The Census Bureau collects health insurance data from three surveys. Depending on your needs, one survey may be more suitable than another. The following is a list of surveys from the Census Bureau:
The surveys differ in length and detail of the questionnaire, the number of households interviewed, the methodology used to collect and process the data, and, consequently, in the health insurance estimates produced. As a result, it is important to understand that different surveys and methods produce different results, and consequently when it is appropriate to use each survey or method. More information on each survey can be found in the Health Insurance Survey Comparison table. [XLS - 23k]
The CPS a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics mainly to estimate the unemployment rate. The Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the CPS is a survey of about 78,000 households and includes detailed health insurance questions asked of the household respondent for every household resident. Respondents are asked whether they had any coverage during the previous calendar year based on interviews conducted in February-April of the following year.
The CPS ASEC:
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The ACS is an ongoing nationwide survey. In the United States and Puerto Rico, about 250,000 addresses per month receive the ACS. Respondents are asked whether they are currently covered at the time of interview, based on interviews conducted throughout the year.
The ACS:
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The SIPP is a longitudinal survey which interviews the same respondents three times a year over the course of three to four years, with sample size ranging from approximately 14,000 to 36,700 interviewed households. The SIPP provides national-level data.
The SIPP can show:
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Other non-Census Bureau surveys which currently collect or have collected health insurance data can be found on our link to Related Sites Page. Please note, the list of external surveys is not exhaustive.