Health Insurance Measurement in the Current Population Survey: Test Results and Next Steps for a Redesign

• Activity Number: 74
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Sunday, August 4, 2013 : 4:00 PM to 5:50 PM
• Sponsor: Government Statistics Section
• Author(s): Joanne Pascale*+ and Michel Boudreaux and Amy Steinweg
• Companies: US Census Bureau and State Health Access Data Assistance Center and US Census Bureau
• Keywords: CPS ; health insurance ; redesign ; reform ; measurement error

Abstract

This paper presents results from the Survey of Health Insurance and Program Participation, a split-ballot field experiment carried out in March 2010 that tested questions about health insurance coverage during the past calendar year from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and an experimental set of health insurance questions (EXP) designed to reduce measurement error in the CPS. The EXP also contained questions on current coverage in order to explore the effectiveness of a single questionnaire that integrates questions on both past calendar year and current coverage. Analysis focuses on differences between the CPS and EXP in estimates of the uninsured throughout the year and coverage by plan type by population sub-groups. Results will also be presented on the effectiveness of the integrated calendar year/current reference periods by comparing coverage rates throughout-the-year to coverage rates at a point in time within the EXP. Based on the SHIPP 2010 test a follow-up large-scale field test of the redesign will be conducted in March 2013. Plans for this test, including the integration of questions on health exchanges related to health reform, will be presented.