HEALTH STATISTICS FROM THE U. S. NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY interim report on Health Insuran United States Results of a preliminary study on population. Based on data collect U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Public Health Service Leroy E. Burney, Surgeon General Forrest E. Linder, Ph.D., Director U. S. NATIONAL HEALTH Theodore D. Woolsey, Chief Alice M. Waterhouse, M. D., Chief Medical Advisor Walt R. Simmons, Statistical Advisor O. K. Sagen, Ph. D., Chief, Special Studies Philip S. Lawrence, Sc. D., Chief, Health Interview Survey Robert T. Little, Chief, Automatic Data Processing The U. S. National Health Survey is a continuing program under which the Public Health Service makes studies to determine the extent of illness and disability in the population of the United States and to gather related information. It is authorized by Public Law 652, 84th Congress. CO-OPERATION OF THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS Under the legislation establishing the National Health Survey, the Public Health Service is authorized to use, insofar as possible, the services or facilities of other Federal, State, or private agencies. For the Health Interview Survey the Bureau of the Census designed and selected the sample, conducted the household interviews, and processed the data in accordance with specifications established by the Public Health Service. HEALTH INSURANCE BACKGROUND OF THIS REPORT In July of 1959 the U. S. National Health Survey began experimentally to collect data on health insurance. Questions designed to elicit information as to whether the individual had hospital, surgical, or doctor visit insurance were added to the questionnaire. Special collection procedures were instituted to obtain the information from the respondent best qualified to give it. At the end of 1959 the experimental phase of collecting information was ended to allow time for evaluation of the data before the questions appeared on the questionnaire in a revised form. During the past year a special study designed to appraise the quality of health insurance data collected in interviews has been instituted and the data from the 1959 experimental collection period have been studied for internal consistency and have been compared with data from The results of these evaluations w in determining the form of the ques procedures to be used in collectin on health insurance. Because of the time required to special study and the additional tim collect the information, new data available for at least 2 years. In tl there is a current need for data on ance coverage. This interim report preliminary study conducted in the 1959 is being issued to help meet t cause of certain limitations which in the sections which follow, some mates-especially those on coverag visits-should be used with caut |