Survey of health insurance plans' collection of race and ethnicity data

The purpose of this project is to assess the current status of health plans' collection of race/ethnicity identifiers using a Web-based survey with qualitative follow-up. The project will survey a representative sample of the nation's health insurance plans concerning the extent to which they collect and use identifying data about their members' race, ethnicity, and primary language. Qualitative follow-on work, using focus groups and open-ended interviews, will supply more in-depth understanding of the barriers facing health plans on these issues, and the potential for action. This project is important because collecting systematic data on race/ethnicity is a necessary first step toward stimulating interventions to reduce disparities. The project will provide important baseline information for the Foundation's Disparities Team's performance indicator on this topic, and is part of the Team's targeted research agenda. Further, the project will supply key information for the Team's future strategies to improve plans' collection and use of data about race and ethnicity to reduce disparities in health care. Project deliverables include a report on the survey findings, the full survey data set (to permit further analyses by the Foundation), a report on qualitative follow-up focus groups or open-ended interviews, and a report on the final expert meeting. This project will be considered successful if the survey generates credible and useful information about this topic, and yields reports that are widely disseminated among American Association of Health Plan members and to the public.

Grant Details

Amount Awarded $205,042.00

Awarded on: 9/23/2003

Time frame: 9/15/2003 - 3/31/2005

Grant Number: 49540