The health reform monitoring survey: addressing data gaps to provide timely insights into the affordable care act

Health Aff (Millwood). 2014 Jan;33(1):161-7. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0934. Epub 2013 Dec 18.

Abstract

The Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS) was launched in 2013 as a mechanism to obtain timely information on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during the period before federal government survey data for 2013 and 2014 will be available. Based on a nationally representative, probability-based Internet panel, the HRMS provides quarterly data for approximately 7,400 nonelderly adults and 2,400 children on insurance coverage, access to health care, and health care affordability, along with special topics of relevance to current policy and program issues in each quarter. For example, HRMS data from summer 2013 show that more than 60 percent of those targeted by the health insurance exchanges struggle with understanding key health insurance concepts. This raises concerns about some people's ability to evaluate trade-offs when choosing health insurance plans. Assisting people as they attempt to enroll in health coverage will require targeted education efforts and staff to support those with low health insurance literacy.

Keywords: Health Reform; Health Spending; Insurance Coverage; Quality Of Care.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Data Collection / statistics & numerical data*
  • Data Collection / trends*
  • Forecasting
  • Health Care Reform / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Care Reform / trends*
  • Health Care Surveys / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Care Surveys / trends*
  • Health Expenditures / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Expenditures / trends
  • Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Services Accessibility / trends
  • Humans
  • Insurance Coverage / statistics & numerical data*
  • Insurance Coverage / trends*
  • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / statistics & numerical data*
  • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / trends*
  • Quality of Health Care / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Quality of Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • United States