 1,920 * 31.48 60,442
Survey.........................................................
7. MEPS Validation Interview.................................... 152 * 31.48 4,785
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-HC.................................... 51,814 .............. 1,631,105
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEPS-MPC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Contact Guide/Screening Call................................. 3,224 ** 20.85 67,220
2. Home Care Providers Event Form............................... 135 ** 20.85 2,815
3. Office-based Providers Event Form............................ 1,302 ** 20.85 27,147
4. Separately Billing Doctors Event Form........................ 281 ** 20.85 5,859
5. Hospitals & HMOs (Hospital Event Form)....................... 1,161 ** 20.85 24,207
6. Institutions (non-hospital) Event Form....................... 6 ** 20.85 125
7. Pharmacies Event Form........................................ 9,565 ** 20.83 199,239
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal for the MEPS-MPC................................... 15,674 .............. 326,612
-----------------------------------------------
Grand Total............................................. 67,488 .............. 1,957,716
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Mean hourly wage for All Occupations (00-0000).
** Mean hourly wage for Medical Secretaries (43-6013).
*** Mean hourly wage for Pharmacy Technicians (29-2052).
[[Page 54469]]
Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2023 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: June 26, 2024.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2024-14474 Filed 6-28-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P
