MEPS HC-051I: Appendix to MEPS 2000 Event Files HC-051A - HC-051H
June 2003
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 427-1406
Table of Contents
A. Data
Use Agreement
B. Background
1.0 Household Component (HC)
2.0 Medical Provider Component (MPC)
3.0 Insurance Component (IC)
4.0 Survey ManagementC. Technical and Programming
Information
1.0 General Information
2.0 Data File Information
2.1 Codebook Format
2.2 Variable Naming and
Source
2.3 Contents of File 1:
Condition-Event Link File (CLNK)
2.4 Contents of File 2:
Prescribed Medicines-Event Link File (RXLK)
2.5 2000 Condition-Event
Frequency Table
2.6 2000 Utilization and
Expenditures Summary Table
3.0 Merging/Linking MEPS Data
Files
3.1 Example A: Using the RXLK
and CLNK Files with the Medical Conditions File (HC-052), the Prescribed
Medicines and Office-Based Medical Provider Visits Event Files (HC-051A
and HC-051G)
3.2 Example B: Using the CLNK
File with the Medical Conditions File (HC-052) and the Prescribed
Medicines Event File (HC-051A)
3.3 Example C: Using the CLNK
File with the Medical Conditions File (HC-052) and Office-Based Medical
Provider Visits Event File (HC-051G)
3.4 Example D: Using the RXLK
File with the Other Medical Expenses Event File (HC-051C)
3.5 Limitations/Caveats of
the CLNK File
3.6 Limitations/Caveats of
the RXLK File
Attachment 1: Clinical Classification Code to ICD-9-CM Code Crosswalk (link to separate file)
Attachment 2: Sample SAS Jobs for Linking Examples (link to separate file)
A. Data Use Agreement
Individual identifiers have been removed from the macro-data contained in
the files on this CD-ROM. Nevertheless, under sections 308 (d) and 903 (c) of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m and 42 U.S.C. 299 a-I), data
collected by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and/or the
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) may not be used for any purpose
other than for the purpose for which it was supplied; any effort to determine
the identity of any reported cases, is prohibited by law.
Therefore in accordance with the above referenced Federal Statute, it is
understood that:
No one is to use the data in this data set in any way except for
statistical reporting and analysis; and
If the identity of any person or establishment should be discovered
inadvertently, then (a) no use will be made of this knowledge, (b) The
Director, Office of Management AHRQ will be advised of this incident, (c) the
information that would identify any individual or establishment will be
safeguarded or destroyed, as requested by AHRQ, and (d) no one else will be
informed of the discovered identity.
No one will attempt to link this data set with individually identifiable
records from any data sets other than the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey or
the National Health Interview Survey.
By using this data you signify your agreement to comply with the above
stated statutorily based requirements with the knowledge that deliberately
making a false statement in any matter within the jurisdiction of any
department or agency of the Federal Government violates 18 U.S.C. 1001 and is
punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or up to 5 years in prison.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality requests that users cite
AHRQ and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey as the data source in any
publications or research based upon these data.
Return To Table Of Contents
B. Background
This documentation describes one in a series of public use files from the
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The survey provides a new and
extensive data set on the use of health services and health care in the United
States.
MEPS is conducted to provide nationally representative estimates of health
care use, expenditures, sources of payment, and insurance coverage for the
U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. MEPS is cosponsored by the
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the National Center for
Health Statistics (NCHS).
MEPS is a family of three surveys. The Household Component (HC) is the core
survey and forms the basis for the Medical Provider Component (MPC) and part
of the Insurance Component (IC). Together these surveys yield comprehensive
data that provide national estimates of the level and distribution of health
care use and expenditures, support health services research, and can be used
to assess health care policy implications.
MEPS is the third in a series of national probability surveys conducted by
AHRQ on the financing and use of medical care in the United States. The
National Medical Care Expenditure Survey (NMCES) was conducted in 1977, and
the National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) was conducted in 1987. Since
1996, MEPS has continued this series with design enhancements and efficiencies
that provide a more current data resource to capture the changing dynamics of
the health care delivery and insurance system.
The design efficiencies incorporated into MEPS are in accordance with the
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Survey Integration Plan of June
1995, which focused on consolidating DHHS surveys, achieving cost
efficiencies, reducing respondent burden, and enhancing analytical capacities.
To advance these goals, MEPS includes linkage with the National Health
Interview Survey (NHIS)-a survey conducted by NCHS from which the sample for
the MEPS HC is drawn--and enhanced longitudinal data collection for core
survey components. The MEPS HC augments NHIS by selecting a sample of NHIS
respondents, collecting additional data on their health care expenditures, and
linking these data with additional information collected from the respondents'
medical providers, employers, and insurance providers.
Return To Table Of Contents
1.0
Household Component (HC)
The MEPS HC, a nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian
noninstitutionalized population, collects medical expenditure data at both the
person and household levels. The HC collects detailed data on demographic
characteristics, health conditions, health status, use of medical care
services, charges and payments, access to care, satisfaction with care, health
insurance coverage, income, and employment.
The HC uses an overlapping panel design in which data are collected through
a preliminary contact followed by a series of five rounds of interviews over a
2½-year period. Using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI)
technology, data on medical expenditures and use for 2 calendar years are
collected from each household. This series of data collection rounds is
launched each subsequent year on a new sample of households to provide
overlapping panels of survey data and, when combined with other ongoing
panels, will provide continuous and current estimates of health care
expenditures.
The sampling frame for the MEPS HC is drawn from respondents to NHIS. NHIS
provides a nationally representative sample of the U.S. civilian
noninstitutionalized population, with oversampling of Hispanics and blacks.
Return To Table Of Contents
2.0
Medical Provider Component (MPC)
The MEPS MPC supplements and/or replaces information on medical care events
reported in the MEPS HC by contacting medical providers and pharmacies
identified by household respondents. The MPC sample includes all home health
agencies and pharmacies reported by HC respondents. Office-based physicians,
hospitals, and hospital physicians are also included in the MPC but may be
subsampled at various rates, depending on burden and resources, in certain
years.
Data are collected on medical and financial characteristics of medical and
pharmacy events reported by HC respondents. The MPC is conducted through
telephone interviews and record abstraction.
Return To Table Of Contents
3.0
Insurance Component (IC)
The MEPS IC collects data on health insurance plans obtained through
private and public-sector employers. Data obtained in the IC include the
number and types of private insurance plans offered, benefits associated with
these plans, premiums, contributions by employers and employees, and employer
characteristics.
Establishments participating in the MEPS IC are selected through three
sampling frames:
. A list of employers or other insurance providers identified by MEPS HC
respondents who report having private health insurance at the Round 1
interview.
. A Bureau of the Census list frame of private-sector business
establishments.
. The Census of Governments from the Bureau of the Census.
To provide an integrated picture of health insurance, data collected from
the first sampling frame (employers and other insurance providers identified
by MEPS HC respondents) are linked back to data provided by those respondents.
Data collected from the two Census Bureau sampling frames are used to produce
annual national and State estimates of the supply and cost of private health
insurance available to American workers and to evaluate policy issues
pertaining to health insurance. National estimates of employer contributions
to group health insurance from the MEPS IC are used in the computation of
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The MEPS IC is an annual panel survey. Data are collected from the selected
organizations through a prescreening telephone interview, a mailed
questionnaire, and a telephone follow-up for nonrespondents.
Return To Table Of Contents
4.0 Survey Management
MEPS data are collected under the authority of the Public Health Service
Act. They are edited and published in accordance with the confidentiality
provisions of this act and the Privacy Act. NCHS provides consultation and
technical assistance.
As soon as data collection and editing are completed, the MEPS survey data
are released to the public in staged releases of summary reports, microdata
files, and compendiums of tables. Data are also released through MEPSnet, an
online interactive tool developed to give users the ability to statistically
analyze MEPS data in real time. Summary reports and compendiums of tables are
released as printed documents and electronic files. Microdata files are
released on CD-ROM and/or as electronic files.
Printed documents and selected public use file data on CD-ROMs are
available through the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse. Write or call:
AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse
Attn: (publication number)
P.O. Box 8547
Silver Spring, MD 20907
800-358-9295
410-381-3150 (callers outside the United States only)
888-586-6340 (toll-free TDD service; hearing impaired only)
Be sure to specify the AHRQ number of the document or CD-ROM you are
requesting. Selected electronic files are available through the Internet on
the MEPS Web site:
http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/
Additional information on MEPS is available from the MEPS project manager
or the MEPS public use data manager at the Center for Cost and Financing
Studies, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Return To Table Of Contents
C. Technical and
Programming Information
1.0 General Information
This documentation describes the MEPS Public Use Release HC-051I, which is
the Appendix to MEPS releases HC-051A through HC-051H. This release contains two
data files, both of which are provided in ASCII and SAS versions: 1) the
condition-event link file; and 2) the prescribed medicines-event link file. Also
included in this release are two tables provided as PDF files: 1) the
condition-event frequency table and 2) the utilization and expenditures summary
table.
This documentation offers a brief overview of the content and structure of
the files and the codebooks (provided as files H51IF1CB.PDF and H51IF2CB.PDF).
It contains the following sections:
Data File Information
Merging MEPS Data Files
Crosswalk of Clinical Classification Code to ICD-9 Code
For more information on MEPS HC survey design see S. Cohen, 1997; J. Cohen,
1997; and S. Cohen, 1996. For information on the MEPS MPC design, see S. Cohen,
1998. Both reports, along with a copy of the survey instruments used to
collect the information on this file, are available on the MEPS web site at the
following address: <http://www.meps.ahrq.gov>.
Return To Table Of Contents
2.0 Data File Information
This public use data set consists of two data files
containing variables for linkage of the MEPS 2000 event-level data files. File
1, the H51IF1 or CLNK file, is used for linking the MEPS condition file with the
MEPS event files; File 2, the H51IF2 or RXLK file, is used for linking the MEPS
prescribed medicines event file with other MEPS event files.
2.1 Codebook Format
Section D of this document includes codebooks describing the
ASCII version of each data file (the data are also provided as SAS transport
files). The following codebook items are provided for each variable on the file:
IDENTIFIER |
DESCRIPTION |
Name |
Name Variable name (maximum of 8 characters) |
Description |
Variable descriptor (maximum of 40
characters) |
Format |
Number of bytes |
Type |
Type of data: numeric (indicated by
NUM) or character (indicated by CHAR) |
Start |
Beginning column position of variable
in record |
End |
Ending column position of variable in
record |
Return To Table Of Contents
2.2 Variable Naming and Source
In general, variable names reflect the content of the
variable, with an 8 character limitation. All variables contained on Files 1 and
2 were derived from the CAPI.
2.3 Contents of File 1: Condition-Event Link File
(CLNK)
File 1, (H51IF1) or the CLNK file, contains the variables
needed to link each record on the MEPS 2000 condition file, HC-052, with one or
more records on the MEPS 2000 event files, HC-051A through HC-051H. Section 3.0
contains additional information on completing this linkage.
The 8-character variable DUPERSID uniquely identifies each
person represented on the file. There may be more than one record on the CLNK
file for a specific DUPERSID value.
CONDIDX is the ID which uniquely identifies each condition
for a person and corresponds to a unique record on the MEPS 2000 Condition file,
HC-052. There may be more than one record on the CLNK file for a specific
CONDIDX value.
EVNTIDX is the 12-digit number which uniquely identifies each
event for a person and corresponds to a unique record on one of the MEPS 2000
event files, HC-051B through HC-051H. (EVNTIDX is not included on the 2000
Prescription Medicines event file, HC-051A; rather, on this file the variable
for linking with EVNTIDX on the CLNK file is LINKIDX.) There may be more than
one record on the CLNK file for a specific EVNTIDX value.
CLNKIDX is the 24-digit number which uniquely identifies each
record on the CLNK file and is the combination of CONDIDX + EVNTIDX. There is
just one record on this file for each value of CLNKIDX, i.e., each unique
combination of CONDIDX + EVNTIDX.
The variable EVENTYPE indicates the type of event record
identified by EVNTIDX, and has the following values:
1 = MVIS - office-based medical provider visit event
contained on MEPS release HC-051G |
2 = OPAT - outpatient department visit event contained on
MEPS release HC-051F |
3 = EROM - emergency room visit event contained on MEPS
release HC-051E |
4 = STAZ - hospital inpatient stay event contained on
MEPS release HC-051D |
5 = DVIS -
dental visit event contained on
MEPS release HC-051B |
7 = HVIS -
home health visit event
contained on MEPS release
HC-051H |
8 = PMED - prescribed medicines event contained on MEPS
release HC-051A |
Return to the Table of Contents
2.4 Contents of File 2: Prescribed Medicines-Event
Link File (RXLK)
File 2, (H51IF2) or the RXLK file, contains the variables
needed to link each record on the MEPS 2000 prescribed medicines file, HC-051A,
with one or more records on the MEPS 2000 event files, HC-051B through HC-051H.
Section 3.0 contains additional information on completing this linkage.
The 8-character variable DUPERSID uniquely identifies each
person represented on the file. There may be more than one record on the RXLK
file for a specific DUPERSID value.
EVNTIDX is the 12-digit number which uniquely identifies each
event for a person and corresponds to a unique record on one of the MEPS 2000
event files, HC-051B through HC-051H. There may be more than one record on the
RXLK file for a specific EVNTIDX value.
LINKIDX is the 12-digit number which identifies the record(s)
on the prescribed medicines file, HC-051A which link to an event record. There
may be more than one record on the RXLK file for a specific LINKIDX value, and
there may be more than one record on the HC-051A file for a specific LINKIDX
value.
RXLKIDX is the 24-digit number which uniquely identifies each
record on the RXLK file, and is the combination of EVNTIDX + LINKIDX. There is
just one record on this file for each value of RXLKIDX, i.e., each unique
combination of EVNTIDX + LINKIDX.
The variable EVENTYPE indicates the type of event record
identified by EVNTIDX, and has the following values:
1 = MVIS - office-based medical provider visit event contained on MEPS
release HC-051G |
2 = OPAT - outpatient department visit event contained on MEPS release
HC-051F |
3 = EROM - emergency room visit event contained on MEPS
release HC-051E |
4 = STAZ - hospital inpatient stay event contained on
MEPS release HC-051D |
5 = DVIS -
dental visit event contained on
MEPS release HC-051B |
6 = OMED - other medical expense event contained on MEPS
release HC-051C |
Return to the Table of Contents
2.5 2000 Condition-Event Frequency Table
The file H51IT1.PDF contains the MEPS 2000 Condition-Event
Frequency table. This table contains unweighted and weighted counts of records
on the MEPS 2000 event files, HC-051A through HC-051H, for each of the
condition, procedure and clinical classification codes contained on the MEPS
2000 condition file, HC-052. Attachment 1 contains a crosswalk of the clinical
classification codes to ICD-9 codes. See the HC-052 document for additional
information on these codes.
2.6 2000 Utilization and Expenditures Summary Table
The file H51IT2.PDF contains the MEPS 2000 Utilization and
Expenditures Summary table. This table contains statistics for all of the
utilization and expenditure variables contained on the MEPS 2000 Full Year Use
and Expenditure Data file, HC-050. For each of these variables, the following
statistics are provided from the HC-050 file, and from the corresponding
event-level file(s) HC-051A through HC-051H:
Number of persons with positive person-level weight
(PERWT00F) and with value GT 0 for that variable
Weighted sum of the variable
Weighted mean of the variable
The table also includes the technical specifications used to
construct each of the person-level HC-050 variables from the event-level files.
Return to the Table of Contents
3.0 Merging/Linking MEPS Data Files
This section provides information on using each of the two
HC-051I files, RXLK and CLNK, to link with the files contained in MEPS releases
HC-052 and HC-051A through HC-051H. The linking procedure is described using
several examples of deriving MEPS-based estimates. Also included in this section
are several caveats related to using the RXLK and CLNK files.
3.1 Example A: Using the RXLK and CLNK Files with
the Medical Conditions File (HC-052), the Prescribed Medicines and
Office-Based Medical Provider Visits Event Files (HC-051A and HC-051G)
This example calculates the total expenditures for prescribed
medicines associated with office-based medical provider visits for asthma, using
these files: the condition file (HC-052), the CLNK file, the office-based
medical provider visit event file (HC-051G), the RXLK file, and the prescribed
medicines event file (HC-051A). It includes the following major steps:
-
From HC-052 file select only records with condition coded as asthma.
-
Use the CLNK file to obtain unique record IDs of events which are linked
to each of the selected asthma condition records.
From the HC-051G file, select only records for non-telephone office-based
medical provider visits for persons with a positive weight.
Using the selected record IDs obtained from the CLNK file with the
selected HC-051G records, identify only those visits which were for asthma.
Use the RXLK file with the selected visit records which were for asthma,
to obtain unique record IDs of prescribed medicine records from file HC-051A
linked to those visits.
Using these record IDs obtain the linked records from the HC-051A file and
calculate the weighted mean of the expenditure variable.
Attachment 2 contains a copy of the SAS job for this
example.
Return to the Table of Contents
3.2 Example B: Using the CLNK File with the Medical
Conditions File (HC-052) and the Prescribed Medicines Event File (HC-051A)
This example calculates the total expenditure for
prescribed medicines associated with asthma, using the condition file
(HC-052), the CLNK file and the prescribed medicines event file (HC-051A). It
includes the following major steps:
-
From HC-052 file select only records with condition coded as
asthma.
-
Use the CLNK file to obtain unique record IDs of events which are linked
to each of the asthma condition records.
-
Using these record IDs, obtain linked records from the HC-051A file and
calculate the weighted mean of the expenditure variable.
Attachment 2 contains a copy of the SAS job for this
example.
Return to the Table of Contents
3.3 Example C: Using the CLNK File with the Medical
Conditions File (HC-052) and Office-Based Medical Provider Visits Event File
(HC-051G)
This example calculates the total expenditures for
office-based medical provider visits associated with asthma, using the
condition file (HC-052), the CLNK file and the office-based medical provider
visits event file (HC-051G). It includes the following major steps:
-
From HC-052 file select only records with condition coded as
asthma.
-
Use the CLNK file to obtain unique record IDs of events which are linked
to each of the asthma condition records.
-
From the HC-051G file, select only records for non-telephone office-based
medical provider visits for persons with a positive weight.
-
Using the selected record IDs obtained from the CLNK file, with the
selected HC-051G records, identify only those visits which were for asthma
and calculate the weighted mean of the expenditure variable.
Attachment 2 contains a copy of the SAS job for this
example.
3.4 Example D: Using the RXLK File with the Other
Medical Expenses Event File (HC-051C)
This example calculates the total prescription expenditures
for other medical events reported by the household with type of other medical
expense indicated as insulin (OMTYPEX=2), using the RXLK file and the other
medical expenses event file (HC-051C). It includes the following major steps:
- From HC-051C file select only records for other medical expense
type of insulin, for persons with a positive weight.
-
Use the RXLK file to obtain unique record IDs of prescribed medicine
events which are linked to each of the selected other medical expense
records.
- Use the selected record IDs from the RXLK file to obtain the linked
prescribed medicines event records from the HC-051A file, and calculate the
weighted sum of the expenditure variable.
Attachment 2 contains a copy of the SAS job for this example.
Return to the Table of Contents
3.5 Limitations/Caveats of the CLNK File
When using the CLNK file, analysts should keep in mind that
(1) conditions are self-reported and (2) there may be multiple conditions
associated with an event. Users should also note that not all events link to the
condition file.
3.6 Limitations/Caveats of the RXLK File
When using RXLK, analysts should keep in mind that one event
record can link to more than one prescribed medicine record. Conversely, a
prescribed medicine record may link to more than one event record in the same
event file and/or more than one event record in other event files. When this
occurs, it is up to the analyst to determine how the prescribed medicine
expenditures should be allocated among those medical events.
Return to the Table of Contents
Attachment 1:
Clinical Classification Code to ICD-9-CM Code Crosswalk (link to separate file)
Attachment 2:
Sample SAS Jobs for Linking Examples (link to separate file)
Return To Table Of Contents
Return to the
MEPS Homepage
|