This working paper was prepared by SHADAC Deputy Director Julie Sonier for the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The purpose of the report is to describe and assess existing data sources that could be used to evaluate the impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Medicaid-eligible populations and health care providers. The report identifies key outcomes of interest for evaluating the impacts of the ACA on these two groups, the available data sources that can be used to assess these outcomes, and the gaps in the available data.

In all, the report examines eight national population surveys, seven provider surveys, and four sources of administrative data from providers.  For each of these sources, the report indicates how the data are collected and from whom; how complete or representative the data are for the populations of interest; and what level of geography is available for analysis.