Analysis of Departmental Needs for Health Care Utilization and Expenditure Data in the 1990s: Recommendations for Addressing Data Gaps

摘要

The study examines what types of data Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will need in the 1990s, how data collection efforts can best meet these needs, and what can be done to eliminate data gaps. The project involved establishing an HHS Data Planning and Analysis Working Group and conducting 85 interviews with people who use the data. Findings include that (1) to make decisions related to Medicare, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) needs better data on the effectiveness of certain procedures and on Medicare beneficiaries' use of managed care plans, their use of services over time, and their use of non-covered services; (2)0 data gaps related to Medicaid involve the characteristics of state programs and the characteristics of eligible and potentially eligible populations; (3) with regard to specific populations (e.g., the uninsured), researchers need information about these groups' health needs, current sources of care, demographics, and use of public programs to obtain services; and (4) data that are lacking in other areas include information on the interaction of federal and state programs and the use and cost of prescription drugs. Recommendations include (1) expanding the Current Beneficiary Survey to include a larger number of Medicare recipients enrolled in managed care plans; (2) developing a database on Medicaid beneficiaries; (3) surveying those who are potentially eligible for Medicaid; and (4) developing an independent survey focusing on health expenditures.