Healthcare Agency Refreshing Big Medical Survey Data
Published Date: 12/30/2025
Notice
Summary
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality wants to update its big health survey that tracks how Americans use and pay for medical care. This affects families, doctors, and employers nationwide and helps shape healthcare policies. They’re asking for your comments by March 2, 2026, to keep this important data collection running smoothly without extra costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Survey Time and Cost Burden
The revised Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) will require a total estimated 50,264 respondent burden hours per year and an estimated annual respondent cost burden of $3,108,705. That total includes 42,219 hours and $2,757,745 for the household component (MEPS-HC) and 8,045 hours and $350,960 for the medical provider component (MEPS-MPC).
Changes to Preventive Care Questions
The Preventive Care Self-Administered Questionnaire (PSAQ) will be revised and fielded in the Fall of 2026: four counseling/treatment questions, one birth control question, two aspirin questions, and two gender questions will be removed; the PSAQ will revert to the 2022 question about respondent sex; two exercise items will be replaced by five new exercise and strength training items; and new questions will be added on sleep medication, trouble getting to sleep, screen time, wearable device use, self-assessed diet quality, fruit and vegetable consumption, meals eaten away from home, former smoking, and weight loss attempts. Additionally, the Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care Self-Administered Questionnaire (ESAQ) and the Diabetes Care Supplement (DCS) will be discontinued.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-20357, Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) wants to update its survey database that collects health plan feedback from people across the U.S. They’re asking for public comments on these changes by November 4, 2026. This update helps keep health plan info fresh and useful, with no new costs for participants since the survey is voluntary.
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2026-17164, Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
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2026-15324, Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
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2026-13604, Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment for the Cassatt Patient Safety Organization
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