Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 162 / Monday, August 23, 2010 / Notices 51831 

may be found online at http:// 

biospecimens.cancer.gov/bestpractices/. 

Dated: August 12, 2010. 

Douglas R. Lowy, 

Deputy Director, National Cancer Institute, 

National Institutes of Health. 

[FR Doc. 2010–20872 Filed 8–20–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Agency for Healthcare Research and 

Quality 

Request for Measures of Health Plan 

Efforts To Address Health Plan 

Members’ Health Literacy Needs 

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research 

and Quality (AHRQ), DHHS. 

ACTION: Notice of request for measures. 

SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality (AHRQ) is 

soliciting the submission of instruments 

or items that measure how well health 

plans and health providers address 

health plan enrollees’ health literacy 

needs and how well they communicate 

with health plan enrollees. This 

initiative is in response to the need 

identified by AHRQ to develop a new 

supplemental item set (the ‘‘new 

instrument’’) for addressing health 

literacy for the CAHPS® Health Plan 

Survey. The intent of the planned 

survey is to gain patients’ perspective 

on how well health and health plan 

information is communicated to them 

by healthcare professionals and health 

plans. The results of the planned survey 

may become an important source of 

information for health plans, clinicians, 

group practices, and other interested 

parties assessing quality of health 

information or planning changes in how 

health plan information is delivered to 

health plan enrollees. 

Based on prior work, there are several 

functional areas that the new instrument 

could address. Depending on the 

communication mode, the new 

instrument could assess, for example, 

clarity and simplicity of provided health 

information related to: (a) Preventive 

services (e.g., risks and benefits of the 

service, explanation of screening 

results); (b) health problems/concerns 

(e.g., information on how to stay healthy 

or prevent illness); (c) treatment 

choices, instructions, or goals (e.g., pros 

and cons of each option); (d) 

medications (e.g., reason for taking 

medications, instructions on how to 

take medications, possible side effects); 

and, (e) care management/disease 

management. A survey using the new 

instrument may also assess the quality 

of services supporting health 

information delivery such as language 

access (e.g., availability and timeliness 

of customer service and interpreter 

services in other languages, availability 

of forms and patient education materials 

in other languages), the quality and 

accessibility of member services and 

nurse advice lines, the quality and 

accessibility of health plan information 

on coverage, benefits, and billing 

information (including availability in 

other languages), health plan system 

navigation and health plan environment 

(language access and assistance in 

completing medical paperwork or 

forms, signage). 

DATES: Please submit instruments and 

supporting information on or before 

October 22, 2010. AHRQ will not 

respond individually to submitters, but 

will consider all submitted instruments 

and publicly report the results of the 

review of the submissions in aggregate. 

ADDRESSES: Submissions should include 

a brief cover letter, a copy of the 

instrument or items for consideration 

and supporting information as specified 

under the Submission Criteria below. 

Submissions may be in the form of a 

letter or e-mail, preferably with an 

electronic file as an E-mail attachment. 

Responses to this request should be 

submitted to: 

Cindy Brach, Center for Delivery, 

Organization, and Markets, Agency for 

Healthcare Research and Quality, 540 

Gaither Road, Room 5129, Rockville, 

MD 20850, Phone: (301) 427–1444, Fax: 

(301) 427–1430, E-mail: 

Cindy.Brach@AHRQ.hhs.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cindy Brach, at the address above. 

Submission Criteria 

Instruments and items submitted 

should focus on patients’ perspective on 

quality of health and health plan 

information provided by health plans, 

clinicians, and/or group practices. 

Measures submitted must meet these 

criteria to be considered: (a) Assess 

patients’ or their caregivers’ experiences 

receiving health and health plan 

information and (b) demonstrate 

substantial reliability and validity. 

Submitters must agree to grant to the 

Government a nonexclusive, 

irrevocable, royalty-free right to use, 

distribute to the public, reproduce and 

create derivative works from the 

proffered instruments, items or their 

arrangement. AHRQ must have the right 

to freely use and authorize others to use 

the new instrument, which will be 

distributed under the CAHPS®

trademark. The new instrument will 

combine the best features of all the 

submissions as well as any ideas that 

may develop from reviewing them. 

AHRQ, in collaboration with CAHPS 

grantees, will evaluate all submitted 

instruments or items. As they construct 

the CAHPS instrument, they may select 

one or more proffered instruments and 

their items either in whole or in part or 

modify the items prior to testing them. 

AHRQ will own and assume 

responsibility for new instrument as 

well as any future modifications to it. 

The new instrument will bear the 

CAHPS® trademark and it will be made 

freely available for use by all interested 

parties. 

Each submission should include the 

following information: The name of the 

instrument, domains included, 

language(s) the instrument is available 

in, evidence of cultural/cross group 

comparability, if any, instrument 

reliability (internal consistency, testretest, etc.), validity (content, construct, 

criterion-related), response rates, 

methods and results of cognitive 

interviews/testing and field-testing and 

description of sampling strategies 

(including payer type) and data 

collection protocols, including such 

elements as mode of administration, use 

of advance letters, timing and 

frequencies of contacts. In addition, a 

list of where the instrument has been 

fielded should also be included in the 

submission. Submission of copies of 

existing report formats developed to 

disclose findings to consumers and 

providers is desirable, but not required. 

Additionally, information about existing 

database(s) for the instrument(s) 

submitted is helpful, but not required 

for submission. Evidence of the criteria 

should be demonstrated through 

publication and submission of peerreviewed journal article(s) or through 

the best evidence available at the time 

of submission. Please include citations 

of peer-reviewed journal articles. 

To facilitate handling of submissions, 

please include full information about 

the instrument developer or contact: (a) 

Name; (b) title; (c) organization; (d) 

mailing address; (e) telephone number; 

(f) fax number; and (g) e-mail address. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The CAHPS program was initiated in 

1995 to develop a survey and report on 

the consumers’ perspective on the 

quality of their health plans. Since that 

time, the CAHPS program in 

partnership with CMS and others has 

expanded its scope and developed 

surveys and reports regarding 

individual clinicians, group practices, 

in-center hemodialysis services, nursing 


erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
51832 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 162 / Monday, August 23, 2010 / Notices 

homes and hospitals. AHRQ determined 

that the CAHPS teams should develop a 

survey to obtain the consumers’ 

perspective on the quality of health 

information. The CAHPS program is 

conducted pursuant to AHRQ’s 

statutory authority to conduct and 

support research and disseminate 

information on health care and on 

systems for the delivery of such care, 

including activities with respect to: The 

quality, effectiveness, efficiency, 

appropriateness and value of health care 

services; quality measurement and 

improvement; the outcomes, cost, costeffectiveness, and use of health care 

services and access to such services; and 

health statistics, surveys, database 

development, and epidemiology. See 42 

U.S.C. 299a(a)(1), (2), (3) and (8). 

The vision of the Agency for 

Healthcare Research and Quality is to 

foster health care research that helps the 

American health care system provide 

access to high-quality, cost effective 

services; be accountable and responsive 

to consumers and purchasers; and 

improve health status and quality of life. 

The CAHPS program was developed as 

a result of the AHRQ’s vision. One of 

the components missing from the 

current measurement set is an 

assessment of patients’ perspective on 

how well health plans, hospital, 

clinicians, and group practices address 

health literacy issues. 

Dated: August 10, 2010. 

Carolyn M. Clancy, 

Director. 

[FR Doc. 2010–20679 Filed 8–20–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency 

[Internal Agency Docket No. FEMA–3311– 

EM; Docket ID FEMA–2010–0002] 

Rhode Island; Amendment No. 4 to 

Notice of an Emergency Declaration 

AGENCY: Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice amends the notice 

of an emergency declaration for the 

State of Rhode Island (FEMA–3311– 

EM), dated March 30, 2010, and related 

determinations. 

DATES: Effective Date: July 29, 2010. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peggy Miller, Recovery Directorate, 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, 

DC 20472, (202) 646–3886. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that, pursuant to the 

Supplemental Appropriations Act, 

2010, Public Law 111–212, FEMA is 

amending the cost-sharing arrangement 

concerning Federal funds provided 

under the authority of the Robert T. 

Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5140b, 5172, 

and 5123 for the emergency declared on 

March 30, 2010, for the State of Rhode 

Island due to the damage resulting from 

severe storms and flooding. The Rhode 

Island emergency declaration is 

amended as follows: 

Federal funds for emergency protective 

measures (Category B), limited to direct 

Federal assistance, under the Public 

Assistance program provided under this 

declaration are authorized at 90 percent of 

total eligible costs. 

(The following Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Numbers (CFDA) are to be used 

for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, 

Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora 

Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 

97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034, 

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 

97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant; 

97.048, Disaster Housing Assistance to 

Individuals and Households in Presidentially 

Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049, 

Presidentially Declared Disaster Assistance— 

Disaster Housing Operations for Individuals 

and Households; 97.050, Presidentially 

Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals 

and Households—Other Needs; 97.036, 

Disaster Grants—Public Assistance 

(Presidentially Declared Disasters); 97.039, 

Hazard Mitigation Grant.) 

W. Craig Fugate, 

Administrator, Federal Emergency 

Management Agency. 

[FR Doc. 2010–20777 Filed 8–20–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–23–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency 

[Internal Agency Docket No. FEMA–1932– 

DR; Docket ID FEMA–2010–0002] 

Kansas; Major Disaster and Related 

Determinations 

AGENCY: Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is a notice of the 

Presidential declaration of a major 

disaster for the State of Kansas (FEMA– 

1932–DR), dated August 10, 2010, and 

related determinations. 

DATES: Effective Date: August 10, 2010. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peggy Miller, Recovery Directorate, 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, 

DC 20472, (202) 646–3886. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that, in a letter dated 

August 10, 2010, the President issued a 

major disaster declaration under the 

authority of the Robert T. Stafford 

Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. 

(the ‘‘Stafford Act’’), as follows: 

I have determined that the damage in 

certain areas of the State of Kansas resulting 

from severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes 

during the period of June 7 to July 21, 2010, 

is of sufficient severity and magnitude to 

warrant a major disaster declaration under 

the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et 

seq. (the ‘‘Stafford Act’’). 

Therefore, I declare that such a major 

disaster exists in the State of Kansas. 

In order to provide Federal assistance, you 

are hereby authorized to allocate from funds 

available for these purposes such amounts as 

you find necessary for Federal disaster 

assistance and administrative expenses. 

You are authorized to provide Public 

Assistance in the designated areas and 

Hazard Mitigation throughout the State. 

Consistent with the requirement that Federal 

assistance is supplemental, any Federal 

funds provided under the Stafford Act for 

Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation will 

be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible 

costs. 

Further, you are authorized to make 

changes to this declaration for the approved 

assistance to the extent allowable under the 

Stafford Act. 

The Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) hereby gives notice that 

pursuant to the authority vested in the 

Administrator, under Executive Order 

12148, as amended, Michael R. Scott, of 

FEMA is appointed to act as the Federal 

Coordinating Officer for this major 

disaster. 

The following areas of the State of 

Kansas have been designated as 

adversely affected by this major disaster: 

The counties of Atchison, Brown, Butler, 

Chase, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Doniphan, 

Ellis, Franklin, Greenwood, Harvey, Jewell, 

Kiowa, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Miami, 

Mitchell, Morris, Norton, Osage, Osborne, 

Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Republic, 

Riley, Rooks, Rush, Smith, Wabaunsee, 

Washington, and Woodson for Public 

Assistance. 

All counties within the State of Kansas are 

eligible to apply for assistance under the 

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. 

The following Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Numbers (CFDA) are to be used 

for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, 

Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora 

Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 

97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034, 

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 


erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES