### 49518 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 157 / Wednesday, August 14, 2013 / Notices

EXHIBIT 

### 2—E STIMATED 

### A NNUALIZED 

### C OST 

### B URDEN

### —Continued

Form name Number of respondents Total burden hours Average hourly wage rate * Total cost burden

Total .......................................................................................................... 1,200 300 n/a 25 ,578

* Based upon the higher of the two means of the hourly wages for general and family practitioners and general pediatricians, National Compensation Survey: ‘‘May 2011 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, 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 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 2, 2013. Carolyn M. Clancy,
AHRQ Director.

[FR Doc. 2013–19724 Filed 8–13–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4160–90–P**

**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 the proposed information collection project:

‘‘ Collection of Information for Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Health Plan Survey Comparative Database. ’’ In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501–3521, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

**DATES :**  Comments on this notice must be received by October 15, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.

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 d oris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Proposed Project
Collection of Information for Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Health Plan Survey Comparative Database

Request for information collection approval. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) requests that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reapprove, under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, AHRQ’s collection of information for the AHRQ Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Database for Health Plans: OMB Control number 0935–0165, expiration July 31, 2013. The CAHPS Health Plan Database consists of data from the AHRQ CAHPS Health Plan Survey. Health plans in the U.S. are asked to voluntarily submit data from the survey to AHRQ, through its contractor, Westat. The CAHPS Database was developed by AHRQ in 1998 in response to requests from health plans, purchasers, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide comparative data to support public reporting of health plan ratings, health plan accreditation and quality improvement.

Background on the CAHPS Health Plan Survey. The CAHPS Health Plan Survey is a tool for collecting standardized information on enrollees’ experiences with health plans and their services. The development of the CAHPS Health Plan Survey began in 1995, when AHRQ awarded the first set of CAHPS grants to Harvard, RTI, and RAND. In 1997 the CAHPS 1.0 survey was released by the CAHPS Consortium. The CAHPS Consortium refers to the research organizations involved in the development, dissemination, and support of CAHPS products. The current Consortium includes AHRQ, CMS, RAND, Yale School of Public Health, and Westat.

Since that time, the Consortium has clarified and updated the survey instrument to reflect field test results; feedback from industry experts; reports from health plan participants, data collection vendors, and other users; and evidence from cognitive testing and focus groups. In November 2006, the CAHPS Consortium released the latest version of the instrument: the CAHPS Health Plan Survey 4.0. The development of this update to the Health Plan Survey has been part of the ‘‘Ambulatory CAHPS (A–CAHPS) Initiative,’’ which arose as a result of extensive research conducted with users. AHRQ released the CAHPS Health Plan Survey 4.0, along with guidance on how to customize and administer it. The National Quality Forum endorsed the 4.0 version of the Health Plan Survey in July 2007.

Rationale for the information collection. The CAHPS Health Plan Database uses data from AHRQ’s standardized CAHPS Health plan survey to provide comparative results to health care purchasers, consumers, regulators and policy makers across the country. The Database also provides data for AHRQ’s annual National Healthcare Quality and National Healthcare Disparities Reports. Voluntary participants include public and private employers, State Medicaid agencies, State Children’s Health Insurance


### 49519 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 157 / Wednesday, August 14, 2013 / Notices

Programs (SCHIP), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and individual health plans.

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 quality, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness and value of healthcare services; quality measurement and improvement; and database development. 42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(1), (2), and (a)(8).

Method of Collection

Each year State Medicaid agencies, and individual health plans decide whether to participate in the database and prepare their materials and dataset for submission to the CAHPS Health Plan Database. Participating organizations are typically State Medicaid agencies with multiple health plans. However, individual health plans are also encouraged to submit their data to the CAHPS Database. The number of data submissions per registrant varies from participant to participant and year to year because some participants submit data for multiple health plans, while others may only submit survey data for one plan.

Each organization that decides to participate in the database must have their point-of-contact (POC) complete a registration form providing their contact information for access to the on-line data submission system, sign and submit a DUA, and provide health plan characteristics such as health plan name, product type, type of population surveyed, health plan state, and plan name to appear in the reporting of their results.

Each vendor that submits files on behalf of a Medicaid agency or individual health plan must also complete the registration form in order to obtain access to the on-line submission system. The vendor, on behalf of their client, may also complete additional information about survey administration (CAHPS survey version used, mode of survey administration, total enrollment count, description of how the sample was selected), submit a copy of the questionnaire used, and submit one data file per health plan. Commercial health plan data is received directly from NCQA. Medicare health plan data is received from CMS.

Survey data from the CAHPS Health Plan Database is used to produce four types of products: (1) An annual chartbook available to the public on the CAHPS Database Web site (https:// www.cahpsdatabase.ahrq.gov/ CAHPSIDB/Public/Chartbook.aspx); (2) individual participant comparative reports that are confidential and customized for each participating organization (e.g., health plan, Medicaid agency) that submits their data; (3) a research database available to researchers wanting to conduct additional analyses; and (4) data tables provided to AHRQ for inclusion in the National Healthcare Quality and National Healthcare Disparities Reports.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

Exhibit 1 shows the estimated burden hours for the respondent to participate in the database. The burden hours pertain only to the collection of Medicaid data from State Medicaid agencies and individual Medicaid health plans because those are the only entities that submit data through the data submission process (other data are obtained directly from NCQA and CMS as noted earlier in Section 2). The 80 POCs in exhibit 1 are a combination of an estimated 60 State Medicaid agencies and individual health plans, and 20 estimated vendors.

Each State Medicaid agency, health plan or vendor will register online for submission. The online Registration form will require about 5 minutes to complete. Each submitter will also complete a Health Plan information form of information about each Health Plan such as the name of the plan, the product type (e.g., HMO, PPO), the population surveyed (e.g., adult Medicaid or child Medicaid), the health plan State, total enrollment at the time the sample frame was generated, mode of survey administration (mail, telephone, IVR) and how the sample was selected. The online Health Plan Information form takes on average 30 minutes to complete per health plan with each POC completing the form for 4 plans on average. The data use agreement will be completed by the 60 participating State Medicaid agencies or individual health plans. Vendors do not sign or submit DUAs. The DUA requires about 3 minutes to sign and return by fax or mail. Each submitter will provide a copy of their questionnaire and the survey data file in the required file format. Survey data files must conform to the data file layout specifications provide by the CAHPS Database. Since the unit of analysis is at the health plan level, submitters will upload one data file per health plan. Once a data file is uploaded the file will be automatically checked to ensure it conforms to the specifications and a data file status report will be produced and made available to the submitter. Submitters will review each report and will be expected to fix any errors in their data file and resubmit if necessary. It will take about one hour to submit the data for each plan, and each POC will submit data for 4 plans on average. The total burden is estimated to be 490 hours annually.

Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden based on the respondents’ time to complete one submission process. The cost burden is estimated to be $20,202 annually.



### EXHIBIT 

### 1—E STIMATED 

### A NNUALIZED 

### B URDEN 

### H OURS

Form name Number of respondents/ POCs Number of
responses per POC Hours per
response Total burden hours

Registration Form ............................................................................................ 80 1 5/60 7
Health Plan Information Form ......................................................................... 80 4 30/60 160 Data Use Agreement ....................................................................................... 60 1 3/60 3
Data Files Submission ..................................................................................... 80 4 1 320

Total .......................................................................................................... 300 NA NA 490


### 49520 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 157 / Wednesday, August 14, 2013 / Notices

EXHIBIT 

### 2—E STIMATED 

### A NNUALIZED 

### C OST 

### B URDEN

Form name Number of respondents/ POCs Total burden hours Average hourly wage rate * Total cost burden

Registration Form ............................................................................................ 80 7 a 47.34 $331
Health Plan Information Form ......................................................................... 80 160 a 47.34 7,574 Data Use Agreement ....................................................................................... 60 3 b 85.02 255 Data Files Submission ..................................................................................... 80 320 c 37.63 12,042

Total .......................................................................................................... 300 490 NA 20,202

* National Compensation Survey: Occupational wages in the United States May 2012, ‘‘U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.’’

a Based on the mean hourly wage for Medical and Health Services Managers (11–9111).

b Based on the mean hourly wage for Chief Executives (11–1011).

c Based on the mean hourly wages for Computer Programmer (15–1131).

Request for Comments

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 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 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 8, 2013. Carolyn M. Clancy,
AHRQ Director.

[FR Doc. 2013–19712 Filed 8–13–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4160–90–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES** 

**Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality** 

**Scientific Information Request on Imaging Techniques for the**  **Surveillance, Diagnosis, and Staging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma** 

**AGENCY :**  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

**ACTION :**  Request for scientific information submissions. **SUMMARY :**  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking scientific information submissions from the public on imaging techniques for the surveillance, diagnosis, and staging of hepatocellular carcinoma. Scientific information is being solicited to inform our review of Imaging Techniques for the Surveillance, Diagnosis, and Staging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, which is currently being conducted by the Evidence-based Practice Centers for the AHRQ Effective Health Care Program. Access to published and unpublished pertinent scientific information on imaging techniques for the surveillance, diagnosis, and staging of hepatocellular carcinoma will improve the quality of this review. AHRQ is conducting this comparative effectiveness review pursuant to Section 1013 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Public Law 108–173, and Section 902(a) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 299a(a).

**DATES :**  Submission Deadline on or before September 13, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :** 

Online submissions: http:// effectivehealthcare.AHRQ.gov/index.cfm/submit-scientificinformation-packets/. Please select the study for which you are submitting information from the list to upload your documents.

Email submissions: SIPS@epc-src.org. Print submissions: Mailing Address: Portland VA Research

Foundation, Scientific Resource Center, ATTN: Scientific Information Packet Coordinator, PO Box 69539, Portland, OR 97239. Shipping Address (FedEx, UPS, etc.):

Portland VA Research Foundation, Scientific Resource Center, ATTN: Scientific Information Packet Coordinator, 3710 SW U.S. Veterans Hospital Road, Mail Code: R&D 71, Portland, OR 97239.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Robin Paynter, Research Librarian, Telephone: 503–220–8262 ext. 58652 or Email: SIPS@epc-src.org.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has commissioned the EffectiveHealth Care (EHC) Program Evidencebased Practice Centers to complete a review of the evidence for Imaging Techniques for the Surveillance, Diagnosis, and Staging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The EHC Program is dedicated to identifying as many studies as possible that are relevant to the questions for each of its reviews. In order to do so, we are supplementing the usual manual and electronic database searches of the literature by requesting information from the public (e.g., details of studies conducted). We are looking for studies that report on imaging techniques for the surveillance, diagnosis, and staging of hepatocellular carcinoma, including those that describe adverse events. The entire research protocol, including the key questions, is also available online

at: http://www.effectivehealthcare.AHRQ.gov/search-for-guides-reviewsand-reports/?pageaction =displayproduct&productID=1600#7839

This notice is to notify the public that the EHC program would find the following information on imaging techniques for the surveillance, diagnosis, and staging of hepatocellular carcinoma helpful:

D A list of completed studies your company has sponsored for this indication. In the list, indicate whether results are available on ClinicalTrials.gov along with the ClinicalTrials.gov trial number.

D For completed studies that do not have results on ClinicalTrials.gov, a summary, including the following elements: study number, study period, design, methodology, indication and diagnosis, proper use instructions, inclusion and exclusion criteria, primary and secondary outcomes, baseline characteristics, number of patients screened/eligible/enrolled/lost