American Institutes for Research to Manage Federal Survey on Health Insurance Marketplaces and Plans
Qualified Health Plan Enrollee Experience Survey supports improved information and performance for consumers and providers under Affordable Care Act
Arlington, VA. – The American Institutes for Research (AIR) will operate a national survey system that assesses consumers’ experiences with the Health Insurance Marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act, and the qualified health plans sold on them. AIR won a five-year contract from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to update, validate, process, score, and report the findings of the annual Qualified Health Plan (QHP) Enrollee Experience Survey.
“We are excited for the opportunity to help CMS better understand people’s experiences with the marketplaces and the qualified health plans,” said David Baker, senior vice president for health at AIR. “The data from the QHP Enrollee Survey provide a transparent, unbiased assessment of marketplace and plan performance that helps consumers compare and select a qualified health plan that meets their insurance needs and informs improvements that result in better, more equitable access to health insurance for millions of Americans.”
Under the Affordable Care Act, health plans that are certified by and made available through Health Insurance Marketplaces. The plans must provide essential health benefits, follow established limits on cost-sharing, and meet other requirements of the law. CMS uses the QHP Enrollee Survey System to assess enrollees’ experiences with health plans offered through the marketplaces. The QHP survey data also helps consumers compare and select a plan that meets their insurance needs and helps affiliated plans and improve performance. AIR designed the QHP Enrollee Survey, which launched in 2016. Under this new CMS contract, AIR will maintain the current system and make recommendations for how to update and improve the survey and data collection system.
The five-year contract with CMS runs from May 2022 through 2027.
About AIR
Established in 1946, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of education, health and the workforce. AIR's work is driven by its mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world. With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR has offices across the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit www.air.org.