Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

There has been ample recognition of the benefits of using administrative data for evidence-based policy analysis and government performance measurement. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the attributes, issues, solutions of the use of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) administrative data for policy analysis and evidence-based decision.

HHS is a complex organization that consists, at its highest level, of eleven operational divisions, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute of Health (NIH), and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), each of which collects its own administrative data. Administrative data are used primarily to support program operations and transactions, but are also useful on a stand-alone basis for evidence-based policy making partly due to their intrinsic attributes: Administrative data cover large populations, have fewer problems with non-response and measurement errors, and are cost-efficient. Further, when linked to existing survey data, administrative data provide more powerful tools for rigorous policy research and measurement. Recent Federal policy and legislation including the OMB memoranda ,“Guidance for Providing and Using Administrative Data for Statistical Purposes” (M-14-06), “Open Data Policy-Managing Information as an Asset” (M-13-13), and the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking (CEP) suggest that the expansion of secure access to government administrative data while protecting privacy and confidentiality has been a priority for many policy makers, researchers, and the private sectors including contractors as well as the public.

However, recurring issues such as legal and statutory constraints limit the full utilization of administrative data. Maximizing the use of administrative data requires knowing what data are available in federal agencies and recognizing their strengths and limitations. This paper will highlight the current landscape and successful uses of HHS administrative data with an emphasis on how they can be used to enhance HHS performance and policy-making.

The analysis method of this presentation is qualitative method and includes 1) in-depth interviews with government officials who produce, manage, and document administrative data from eleven HHS operational divisions; and 2) review of HHS administrative datasets and documentation.

The findings will provide HHS and other federal agencies with a roadmap for leveraging administrative data to facilitate the development of rigorous policy research and decision-making.