[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 7240-7241] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-3893] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Care Financing Administration HCFA-P-15A Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), Department of Health and Human Services, has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the following proposal for the collection of information. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1) the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden. HCFA-P-15A Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of currently approved collection; Title of Information Collection: Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey Supplement-Round 18; Form No.: HCFA-'P-15A; Use: The Office of the Actuary, HCFA, conducts the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) through personal interviews of a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries. When sampled persons are found to reside in a long-term care facility, interviewers use a version of the questionnaire which is specially designed to obtain data about the beneficiary's health care from knowledgeable staff members. We are preparing to convert the facility interview from a hard--copy questionnaire to a Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) format, beginning in May, 1997. CAPI, which we are currently using in the community interviews, increases the accuracy of the interview process by automating skip patterns, customizing questions, creating computed variables such as a time line of residence history, and automatically checking completeness and consistency of responses. Concurrently, we are modifying some of the questions we currently use in the facility interview to make them more comparable to those in other surveys, particularly the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). These modifications are responsive to the President's initiative toward consistency and integration among surveys; Frequency: Annually; Affected Public:; Number of Respondents: 1,900; [[Page 7241]] Total Annual Responses: 1,900; Total Annual Hours: 1,900. To obtain copies of the supporting statement for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, call the Reports Clearance Office on (410) 786-1326. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collections must be mailed within 30 days of this notice directly to the HCFA Paperwork Clearance Officer designated at the following address: OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, Attention: Allison Eydt, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, D.C. 20503. Dated: February 10, 1997. Edwin J. Glatzel, Director, Management Analysis and Planning Staff, Office of Financial and Human Resources, Health Care Financing Administration. [FR Doc. 97-3893 Filed 2-14-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4120-03-P