Small Area Health Insurance Estimates
About SAHIE
The Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) program was created to develop model-based estimates of health insurance coverage for counties and states. Data on health insurance coverage for counties are not available elsewhere, since the American Community Survey has only recently begun asking questions on this topic. Our primary focus is to produce a consistent set of nation-wide estimates for sub-state areas, such as counties. The program builds on the work of the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) program.We currently have two experimental models under evaluation. Our age model creates county and state estimates of people with and without health insurance coverage by age in 2000 for:
- total population;
- children under age 18; and
- measures of uncertainty of the estimates.
Our demographic and income model creates state estimates of women with and without health insurance coverage by age, race, ethnicity, and income in 2001 for:
- ages 18-64, 40-64, and 50-64;
- All Races, White not Hispanic, Black not Hispanic, and Hispanic;
- at or below 200 percent and 250 percent of poverty; and
- measures of uncertainty of the estimates.
This research is partially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. The CDC have a congressional mandate to provide screening services for breast and cervical cancer to low-income, uninsured, and underserved women through the NBCCEDP. Each state NBCCEDP program defines low-income as 200 percent, 250 percent, or (for one state) 225 percent of the poverty threshold. We are also researching a county model to create estimates by age, sex, and income.
For more information, see the methodology page for details on the two models.
We welcome your feedback as we continue to research and improve our estimation methods. The SAHIE program's age model methodology and estimates have undergone internal U.S. Census Bureau review as well as external review. See the SAHIE review page for more details and a summary of the comments and our response.
The SAHIE program models health insurance coverage by combining survey data with population estimates and administrative records. Our estimates are based on data from the following sources:
- the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey (CPS);
- demographic population estimates;
- aggregated federal tax returns;
- food stamp participation records;
- Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) participation records; and
- Census 2000.
