Patients concerned about insurer influences

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Public Health Policy
• Survey Methodology

Background:

• The Community Tracking Study's Household Survey collects national data on the civilian, noninstitutionalized population.
• Previous analyses have focused on various aspects of healthcare access and utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present findings from two waves of the Household Survey regarding health insurance coverage.
• To identify statistically significant trends and differences in health insurance status.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from two rounds of the Household Survey (1996-1997 and 1998-1999).
• Conducted a nationally representative telephone survey of approximately 60,000 individuals and 33,000 families per round.
• Analysis excluded individuals without health insurance.
• Statistical significance determined at the p<0.05 level.

Main Results:

• The survey included a large sample size, with nearly 60,000 individuals and 33,000 families in the 1996-1997 round, and approximately 59,000 individuals and 32,000 families in the 1998-1999 round.
• All reported comparisons and differences were statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• The Household Survey provides robust, nationally representative data on health insurance coverage.
• Statistically significant findings highlight important population-level trends in health insurance status over time.