Cognitive Interviewing Plan

The Census Bureau plans to conduct additional research under the generic clearance for questionnaire pretesting research (OMB number 0607-0725). We will be conducting cognitive research in order to assess a set of experimental questions on health insurance designed to capture both current coverage status and coverage during the previous calendar year, as well as periods of being uninsured. If testing results are promising these questions may be included in a later split-ballot field study to examine differences in estimates generated from the Current Population Survey health insurance questions and the redesigned questions. (A separate letter will be sent to you regarding clearance for the split-ballot test).

In March, April and possibly May, three to five staff members from the Center for Survey Methods Research and the Data Integration Division will conduct approximately 40 cognitive interviews. Interviews will be conducted with a broad cross-section of subjects: those with high and low income, high and low education, people with a variety of racial/ethnic backgrounds, and people with different types of health plans (as well as those uninsured). Interviewees will be recruited through fliers, word-of-mouth, and contact with local social service agencies. After they are recruited, interviewees will receive a follow-up telephone call to remind them of their appointments.

Interviews will take place both at the Response Research Laboratory in the Center for Survey Methods Research and at locations more convenient to interviewees, such as a local social service agency. Interviewees will be paid $40 for their participation.

A copy of the original version of the questionnaire is enclosed. It consists of four main components: household roster, demographics, flashcard, and health insurance (attached). We will not be testing any of the roster or demographics questions. The health insurance section is designed to capture whether respondents are covered by any type of health plan, and if so, to capture the plan type. Regarding COBRA we expect that in Question 7 respondents will either say “employer” or “other.” If they say “other” we expect that they will either categorize the coverage as “direct purchase” or “other.” We also have a catch-all question (Question 14) if none of the earlier questions prompts a COBRA report, and finally Question 15 verifies the apparently-uninsured, so we hope not to miss this type of coverage entirely.

Interviews will be conducted using a retrospective think-aloud method. The questionnaire may be modified very slightly during the course of these interviews if certain questions seem particularly problematic to most respondents early in the interview process. All interviews will be tape-recorded with the participants' permission, to facilitate transcription of the results. Participants will be informed that their response is voluntary and that the information they provide is confidential and will be seen only by employees involved in the research project.

The estimated time for completion of the interview is 1 hour. Thus, the total estimated burden for this test is 40 hours.

The contact person for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design of this research is listed below:

Joanne Pascale

Center for Survey Methods Research

Statistical Research Division

U.S. Bureau of the Census

Washington, D.C. 20233

301-763-4920

joanne.pascal@census.gov

Sincerely yours,

Theresa J. DeMaio

Center for Survey Methods Research