title: CHIP reporting in the CPS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the quality of the Current Population Survey's (CPS) Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linked 2000-2004 Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) and the 2001-2004 CPS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided the Census Bureau with its MSIS file. The Census Bureau linked the MSIS to the CPS data within its secure data analysis facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared responses to the CPS health insurance items with Medicaid and CHIP status according to the MSIS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CHIP reporting in the CPS is unreliable. Only 10-30 percent of those with CHIP (but not Medicaid) report this type of coverage in the CPS. Many with CHIP report Medicaid coverage, so the reporting error for a Medicaid-CHIP composite is smaller, but still substantial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of the CPS CHIP information renders it effectively unusable for health policy analysis. Analysts should consider using a Medicaid-CHIP composite for CPS-based analyses.
authors.affiliation: Abt Associates, Inc.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klerman
authors.affiliation: Abt Associates, Inc.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Plotzke
authors.affiliation: National Opinion Research Center-University of Chicago.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davern
mesh_terms: D019352:Censuses; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States
keywords: Insurance; Law, Medicaid; Politics; Premiums, Health Policy; Survey Research and Questionnaire Design, Health Care Financing