The federal government plans to cut the National Health Interview Survey from 490 adult health questions to about 200 to 225. The cuts will reduce costs and shorten the survey.
Researchers and disability advocates warn that removing questions about mobility, hearing, vision, fatigue, and assistive devices will cause many disabled Americans to be miscategorized. The survey is important to measure health trends. The trends include insurance coverage, chronic conditions, obesity, smoking, and the effects of policy changes such as Medicaid changes.
Officials say the redesign is driven by shrinking budgets, difficulty finding interviewers, and changes to Census Bureau data collection systems. They say it is not by a direct order from health agencies.
The survey will likely shift toward online and paper responses first, with fewer in-person follow-ups, and public comments on the redesign are open through Oct. 20.
Read more about the planned cuts to the National Health Interview Survey on ABC News
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