Table 3.1  Selected National Health Surveys
Year Survey Sponsor Primary Focus
Early 1930s Falk Commission on the Costs of Medical Care Independent representatives from private and public sectors National health care expenditure
estimates
1953–54 Costs of Medical Care of Two Cities: Boston and Birmingham Center for Health Administration Studies, University of Chicago Health care costs and insurance status
1953 and periodically through 1975 Medical Care Costs and Voluntary Health Insurance Center for Health Administration Studies, University of Chicago Measure public’s use of medical services and methods of payment
1955 Attitudes, Information, and Customary Behavior in Health Matters Center for Health Administration Studies, University of Chicago How people learn about health conditions and treatments
1957 and annually thereafter National Health Interview Survey National Center for Health Statistics Statistics on disease, injury,impairment, disability, etc.
1963 and 1970 Health Care Use and Expenditure Survey Center for Health Administration Studies, University of Chicago* Effects of government financing on use and expenditures; distributional implications
1977 National Medical Care Expenditure Survey National Center for Health Services Research and National Center for Health Statistics National use and expenditure estimates; general health policy/financing research
1980 National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey National Center for Health Statistics National use and expenditure estimates; general health policy/financing research
1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey Agency for Health Care Policy and Research National use and expenditure estimates; general health policy/financing research
1996 and annually thereafter Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Agency for Health Care Policy and Research National use and expenditure estimates; general health policy/financing research

* The 1970 study was funded by the National Center for Health Services Research.

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