How similar are different sources of CHIP enrollment data?

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Plotzke, Michael R.^{a; *} | Klerman, Jacob Alex^a | Davern, Michael^b

Affiliations: [a] Abt Associates Inc., 55 Wheeler St., Cambridge, MA, USA | [b] Public Health Research, NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E. Monroe, Suite 3000, Chicago, IL, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 617 520 2436; Fax: +1 617 386 7584; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: We compare two different sources of enrollment counts for the Children's Health Insurance Program from 2000–2005. Although it is impossible to know which sources accurately report enrollment, we classify instances where data sources do not agree as an indication that at least one source reports enrollment inaccurately. We find that 26 states have Medicaid expansion programs and 18 states have stand-alone programs that report similar enrollment counts across the two data sources. Eight states with Medicaid expansion programs and five states with a stand-alone program have substantial inconsistencies that include missing enrollment counts or a disagreement in enrollment counts.

Keywords: Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Enrollment, Statistical Enrollment Data System (SEDS), Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS)

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-2011-0345

Journal: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 213-225, 2011