Managed Care
Return to Library
|
Free Managed Care Articles |
|
|
|
|
Studies from J.W. Cohen and co-researchers yield new data on medical care research
2009 AUG 4 - (NewsRx.com) -- According to recent research published in the journal Medical Care, "The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) collects detailed information regarding the use and payment for health care services from a nationally representative sample of Americans. The survey is designed to provide analysts with the data they need to support policy-relevant research on health care expenses, utilization, insurance coverage, and access in the United States and to provide policymakers with the results and data they need to make informed decisions." "This article summarizes the capacity of this broad-based and publicly available information resource to support research efforts directed towards achieving a better understanding of the dynamics of American healthcare and to better characterize its current state. The MEPS comprises a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population in the United States, and collects comprehensive data on individuals and their health care experiences over a span of 2 years. Household survey data are collected by means of computer-assisted personal interviews, and those data are supplemented by information collected directly from the medical providers used by survey participants. Insurance data are collected both from households and through a separate state and nationally representative survey of business establishments, which collects information on health insurance provided by United States employers. The MEPS has been used extensively in scientific publications and published reports, as well as by the Federal and state governments to examine the delivery and financing of healthcare in the United States. The analytical findings generated by the MEPS are key inputs to facilitate the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies and practices addressing health care in the United States and its related costs," wrote J.W. Cohen and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "Recent efforts to reconcile MEPS and the National Health Expenditure Accounts have the potential to provide an even more accurate and powerful data toot for research and policy analysis." Cohen and colleagues published their study in Medical Care (The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey A National Information Resource to Support Healthcare Cost Research and Inform Policy and Practice. Medical Care, 2009;47(7 Suppl. 1):S44-S50). For additional information, contact J.W. Cohen, Agcy Healthcare Research & Qual, Division Social & Economics Research, Center Financing Access & Cost Trends, 540 Gaither Rd., Rockville, MD, USA. The publisher's contact information for the journal Medical Care is: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA. Keywords: United States, Rockville, Life Sciences, Medical Care Research. This article was prepared by Managed Care Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Managed Care Business Week via NewsRx.com.
|
