Premium
Counting Uninsurance and Means‐Tested Coverage in the American Community Survey: A Comparison to the Current Population Survey
Author(s) -
Boudreaux Michel,
Ziegenfuss Jeanette Y.,
Graven Peter,
Davern Michael,
Blewett Lynn A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
health services research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.706
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1475-6773
pISSN - 0017-9124
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01193.x
Subject(s) - current population survey , american community survey , medicaid , statistics , survey research , population , survey data collection , actuarial science , health insurance , econometrics , medicine , demography , environmental health , health care , psychology , mathematics , business , economics , census , economic growth , sociology , applied psychology
Objective. To compare health insurance coverage estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) to the Current Population Survey (CPS‐ASEC). Data Sources/Study Setting. The 2008 ACS and CPS‐ASEC, 2009. Study Design. We compare age‐specific national rates for all coverage types and state‐level rates of uninsurance and means‐tested coverage. We assess differences using t ‐tests and p ‐values, which are reported at <.05, <.01, and <.001. An F ‐test determines whether differences significantly varied by state. Principal Findings. Despite substantial design differences, we find only modest differences in coverage estimates between the surveys. National direct purchase and state‐level means‐tested coverage levels for children show the largest differences. Conclusions. We suggest that the ACS is well poised to become a useful tool to health services researchers and policy analysts, but that further study is needed to identify sources of error and to quantify its bias.