title: Assessing barriers to health insurance and threats to equity in comparative perspective: the Health Insurance Access Database.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Typologies traditionally used for international comparisons of health systems often conflate many system characteristics. To capture policy changes over time and by service in health systems regulation of public and private insurance, we propose a database containing explicit, standardized indicators of policy instruments.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Health Insurance Access Database (HIAD) will collect policy information for ten OECD countries, over a range of eight health services, from 1990-2010. Policy indicators were selected through a comprehensive literature review which identified policy instruments most likely to constitute barriers to health insurance, thus potentially posing a threat to equity. As data collection is still underway, we present here the theoretical bases and methodology adopted, with a focus on the rationale underpinning the study instruments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These harmonized data will allow the capture of policy changes in health systems regulation of public and private insurance over time and by service. The standardization process will permit international comparisons of systems' performance with regards to health insurance access and equity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research will inform and feed the current debate on the future of health care in developed countries and on the role of the private sector in these changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, Purvis Hall, McGill University, 1020 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, QC H3A 1A2, Canada. amelie.quesnelvallee@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quesnel-Vallée
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Renahy
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cerigo
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057217:Economic Development / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D033161:Government Regulation; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006291:Health Policy; D006298:Health Services Administration; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012923:Social Class; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States