TY - JOUR
T1 - Counting uninsurance and means-tested coverage in the American community survey
T2 - A comparison to the current population survey
AU - Boudreaux, Michel
AU - Ziegenfuss, Jeanette Y.
AU - Graven, Peter
AU - Davern, Michael
AU - Blewett, Lynn A.
PY - 2011/2
Y1 - 2011/2
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - American community survey
KW - Health insurance coverage
KW - current population survey
KW - state health policy
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01193.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01193.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 21029089
AN - SCOPUS:78650997031
SN - 0017-9124
VL - 46
SP - 210
EP - 231
JO - Health services research
JF - Health services research
IS - 1 PART 1
ER -