[Federal Register: October 15, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 199)]
[Notices]               
[Page 59406-59407]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15oc03-83]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) allow the proposed information collection 
project: ``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Medical Provider Component 
(MEPS-MPC) for 2003'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(e)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the 
public to comment on this proposed information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 15, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Cynthia D. 
McMichael, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room 
5022, Rockville, MD 20850.
    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: Cynthia D. McMichael, AHRQ, Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1651.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

    ``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Medical Provider Components 
(MEPS-MPC) for 2003''.
    The MEPS-MPC is a survey of hospitals, physicians and other medical 
providers. The purpose of this survey is to supplement and verify the 
information provided by respondent households participating in the 
household component of the MEPS (MEPS-HC) about their use of medical 
services in the United States.
    With the permission of members of the households surveyed in the 
MEPSC-HC, AHRQ contractor will contact the medical providers of the HC 
survey respondents to determine the actual dates of service, the 
diagnoses, the services provided, the amount that was charged, the 
amount that was paid and the source of payment. Thus, the MPC is 
derived from or is based upon the core survey, (MEPS-HC) and will 
improve the quality of the core survey data.
    The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC) 
conducted in 2003, will provide annual estimates, based upon a national 
representative sample, of health care use, expenditures, sources of 
payment and insurance coverage, for the U.S. civilian non-
institutionalized population for 2003. Data from medical providers 
linked to household respondents in the MEPS Household component for 
calendar year 2003, will be collected beginning 2004 and continuing 
into the year 2005. MEPS is co-sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare 
Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the National Center for Health 
Statistics (NCHS).

[[Page 59407]]

Data Confidentiality Provisions

    MEPS data confidentiality is protected under the AHRQ and NCHS 
Confidentiality statues, section 308(d) and section 924(c) of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m(d) and 42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c), 
respectively).

Methods of Collection

    The Medical Provider Survey will be conducted predominantly by 
telephone, but may include self-administered mail surveys, if requested 
by the respondent. The MPC for Calendar year 2003 estimated annual hour 
burden is as follows:

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                                                                          Average No. of     Number of                    Average burden/
                    Type of provider                         Number of       patients/       patient/     Average No. of       event      Total hours of
                                                            respondents      provider     provider pairs  events/patient     (minutes)        burden
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MPC 2003:
    Hospital Office-based...............................           5,095             2.2          11,210             3.2               5           2,977
    Doctor..............................................          16,031             1.3          20,840             3.5               5           6,054
    Separately Billing doctor...........................          15,879             1.4          22,230             1.3               5           2,399
    Home Health.........................................             505             1.1             555             5.8               5             267
    Pharmacy............................................           7,481             2.6          19,450            10.3               3          10,017
                                                         -----------------
        Total...........................................          44,991  ..............          74,285  ..............  ..............          21,714
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Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above cited legislation, comments on the 
AHRQ information collection are requested with regard to any of the 
following:
    (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of functions of AHRQ, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the AHRQ's 
estimate of burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed 
collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information upon the respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for OMB approval of the proposed 
information collection. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: October 9, 2003.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 03-26093 Filed 10-14-03; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160-90-M