Notice2022-19113
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 6, 2022
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Abstract
This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reapprove the proposed information collection project: "Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Insurance Component."
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 171 (Tuesday, September 6, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 6, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54508-54509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19113]
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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) reapprove the proposed information
collection project: ``Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Insurance
Component.''
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 7, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7a1e1508130954161f1c11150d130e003a3b32282b54121209541d150c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="87e3e8f5eef4a9ebe2e1ece8f0eef3fdc7c6cfd5d6a9efeff4a9e0e8f1">[email protected]</span></a>
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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ddb9b2afb4aef3b1b8bbb6b2aab4a9a79d9c958f8cf3b5b5aef3bab2ab"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="284c475a415b06444d4e43475f415c526869607a790640405b064f475e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Project
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Insurance Component
In 2021 employer-sponsored health insurance was the source of
coverage for 90.5 million current and former workers, plus many of
their family members, and is a cornerstone of the U.S. health care
system. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey--Insurance Component
(MEPS-IC) measures the extent, cost, and coverage of employer-sponsored
health insurance on an annual basis. These statistics are produced at
the National, State, and sub-State (metropolitan area) level for
private industry. Statistics are also produced for State and Local
governments.
This research has the following goals:
(1) to provide data for Federal policymakers evaluating the effects
of National and State health care reforms.
(2) to provide descriptive data on the current employer-sponsored
health insurance system and data for modeling the differential impacts
of proposed health policy initiatives.
(3) to supply critical State and National estimates of health
insurance spending for the National Health Accounts and Gross Domestic
Product.
This study is being conducted by AHRQ through the Bureau of the
Census, 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
To achieve the goals of this project the following data collections
for both private sector and state and local government employers will
be implemented:
(1) Prescreener Questionnaire--The purpose of the Prescreener
Questionnaire, which is collected via telephone, varies depending on
the
[[Page 54509]]
insurance status of the establishment contacted (establishment is
defined as a single, physical location in the private sector and a
governmental unit in state and local governments). For establishments
that do not offer health insurance to their employees, the prescreener
is used to collect basic information such as number of employees.
Collection is completed for these establishments through this telephone
call. For establishments that do offer health insurance, contact name
and address information is collected that is used for the mailout of
the establishment and plan questionnaires. Obtaining this contact
information helps ensure that the questionnaires are directed to the
person in the establishment best equipped to complete them.
(2) Establishment Questionnaire--The purpose of the mailed
Establishment Questionnaire is to obtain general information from
employers that provide health insurance to their employees. Information
such as total active enrollment in health insurance, other employee
benefits, demographic characteristics of employees, and retiree health
insurance is collected through the establishment questionnaire.
(3) Plan Questionnaire--The purpose of the mailed Plan
Questionnaire is to collect plan-specific information on each plan (up
to four plans) offered by establishments that provide health insurance
to their employees. This questionnaire obtains information on total
premiums, employer and employee contributions to the premium, and plan
enrollment for each type of coverage offered--single, employee-plus-
one, and family--within a plan. It also asks for information on
deductibles, copays, and other plan characteristics.
The primary objective of the MEPS-IC is to collect information on
employer-sponsored health insurance. Such information is needed in
order to provide the tools for Federal, State, and academic researchers
to evaluate current and proposed health policies and to support the
production of important statistical measures for other Federal
agencies.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours for the
respondent's time to participate in the MEPS-IC. The Prescreener
questionnaire will be completed by 25,200 respondents and takes 5
minutes to complete. The Establishment questionnaire will be completed
by 21,738 respondents and takes 20 minutes to complete. The Plan
questionnaire will be completed by 19,246 respondents and will require
an average of 2.3 responses per respondent. Each Plan questionnaire
takes 11 minutes to complete. The total annualized burden hours are
estimated to be 17,461 hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden associated
with the respondents' time to participate in this data collection. The
annualized cost burden is estimated to be $619,691.
Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours for the 2023-2025 MEPS-IC
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Number of
Form name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
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Prescreener Questionnaire....................... 25,200 1 5/60 2,100
Establishment Questionnaire..................... 21,738 1 * 20/60 7,246
Plan Questionnaire.............................. 19,246 2.3 11/60 8,115
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Total....................................... 66,184 na na 17,461
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* The burden estimate printed on the establishment questionnaire is 45 minutes which includes the burden
estimate for completing the establishment questionnaire and two plan questionnaires (on average, each
establishment completes 2.3 plan questionnaires). The establishment and plan questionnaires are sent to the
respondent as a package and are completed by the respondent at the same time.
Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden for the 2023-2025 MEPS-IC
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Number of Total burden Average hourly Total cost
Form name respondents hours wage rate * burden
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Prescreener Questionnaire....................... 25,200 2,100 35.49 $74,529
Establishment Questionnaire..................... 21,738 7,246 35.49 $257,161
Plan Questionnaire.............................. 19,246 8,115 35.49 $288,001
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Total....................................... 66,184 17,461 na $619,691
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* Based upon the mean hourly wage for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists occupation code 13-
1141, at <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131141.htm">https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131141.htm</a> (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: August 30, 2022.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2022-19113 Filed 9-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P
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