title: Monitoring health reform efforts: which state-level data to use?
abstract: This study compares estimates of health insurance coverage from the American Community Survey (ACS) to those in twelve state-specific surveys. Uninsurance estimates for the nonelderly are consistently higher in the ACS than in state surveys, as are direct purchase insurance estimates. Estimates for employer-sponsored insurance are similar, but public coverage rates are lower in the ACS. The ACS meets some but not all of the states' data needs; its large sample size and inclusion of all U.S. counties in the sample allow for comparison of insurance coverage within and across states. State-specific surveys provide the flexibility to add policy-relevant questions, including questions needed to examine how health insurance translates into access, use, and affordability of health services.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen Thiede
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Call
authors.forename: Lynn A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Blewett
authors.forename: Michel H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Boudreaux
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014481:United States
keywords: American Community Survey; Uninsurance; policy evaluation; state surveys