Matching health policy with data: data and analytic requirements for federal policymakers

The health data and statistical needs of our health care system continue to grow. Though we are expected to spend approximately $1.4 trillion on health care next year, we know little about where the dollars are spent and what they are purchasing. Our national health statistics are currently collected through a patchwork of claims data and survey data. These data are collected periodically, are often out of date, and do not contain several key data elements critical for serious evaluation of the performance of our health care system. Failure to collect more timely and comprehensive data will undermine ongoing efforts for controlling the growth in costs and improving quality.