The Census Bureau recently responded to changes in its annual survey’s health insurance coverage questions, saying that they are the culmination of 14 years of research and two national tests.
Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson said in a statement that the research showed that, “the revised questions provide more precise measures of health insurance through improved respondent recall.”
“This change was announced in September 2013 and implemented because the evidence showed that reengineering the questions provides demonstrably more accurate results,” Thompson said. “The Census Bureau only implements changes in survey methodology based on research, testing, and evidence presented for peer review.”
Implemented in February as part of the current population survey, the changes come in time for data collection covering year 2013 and, according to the Census Bureau, will provide a, “more accurate baseline for assessments of changes in insurance coverage, including that of the Affordable Care Act.”
Many, however, worry that the changes will not accurately report on the impact of the Affordable Care Act, with Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) saying in a recent letter to Thompson that, “”Congress and the American people count on the Census Bureau to provide an accurate report of the law’s impact on health insurance coverage, so it is alarming that the administration appears to be altering survey questions in a way that will obscure the law’s impact.
“We respectfully request that you continue to collect data using both the old and new survey questions for this year and next year,” the senators said. “Of course we always want the best statistical information, but the collection of only one year of comparable data is insufficient. Continuing to collect data using both the old and new survey questions will help ensure that you do not conflate a change in measurement with changes due to implementation of the new health care law.”