Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Notices 60901

availability, costs, and scope of private

health insurance benefits among

Americans;

• Examining the effects of changes in

how chronic care and disability are

managed and financed;

• Evaluating the growing impact of

managed care and of enrollment in

different types of managed care plans;

and

• Examining access to and costs of

health care for common diseases and

conditions, prescription drug use, and

other health issues.

Statisticians and researchers will use

these data to make important

generalizations on the civilian

noninstitutionalized population of the

United States, as well as to conduct

research in which the family is the unit

of analysis.

Method of Collection

The data will be collected using a

combination of modes. For example, the

AHCPR intends to introduce study

participants to the survey through

advance mailings. The first contact will

provide the household with information

regarding the importance and uses of

the information obtained. The AHCPR

will then conduct five (in-person)

interviews with each household to

obtain health care use and expense data.

Lastly, the AHCPR will conduct one

telephone interview with each

household to obtain tax and asset

information. Data will be collected

using a computer-assisted personal

interviewing method (CAPI). In certain

cases, AHCPR will conduct interviews

over the telephone, if necessary. Burden

estimates follow:

Initial Number of Respondents:

10,000.

Panel 3: 4800.

Panel 4: 5200.

Number of Surveys Per Respondent: 6.

Average Burden Per Respondent: 9.0

hours.

Estimated Burden Total: 81,100

hours.

Panel 3: 39,050 hours.

Panel 4: 42,050 hours.

Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) the

necessity of the proposed collection; (b)

the accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of

burden 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 on

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/or

included in the request for OMB

approval of this information collection.

Copies of these proposed collection

plans and instruments can be obtained

from the AHCPR Reports Clearance

Officer (see above).

Dated: November 4, 1997.

John M. Eisenberg,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–29837 Filed 11–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research

Notice of Meetings

In accordance with section 10(a) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5

U.S.C., Appendix 2) announcement is

made of the following advisory

subcommittees scheduled to meet

during November 1997:

Name: Health Services Research

Initial Review Group (Subcommittees:

Health Systems Research, Health Care

quality and Effectiveness Research,

Health Care Technology and Decision

Sciences, and Health Research

Dissemination and Implementation).

Date and Time: November 19, 1997,

8:00 a.m.

Place: Bethesda Hyatt Hotel, One

Metro Plaza, Bethesda, Maryland 20816.

Open November 19, 8:00 a.m. to 8:30

a.m.

Closed for remainder of meetings.

Purpose: The Health Systems

Research Subcommittee is charged with

the initial review of research

applications relating to cost and

financing of health care, health care

markets, organizational and delivery

system issues, and the provider

workforce. The Health Research

Dissemination and Implementation

Subcommittee is charged with the

initial review of research applications

relating to behavior change,

demonstrations and interventions,

consumer decision-making,

dissemination, health professional and

consumer education, and translation of

research findings. The Health Care

Technology and Decision Sciences

Subcommittee is charged with the

initial review of research applications

relating to the development, refinement,

assessment, cost-effectiveness, and

application of health care technologies.

The Health Care Quality and

Effectiveness Research Subcommittee is

charged with the initial review of

research applications relating to clinical

outcomes and effectiveness, quality and

cost-effectiveness of health care,

effectiveness research, evidence-based

medicine, and quality of care research.

Agenda: The open sessions of these

meetings on November 19, from 8:00

a.m. to 8:30 a.m., will be devoted to

business meetings covering

administrative matters and reports.

During the closed sessions, the

Subcommittees will be reviewing

research and demonstration grant

applications relating to the delivery,

organization, and financing of health

services. In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, section 10(d)

of 5 U.S.C., Appendix 2 and 5 U.S.C.,

552b(c)(6), the Administrator, AHCPR,

has made a formal determination that

these latter sessions will be closed

because the discussions are likely to

reveal personal information concerning

individuals associated with the

applications. This information is

exempt from mandatory disclosure.

Anyone wishing to obtain rosters of

members, minutes of the meetings, or

other relevant information should

contact Sheila S. Simmons, Committee

Management Officer, Agency for Health

Care Policy and Research, Suite 400,

Executive Office Center, 2101 East

Jefferson Street, Rockville, Maryland

20852, Telephone (301) 594–1452 ext.

1627.

Agenda items for all meetings are

subject to change as priorities dictate.

Dated: November 4, 1997.

John M. Eisenberg,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–29836 Filed 11–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

Exchange of Letters Between the Food

and Drug Administration and the

Australian Therapeutic Goods

Administration

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration,

HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) is providing

notice of an exchange of letters (EOL)

between FDA and the Australian

Therapeutic Goods Administration. The

purpose of the EOL is to facilitate the

exchange of documents and information

concerning a drug or biological

preparation that is considered for

orphan status.

DATES: The agreement became effective

August 12, 1997.