Publication
Collection and Availability of Data on Race, Ethnicity, and Immigrant Groups in Federal Surveys that Measure Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care
This brief aims to assist state and federal analysts with survey development and/or analysis of existing survey data to generate estimates of health insurance coverage and access to care across racial and ethnic groups and according to nativity and/or immigrant status. The brief presents the collection and classification of survey data for populations defined by race, ethnicity, and nativity/immigrant (REI) status as well as the availability of these data in public use files. We focus in particular on surveys that are conducted by federal agencies and that collect information about health insurance coverage and access to care on an annual or periodic basis for the general population of the United States. Because policy decisions and funding priorities are typically made at the state and local level, the brief emphasizes federal sources that afford state-level estimates as well.