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View ICR - OIRA Conclusion

OMB Control No: 0935-0118	ICR Reference No: 202007-0935-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201907-0935-002
Agency/Subagency: HHS/AHRQ	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component and Medical Provider Component (MEPS-HC and MEPS-MPC)
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 11/18/2020
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 08/04/2020
Terms of Clearance: *

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	11/30/2023	36 Months From Approved	11/30/2022
Responses	379,377	0	338,980
Time Burden (Hours)	88,309	0	84,930
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: The purpose of this request is to integrate several items into MEPS including several new questions related to COVID-19 (Attachment A) including telehealth (telemedicine) questions (Attachment B) into the CAPI questionnaire and a new self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) entitled, “Social and Health Experiences,” (see Attachment C). The questions on COVID-19 capture information on any delay in care due to COVID-19. The questions will be administered through an RU level gate question with follow up questions asked at the person level as appropriate. Telehealth (telemedicine) will be administered as its own event type with questions and probes mirroring those used for in-person medical provider visits. The Social and Health Experiences SAQ will include questions in a dual mode (web and paper) self-administered questionnaire about social and behavioral determinants of health including questions about housing affordability and quality, neighborhood characteristics, food security, transportation needs, financial strain, smoking and physical activity, and experiences with discrimination, social support, general well-being, personal safety, and adverse circumstances in childhood. Data collection will be for eligible adults (aged 18 and over). AHRQ proposes a mixed-mode (web and paper) primarily to further protect respondent’s privacy due to the sensitive nature of some of the items. Web completion will be the main mode with paper offered to those with barriers to internet access. In addition, due to COVID-19, in March of 2020, MEPS moved to telephone interviewing for all panels and rounds currently in the field with increased use of the web to facilitate respondent reporting; for example the use of showcards. The current plan is resume at least some face-to-face interviewing during the fall rounds for Panels 23, 24, and 25. Moreover, Panels 23 and 24 are to be extended one year with the creation of Round 6 and 7 interviews in order to contribute to the data collected for data years 2020 and 2021. The data collected will offset any impact on response rates due to the pandemic or changes in primary mode for data collection.

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	379,377	338,980	40,397
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	88,309	84,930	3,379
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The total estimated annual burden hours for the MEPS increased 3,379 hours is due to the addition of the COVID-19 related questions, including telehealth (telemedicine) questions, and the Social and Health Experiences Adult SAQ. This is a one-time increase for 2021 only.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $1,182,500

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? Yes

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Yes

Agency Contact: Erwin Brown 301 427-1652 erwin.brown@ahrq.hhs.gov