Update Notes
Update number #24: 1/31/23
Please note that this update includes changes listed in updates number #20 and #23.
Issue: Additional tables from several 2019 and 2020 IC Consolidated Table Series I,
II, III, V, VI, and VII had estimates that were suppressed but should not have been.
All tables listed below had estimates affected in both 2019 and 2020, except tables
denoted with a * have changes only in 2019 and tables with a ^ have changes only in
2020.
Action taken: Revised tables for the 2019 and 2020 IC Consolidated Table Series I, II,
III, V, VI, and VII have been posted. Links to each PDF can be accessed from the
Data Tools page.
Tables affected: Below is the list of tables affected:
Series I: A.2.b.(1), A.2.b.(3), A.2.c, A.2.c.(1), A.2.c.(2), A.2.c.(3),
B.4.b.(1).(a)^, C.1.a, C.1.b, C.1.c, C.2, C.2.a, C.2.b, C.2.c, C.3, C.3.a, C.3.b,
C.3.c, C.4.a, D.1, D.1.a, D.1.b, D.1.c, D.2, D.2.a*, D.2.b, D.2.c, D.3, D.3.a, D.3.b,
D.3.c, D.4.a, E.1, E.2, E.3, E.4.a
Series II: A.2.b, A.2.b.(1), A.2.b.(2), A.2.b.(3), A.2.c, A.2.c.(1), A.2.c.(2),
A.2.c.(3), A.2.d, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.(1).(a), B.2.b.(1).(b), B.2.c, B.4.b.(1),
B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.1.a*, C.1.c, C.2.a, C.2.b, C.2.c, C.3.a, C.3.c, C.4.a,
D.1.a*, D.1.b*, D.1.c, D.2*, D.2.a, D.2.b*, D.2.c, D.3*, D.3.a, D.3.b*, D.3.c, D.4.a,
E.1*, E.2, E.3, E.4.a, F.3*, F.6*, F.11*, F.15*, F.16*, F.17*, F.20*, F.24*, F.25*
Series III: A.2.i, B.1, B.1.a, B.2, B.2.b, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.(1).(a), B.2.b.(1).(b),
B.2.e^, B.2.f^, B.2.g^, B.3, B.3.a, B.3.b.(2), B.4*, B.4.a*, B.4.b.(2)*, C.1, C.2,
C.3, C.4, D.1, D.2, D.3, D.4, E.4, F.1, F.2, F.3, F.4, F.5, F.7, F.8, F.9, F.10, F.11,
F.12, F.12.b, F.12.c, F.12.d, F.12.e, F.13, F.14, F.15, F.15.b, F.15.c, F.15.d,
F.15.e, F.16, F.17, F.18, F.19, F.21, F.22, F.23, F.25, F.27, F.28, F.29^
Series V: A.2.a, A.2.b, A.2.c, A.2.d, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.(1).(a), B.2.b.(1).(b), B.2.c,
B.4, B.4.a, B.4.b, B.4.b.(1), B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.1.c, C.2, C.2.a, C.2.b, C.3,
C.3.a, C.3.b, C.4.a, D.1.c, D.2.a, D.2.b, D.3, D.3.a, D.3.b
Series VI: A.2.a, A.2.b, A.2.c, A.2.d, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.(1).(a), B.2.b.(1).(b), B.4.b,
B.4.b.(1), B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.2.a, C.3.a, C.3.b, C.4.a, D.1.a, D.1.c*, D.2.a,
D.3.a
Series VII: C.4.a
Update number #23: 1/20/23
Please note that this update includes changes listed in update number #20.
Issue: Additional tables from several 2019 and 2020 IC Consolidated Table Series I, II,
III, V, VI, and VII had estimates that were suppressed but should not have been.
Action taken: Revised tables for the 2019 and 2020 IC Consolidated Table Series I, II,
III, V, VI, and VII have been posted. Links to each PDF can be accessed from the Data Tools page.
Tables affected: Below is the list of tables affected:
Series I: A.2.b.(1), A.2.b.(3), A.2.c, A.2.c.(1), A.2.c.(2), A.2.c.(3), C.2.c, C.3.c, D.2.c, D.3.c
Series II: A.2.b, A.2.b.(1), A.2.b.(2) , A.2.b.(3), A.2.c, A.2.c.(1), A.2.c.(2), A.2.c.(3), A.2.d,
B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.1.a, B.2.b.1.b, B.2.c, B.4.b.(1), B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.1.c, C.2.a, C.2.b, C.2.c,
C.3.a, C.3.c, C.4.a, D.1.c, D.2.a, D.2.c, D.3.a, D.3.c, D.4.a, E.2, E.3, E.4.a
Series III: A.2.i, B.1, B.1.a, B.2, B.2.b, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.1.a, B.2.b.1.b, B.3, B.3.a, B.3.b.(2), B.4,
B.4.a, B.4.b.(2), C.1, C.2, C.3, C.4, D.1, D.2, D.3, D.4, E.4, F.1, F.2, F.3, F.4, F.5, F.7, F.8, F.9,
F.10, F.11, F.12, F.12.b, F.12.c, F.12.d, F.12.e, F.13, F.15.b, F.15.c, F.15.d, F.15.e, F.16, F.17,
F.18, F.19, F.21, F.22, F.23, F.25, F.27, F.28
Series V: A.2.a, A.2.b, A.2.c, A.2.c, A.2.d, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.1.a, B.2.b.1.b, B.2.c, B.4, B.4.a, B.4.b,
B.4.b.(1), B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.1.c, C.2, C.2.a, C.2.b, C.3, C.3.a, C.3.b, C.4.a, D.1.c, D.2.a,
D.2.b, D.3, D.3.a, D.3.b
Series VI: A.2.a, A.2.b, A.2.c, A.2.d, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.1.a, B.2.b.1.b, B.4.b, B.4.b.(1),
B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.2.a, C.3.a, C.3.b, C.4.a, D.1.a, D.1.c, D.2.a, D.3.a
Series VII: C.4.a
Update number #22: 8/5/22
Issue: Additional tables from several 2021 IC Consolidated Table Series I, II, V, VI,
and VII had estimates that were suppressed but should not have been.
Action taken: Revised tables for the 2021 IC Table Series I, II, V, VI, and VII have
been posted. Links to each PDF can be accessed from the Data Tools page.
Tables affected: Below is the list of tables affected:
Series I: A.2.b.(1), A.2.b.(3), A.2.c, A.2.c.(1), A.2.c.(2), A.2.c.(3), C.2.c, C.3.c, D.2.c, D.3.c
Series II: A.2.b, A.2.b.(1), A.2.b.(2) , A.2.b.(3), A.2.c, A.2.c.(1), A.2.c.(2), A.2.c.(3), A.2.d,
B.2.b.(1),
B.2.b.1.a, B.2.b.1.b, B.2.c, B.4.b.(1), B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.1.c, C.2.a, C.2.b, C.2.c, C.3.a,
C.3.c, C.4.a,
D.1.c, D.2.a, D.2.c, D.3.a, D.3.c, D.4.a, E.2, E.3, E.4.a
Series V: A.2.a, A.2.b, A.2.c, A.2.c, A.2.d, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.1.a, B.2.b.1.b, B.2.c, B.4, B.4.a, B.4.b,
B.4.b.(1),
B.4.b.(1).(a), B.4.b.(2), C.1.c, C.2, C.2.a, C.2.b, C.3, C.3.a, C.3.b, C.4.a, D.1.c, D.2.a, D.2.b, D.3,
D.3.a, D.3.b
Series VI: A.2.a, A.2.b, A.2.c, A.2.d, B.2.b.(1), B.2.b.1.a, B.2.b.1.b, B.4.b, B.4.b.(1), B.4.b.(1).(a),
B.4.b.(2),
C.2.a, C.3.a, C.3.b, C.4.a, D.1.a, D.1.c, D.2.a, D.3.a
Series VII: C.4.a
Update number #21: 8/5/22
Tables affected: Table IV.A.4 National totals for enrollees and cost of hospitalization
and physician service health plans for the private sector by industry category and type of
indemnification: United States, 2021
Issue: Correction to existing table.
Action taken: Replacement table for the 2021 IC Table Series IV has been posted.
Update number #20: 7/15/22
In 2019, new suppression rules were implemented, however several tables in survey years 2019 and 2020
have estimates
that were suppressed but should not have been. We will update all tables affected by this issue later
this year. Below
is the list of tables affected:
- II.C.1.a
- II.D.1.a
- II.D.1.b
- II.D.1.c
- II.D.2
- II.D.2.b
- II.D.2.c
- II.D.3
- II.D.3.b
- II.D.3.c
- II.E.1
- II.F.3
- II.F.6
- II.F.11
- II.F.15
- II.F.16
- II.F.17
- II.F.20
- II.F.24
- II.F.25
Update number #19: 10/15/21
Tables affected: Table IX.A.3 Health
insurance offer, eligibility and take up rates for private-sector establishments
and employees for areas within States: United States, 2018-2020 and table IX.A.6
Enrollment for private-sector employees for areas within States: United States,
2018-2020
Issue: Correction to existing table.
Action taken: Replacement table for year 2020 has been posted to the MEPS Web site.
Update number #18: 08/20/21
User Note for 2020 MEPS-IC Private-Sector Tables
The unprecedented pandemic and economic disruption in 2020 have
caused uncertainty in some of the private-sector employment estimates, particularly with respect to the
distribution of employment across firm sizes.
The issue is a concern because offers of health insurance are strongly correlated with firm size.
Consequently, changes in employment may have affected differences in the estimated percentages of
employees offered, and covered by, employer-sponsored health insurance between 2019 and 2020. They also
affect estimates of totals by firm size (e.g., totals of establishments and employees). However, our
initial investigations suggest that the vast majority of means and proportions estimated in the MEPS-IC
data are not affected by this issue.
AHRQ is currently investigating several factors that may have influenced the 2020 MEPS-IC data. These
factors include: (1) when firms of different sizes respond to the survey; (2) openings and closures of
establishments during the survey period; and (3) the role of openings and closures in
multi-establishment firms. AHRQ will provide more information on this site when these investigations are
completed.
For information on changes to data collection in 2020 due to the pandemic, see Sample Design of the 2020 MEPS-IC.
For information on 2020 private-sector response, see MEPS-IC response rates
Update number #17: 02/12/21
Tables affected: Table I.B.2.d and Table II.B.2.d Percent of
private-sector employees that are enrolled in plans offered through a union (multi-employer health plan
(MEHP)) or a trade or business association (AHP)) or neither by selected characteristics: United States,
2019.
Issue: Correction to column headings in existing tables.
Action taken: Replacement tables and State spreadsheets for year 2019 have been posted to the
MEPS Web site.
Update number #16: 01/29/21
Tables affected: Table VI.A.1 Number of private-sector
establishments by ownership type and age of firm and State: United States, 2002.
Issue: Correction to existing table.
Action taken: Replacement table for year 2002 has been posted to the MEPS Web site.
Update number #15: 12/08/20
Tables affected: The 2018 public-sector tables series
IV
Issue: While trying to match to 2018 Govs Retirees, Census discovered tables IV.B1, IV.B2, IV.B5
on the web were showing an early draft sent through Kiteworks.
Action taken: The table series have been re-released with the final version.
Update number #14: 11/13/20
Tables affected: The 2016 public-sector tables series III,
XI
Issue: During work on the 2016 historical imputes, Census discovered a proration file for
governments that did not get checked in to production. The file contained about 450 non-certainty cases
and accounted for roughly 10% drop in the response rate for that year.
Action taken: Census loaded the prorates file and provided a new set of 2016 public-sector
tables. All table series have been re-released, and Census has converted this task to be a load program
instead of a manual process. The response rate has been revised for 2016.
Update number #13: 07/10/20
Starting in 2019, the guidelines for publishing MEPS-IC estimates
were
relaxed to allow more estimates to be published. Previously, estimates based
on 20 or more observations were published for both the private and the public
sectors. Moreover, for the public sector, estimates based on less than 20
observations were also published if the relative standard error (RSE) is was
less than 10%.
From 2019, for the private and the public sectors, in addition to
publishing
estimates based on 20 or more observations, estimates based on 10-19
observations are published if the RSE is less than 20% and the estimates
based on 3-9 observations are published if the RSE is less than 10%. Also, a
new special rule is applied for percentage estimates less than ‹5%, where the
estimates based on 3 or more observations are published only if the standard
error is less than 2.5 percentage points (irrespective of RSE). As before,
estimates based on 20 or more observations but with an RSE of 30 percent or
more are flagged with an * to indicate unreliable precision.
Update number #12: 07/12/19
Tables affected: The 2018 private-sector tables series I, II,
V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X
Issue: A survey year 2018 Longitudinal Business Database (LBD) extract was not available to
calculate FIRMAGE values for 2018.
Action taken: The LBD extract from the prior survey year (i.e., 2017) was used to calculate
FIRMAGE values for 2018 for approximately 95.5 percent of the establishments in sample. Less than 5
percent of the establishments in sample had FIRMAGE assigned during MEPS Edits since these
establishments did not match to the prior survey year LBD extract.
Update number #11: 04/22/16
Tables affected: The 2014 private-sector tables series I, II,
V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X
Issue: An editing error with the number of employees that worked less than 30 hours per week
contributed to an overall increase in the 2014 part-time employment over 2013. This error did not affect
the overall 2014 employment estimates, but it affected both full-time and part-time estimates in all
table series.
Action taken: The revised 2014 private sector tables no longer contain this edit. All table
series have been re-released, in order to maintain the historical data trend for part-time
employment.
Update number #10: 07/06/15
Starting with the 2014 tables, standard errors (SEs) for the MEPS-IC
estimates are calculated using the Taylor Series method described in Cochran (1977). The SEs for the
MEPS-IC estimates from 1996-2013 were calculated using the Random Groups method (Wolter, 1985). The
Taylor Series method could not be implemented in the early years of the MEPS-IC due to resource
limitations, but recent research showed that it is the preferred method for calculating SEs for this
survey. The two methods produce similar but not identical values. Because both methods produce unbiased
SEs, differences in estimates between years can be tested using the SEs provided in the tables. See descriptive paper summarizing the findings
from an evaluation project covering the impact of changing to the Taylor Series approach.
Update number #9:02/07/13
Tables affected: Table A.2.e in table series I, II and III -
- I & II. Percent of private-sector establishments that offer health insurance by plan options and
insurance offerings to retirees for 2011
- III. Percent of State and local governments offering health insurance by plan options and insurance
offerings to retirees for 2011
Issue: Table A.2.e in table series I, II and III displays estimates for both active employees and
retiree in different columns of the same table. In addition, some of the other columns of estimates
displayed in these tables are available elsewhere in tables that provide additional detailed breakouts.
The combination of both active and retiree estimates and duplicative estimates has caused confusion for
data users.
Action taken:
- REVISED Table A.2.e - Percent of private-sector establishments (State and local governments) that
offer health insurance by plan provider arrangement: United States, 2011
- NEW Table A.2.h - Percent of private-sector establishments (State and local governments) that offer
health insurance by health insurance offers to retirees: United States, 2011
The revised Table A.2.e no longer contains retiree estimates (now in Table A.2.h) or duplicative
estimates (now referenced to Tables A.2.d and A.2.f).
Tables A.2.e and A.2.h will be produced in this
format in future years.
Update number #8:10/22/12
Tables affected: Table F.7 for table series I, II and III,
Percent of employees enrolled in a health insurance plan that had a coinsurance payment for an office
visit to a physician, United States for years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Issue: To fill an existing information gap, this table has been added to Table Series I, II, and
III, starting with year 2008. This table is similar to Table F.4 but for coinsurance payments instead of
copayments.
Action taken: New tables I.F.7, II.F.7, and III.F.7 for years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 have
been posted to the MEPS site and these tables have been added to the annual table series for future
years.
Update number #7:10/22/12
Tables affected: Table III.B.2 Percent of State and local
government employees that work where health insurance is offered, by government type and size and census
division: United States for years 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Issue: Since the beginning of the IC table series in 1996, tables with estimates of the percent
of state and local government employees that work where health insurance is offered were not posted
because none of the estimates in those tables were statistically different from 100 percent. (In other
words, the tables would not have provided any additional information.) Beginning in 2008, a sufficient
number of small local governments with less than 250 employees reported that they do not offer health
insurance such that a table with this information is now warranted. Tables for the years 2008, 2009 and
2010 have been added and the table will be part of the annual table release in future years.
Action taken: New tables III.B.2 for years 2008, 2009, and 2010 have been posted to the MEPS Web
site and the table has been added to the annual table series for future years.
Update number #6:
07/12/10
Tables affected: Table IV.A.5
National total cost of optional coverage for the private sector by industry category: United States,
2008.
Issue: Correction to existing table.
Action taken: Replacement tables for year 2008 have been posted to the MEPS Web site.
Update number #5:
03/27/09
Tables affected: Table B.2.b.(1)
Percent of private sector employees who are enrolled in self-insured plans. This table is in Table
Series I, II, V, VI, and VII for the year 2006, total number of tables affected: 5.
The MEPS-IC State Tables in Spreadsheet Format by State tables were also updated, total number of tables
affected: 52.
In addition the MEPSnet/IC data has also been updated for year 2006.
Issue: The computation error in the tables for year 2006 that was
identified in May 2007 (Update #1) has been corrected.
Action taken: Replacement tables for year 2006 have been posted to the MEPS Web site. In
addition, new Table Series I, II V, VI, and VII for 2006 have also been posted.
Update number #4:
12/03/08
Tables affected: The 2006 State Tables in Spreadsheet Format by State. Total number of
spreadsheets affected: 52.
Issue: The data within the spreadsheets for Table II.F.1 Percent of private-sector
employees enrolled in a health insurance plan that had a deductible and Table II.F.4 Average individual
deductible (in dollars) per employee enrolled with single coverage in a health insurance plan that had a
deductible at private-sector establishments, contained incorrectly formatted data. These two rows have
been corrected. Note that the PDF and HTM formats of Table II.F.1 and Table II.F.4 were correct and did
not need replacing.
Action taken: Replacement spreadsheets for 2006 State Tables in Spreadsheet Format by
State have been posted to the MEPS Web site.
Update number #3:
07/30/08
Beginning with the 2008 tables, health insurance data from the MEPS
Insurance Component for the private sector will be released a full year earlier due to major
improvements in the data collection process.
- In July 2009, MEPS employer-based health insurance tables for
private-sector establishments will be posted for the year 2008. Without the
changes to data collection, these data would have not been released until
July 2010.
- In November 2009, MEPS employer-based health insurance tables for State
and local governments will be posted for the year 2008. This is eight months
earlier than would have been possible without the data collection
improvements.
In order to achieve these major advances in the data release schedule, MEPS employer-based health
insurance data will NOT be collected for the year 2007.
Please contact the MEPS Project Director at mepsprojectdirector@ahrq.hhs.gov
Update number #2:
09/19/07
Tables affected: Table B.2.b.(1)
Percent of private sector employees who are enrolled in self-insured plans. This table is in Table
Series I, II, V, VI, and VII for the years 1999-2005. Total number of tables affected: 35.
Issue: The computation error in the tables for the years 1999-2004 that was identified in May
2007 (Update #1) has been corrected.
Action taken: Replacement tables for years 1999-2004 have been posted to the MEPS Web site. In
addition, new tables for 2005 have also been posted.
Update number #1:
05/25/07
Tables affected: Table B.2.b.(1)
Percent of private sector employees who are enrolled in self-insured plans. This table is in Table
Series I, II, V, VI, and VII for the years 1999-2004. Total number of tables affected: 30.
Issue: A computation error has been detected. The result of this error is that many of these
estimates are overstated by 5 to 10 percent.
Action taken: The tables have been removed from the MEPS Web site. The corresponding data have
also been removed from MEPSnet/IC and from the state-level Excel spreadsheets. Tables B.2.b.(1) for 2005
will not be posted with the other MEPS-IC tables in July. Once the tables have been corrected, they will
be posted on the Web site and another update message will be posted.
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