Alternative Options for State Level Estimates in the National Medical Expenditure Survey¹

Issue title: Health Related Statistical and Methodological Analyses

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Cohen, Steven B.^a | Braden, Jill J.^a

Affiliations: [a] Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 2101 E. Jefferson Street, Suite 500, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA

Note: [1] The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and no official endorsement by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research is intended or should be inferred. The authors wish to thank Ms. Susan Czechowicz, AHCPR, for her most helpful statistical support, Ms. Suzanne Worth, Mr. Michael Organek and Ms. Leonora Gonzales, Social and Scientific Systems, Inc., for their excellent programming support.

Abstract: This paper examines the issues associated with enhancing the sample design of the next cycle of the National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) Household Component, in order to allow for state level estimates of health care parameters. The NMES household survey was designed to produce estimates of the civilian non-institutionalized population for calendar year 1987. While small area estimation techniques can be used to produce model-based estimates with the current NMES-2 design, there are serious concern with respect to their accuracy and reliability. This evaluation reviews the coverage and precision requirements of other national surveys that produce state level estimates. Alternative options to enhance the capacity for producing state level estimates in NMES-3 are also examined.

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1994-20302

Journal: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 163-191, 1994