The American Community Survey and Health Insurance Coverage Estimates: Possibilities and Challenges for Health Policy Researchers

Objective. To introduce the American Community Survey (ACS) and its measure of health insurance coverage to researchers and policy makers. Data Sources/Study Setting. We compare the survey designs for the ACS and Current Population Survey (CPS) that measure insurance coverage. Study Design. We descr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health services research 2009-04, Vol.44 (2p1), p.593-605
Main Authors: Davern, Michael, Quinn, Brian C., Kenney, Genevieve M., Blewett, Lynn A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
American community survey
Coverage
current population survey
Health insurance
Health insurance coverage
Health insurance industry
Health Policy
Health Surveys
Historical data
Humans
Insurance coverage
Insurance Coverage - utilization
Insurance, Health - utilization
Methods and Research Briefs
Polls & surveys
Research Design
Research Personnel
Researchers
State Government
state health policy
Strength
Studies
Surveys
United States
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Description
Summary:Objective. To introduce the American Community Survey (ACS) and its measure of health insurance coverage to researchers and policy makers. Data Sources/Study Setting. We compare the survey designs for the ACS and Current Population Survey (CPS) that measure insurance coverage. Study Design. We describe the ACS and how it will be useful to health policy researchers. Principal Findings. Relative to the CPS, the ACS will provide more precise state and substate estimates of health insurance coverage at a point‐in‐time. Yet the ACS lacks the historical data and detailed state‐specific coverage categories seen in the CPS. Conclusions. The ACS will be a critical new resource for researchers. To use the new data to the best advantage, careful research will be needed to understand its strengths and weaknesses.
ISSN:0017-9124
1475-6773
DOI:10.1111/j.1475-6773.2008.00921.x