MEPS HC-176: 2015 Jobs File
February 2017
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 427-1406
Table of Contents
A. Data Use Agreement
B. Background
1.0 Household Component
2.0 Medical Provider Component
3.0 Survey Management and Data Collection
C. Technical and Programming Information
1.0 General Information
2.0 Data File Information
2.1 Codebook Structure
2.2 Reserved Codes
2.3 Codebook Format
2.4 Variable Source and Naming Conventions
3.0 Longitudinal Analysis
3.1 Using MEPS Data for Trend Analysis
D. Variable-Source Crosswalk
Appendix 1. Sample SAS Program
Individual identifiers have been removed from the
micro-data contained in these files. 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-1),
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 they were 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; and
- 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 these 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 Title 18 part 1
Chapter 47 Section 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
The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) provides
nationally representative estimates of health care use, expenditures, sources of
payment, and health insurance coverage for the U.S. civilian
non-institutionalized population. The MEPS Household Component (HC) also
provides estimates of respondents’ health status, demographic and socio-economic
characteristics, employment, access to care, and satisfaction with health care.
Estimates can be produced for individuals, families, and selected population
subgroups. The panel design of the survey, which includes 5 Rounds of interviews
covering 2 full calendar years, provides data for examining person level changes
in selected variables such as expenditures, health insurance coverage, and
health status. Using computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) technology,
information about each household member is collected, and the survey builds on
this information from interview to interview. All data for a sampled household
are reported by a single household respondent.
The MEPS-HC was initiated in 1996. Each year a new
panel of sample households is selected. Because the data collected are
comparable to those from earlier medical expenditure surveys conducted in 1977
and 1987, it is possible to analyze long-term trends. Each annual MEPS-HC sample
size is about 15,000 households. Data can be analyzed at either the person or
event level. Data must be weighted to produce national
estimates.
The set of households selected for each panel of the
MEPS HC is a subsample of households participating in the previous year’s
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) conducted by the National Center for
Health Statistics. The NHIS sampling frame provides a nationally representative
sample of the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized population and reflects an
oversample of Blacks and Hispanics. In 2006, the NHIS implemented a new sample
design, which included Asian persons in addition to households with Black and
Hispanic persons in the oversampling of minority populations. The linkage of the
MEPS to the previous year’s NHIS provides additional data for longitudinal
analytic purposes.
Return To Table Of Contents
Upon completion of the household CAPI interview and
obtaining permission from the household survey respondents, a sample of medical
providers are contacted by telephone to obtain information that household
respondents can not accurately provide. This part of the MEPS is called the
Medical Provider Component (MPC) and information is collected on dates of visit,
diagnosis and procedure codes, charges and payments. The Pharmacy Component
(PC), a subcomponent of the MPC, does not collect charges or diagnosis and
procedure codes but does collect drug detail information, including National
Drug Code (NDC) and medicine name, as well as date filled and sources and
amounts of payment. The MPC is not designed to yield national estimates. It is
primarily used as an imputation source to supplement/replace household reported
expenditure information.
Return To Table Of Contents
MEPS HC and MPC data are collected under the authority
of the Public Health Service Act. Data are collected under contract with Westat,
Inc. (MEPS HC) and Research Triangle Institute (MEPS MPC). Data sets and summary
statistics are edited and published in accordance with the confidentiality
provisions of the Public Health Service Act and the Privacy Act. The National
Center for Health Statistics (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, micro data files, and tables via the MEPS Web site:
meps.ahrq.gov.
Selected data can be analyzed through MEPSnet, an on-line interactive tool
designed to give data users the capability to statistically analyze MEPS data in
a menu-driven environment.
Additional information on MEPS is available from the
MEPS project manager or the MEPS public use data manager at the Center for
Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 (301-427-1406).
Return To Table Of Contents
Section C of this document offers a brief overview of
the data provided in MEPS public use release HC-176, as well as the content and
structure of the codebook, reserved code values, and variable naming
conventions. It is followed by Section D containing the Variable-Source
Crosswalk, and Appendix 1 containing sample SAS program code. A copy of the
survey instrument used to collect the information on this file is available on
the MEPS web site:
meps.ahrq.gov.
Return To Table Of Contents
In the Employment section, MEPS collects complete
job-related information in the round in which a job is first reported. While
they vary by job type (see Section 2.0), the data reported for a job in
its first survey round may include earnings by type (gross salary, tips, etc.),
start and stop dates, hours and weeks worked, establishment size and industry,
occupation, presence of retirement and other benefits, self-employment versus
other status, temporary or seasonal situations, and health insurance
availability. Minimal data updates are available for later rounds in which the
job continues.
Each Full-Year Jobs file contains job records from two
MEPS panels. The 2015 Jobs file provided in this release, MEPS HC-176, contains
job-level information collected in Rounds 3 through 5 for the nineteenth panel
and Rounds 1 through 3 for the twentieth panel of the Medical Expenditure Panel
Survey (i.e., the rounds for the MEPS panels covering calendar year 2015), as
illustrated below.
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Calendar
2014 through 2016
In order to obtain complete information for a job,
users must note the round in which the job is first reported. This is because
MEPS collects complete Jobs information in that round only, as noted above.
For the first year panel, in this case Panel 20, data
from Rounds 1, 2, and 3 are included in the 2015 Jobs file. Complete information
for any Panel 20 job is available, whether that job was first reported in Round
1, 2, or 3. This is the case for any first year panel (the panel that began its
first year of interviewing in the given year) in a Full-Year Jobs file.
For the second year panel (the panel that continued
with its second year of interviewing in the given year), in this case Panel 19,
data from Rounds 3, 4, and 5 are included in this file. If the Round 3, 4, or 5
job continued from Round 1 or Round 2, users must look back to the Jobs file
from the previous year (2014) to obtain complete information for the job.
Appendix 1 includes sample SAS code to assist users in obtaining this
information. Users should note that, because of differences in sample
composition between the current year and the previous year files (i.e., a
person was included in the previous year’s delivery but not the current year or
vice versa), or because more accurate information was received in Round 4 or
Round 5 comments following the delivery of the Rounds 1 – 3 Jobs records in the
previous year, there occasionally may not be a corresponding Round 1 or Round 2
job in the previous year file.
This file is being released as a research file and has
undergone the standard quality control procedures usually performed on MEPS data
files. The file includes a total of 60,674 records, with each record
representing a unique job for a person by round. This file presents information
about jobs starting on or before 12/31/2015 only. The 2016 Jobs file release
will present information on Panel 20 jobs starting in 2016.
Return To Table Of Contents
Jobs Records
Each record in the 2015 Jobs file represents one job
reported by a person in a round. The unique record identifier is the variable
JOBSIDX, which comprises a person identifier (DUID + PID), a round identifier
(RN), and a job number (JOBSN). A panel indicator (PANEL) is included on the
file to distinguish Round 3 jobs held by Panel 19 persons from Round 3 jobs held
by those in Panel 20.
All persons age 16 and older in the MEPS are asked to
report on jobs held. Depending on an individual’s job history, these reported
jobs may be held:
- at the interview date,
- in the round but prior to the interview date, or
- prior to the round.
Only those persons reporting a job in a round will
have a record on the 2015 Jobs file for that round.
Initial Reporting Round
Most persons held only one job at the first interview
date – their “Current Main Job.” For persons who held more than one job at the
round’s interview date (a current job), respondents were asked to identify the
main job. This job was classified as the “Current Main Job” and any other
simultaneously held job was classified as a “Current Miscellaneous Job.” The
MEPS also obtained some information on any former job (Former Main Job or Former
Miscellaneous Job) held in the reference period but not at the interview date.
For those persons neither working at the interview date nor earlier in the
reference period, limited information on the last job the person held was
collected. Additionally, for those persons age 55 or older who were identified
as having retired from a job, the MEPS obtained some job-level information
(Retirement Job).
The variable SUBTYPE indicates the type of job record - current main (1), current miscellaneous (2), former
main (3), former miscellaneous (4), last job outside reference period (5), or
retirement job (6). When a job is initially reported, MEPS asks for detailed
information about any “Current Main Job” and “Current Miscellaneous Job” and
basic information about other job types. Refer to the questionnaire to see which
information was asked for each job type. It is important to note that the
retirement job classification in the variable SUBTYPE is independent of any
retirement response in the following variables:
- YLEFT, which relates to the question why a person left a
previous job;
- YNOBUSN, which relates to the question why a person no
longer has a self-employed business;
- WHY_LEFT, which relates to the question why a person left a
job in the current round.
Job Updates and Inapplicable (-1) Values
The MEPS used dependent interviewing in Rounds 3, 4,
and 5 for Panel 19 and in Rounds 2 and 3 for Panel 20 (see section RJ in the
Employment section of the questionnaire). In these rounds, the MEPS asked about
current main and current miscellaneous jobs held at the previous round interview
date to determine whether the jobholder continued to work at these jobs. For
other job types (former, last, or retirement) reported in the previous round,
MEPS does not ask any follow-up questions. These jobs, by definition, are no
longer held by the person and therefore are not included on the file except in
the round they are first reported.
With dependent interviewing, if a person still held a
Current Main Job from the previous round, the MEPS asked whether the job was
still the main job. For most jobholders, it was reported that they still worked
at the same job and it was still their main job. If, in a subsequent interview,
a job was no longer held, it was designated as a former job for that follow-up
round. It is also possible, although unusual, for a job to change from main to
miscellaneous (or vice versa) in a round subsequent to the initial report.
If job status remained the same for a continuing job
(either main or miscellaneous), the MEPS asked only a subset of the employment
questions as a review. Because the MEPS asked only this subset of questions if
job status for a person did not change in later rounds, many job-level variables
on the subsequent round’s job records are coded as inapplicable (-1); the
complete information is on the record for the job in the first round in which it
was reported. Thus, it is important to determine whether a job in a subsequent
round continues from the previous round when working with the job records. In
rounds where this applies, the variables STILLAT (for jobs that were current
main in the previous round) and STILLWRK (for jobs that were current
miscellaneous in the previous round) indicate whether a person still holds the
job at the subsequent round interview date. The variable SUBTYPE on the
subsequent round record indicates whether the job is main or miscellaneous in
that subsequent round. Note that if a
Panel 19 job included in this 2015 file is continued from a Round 1 or 2 job,
much of the information will be contained in the 2014 Jobs file (HC-166). Use
that file to obtain the desired job characteristics. Appendix 1 provides a
sample SAS program showing how to do this.
Any new job reported in a round following the initial
interview is collected the same way as in the first interview round.
Variables that relate only to the review of a job
reported in a previous round (Y_CHANGE, MAIN_JOB, OFFTAKEI, NOWTAKEI, WHY_LEFT,
STILLAT, STILLWRK, DIFFWAGE, WORKSTAT, ESTBTHRU, INSESTB) were not asked in
Round 1, and these variables are coded as inapplicable (-1) on a Jobs record for
the round in which the job is initially reported.
Exceptions to the Inapplicable (-1) Rule
Unlike the situation explained above for most
variables on the file, for certain variables a value other than inapplicable
(-1) does not necessarily mean that a job is newly reported. There are two
distinct situations in which this special treatment is used, due to internal
processing needs.
In the first situation, questions related to the
affected variables are skipped over as inapplicable
(-1) during the interview in rounds subsequent to the one in which the job was
initially reported, but have their originally reported response carried forward
from round to round. This group includes the following 14 variables:
EMPLINS, HRSPRWK, HRS35WK, JOBTYPE, JSTRTY, JSTRTM, MORELOC, NUMEMPS,
OFFRDINS, PROVDINS, TYPEEMPL, JOBHASHI, HRSALBAS, and RETIRJOB.
In the other situation, there are certain questions
that are asked during the review of a job in rounds following the round in which
the job was initially reported. If there is no change based on the review, the
value for the affected variable is copied forward from the previous round. If
there is a change, the variable is updated to reflect the new information. These
five variables are: JSTOPY, NOWTAKEI, OFFTAKEI, SUBTYPE, and TOTLEMP.
Variables related to earnings (such as HRLYWAGE,
GROSSPAY, SALARIED) are treated similarly to the five variables just discussed.
In the review section, the MEPS attempted to obtain information regarding
changes in wages for the same job from round to round. If there were no wage
changes (indicated by the DIFFWAGE variable), then the most recent round’s
information was carried forward. If changes were recorded, then the relevant
variables were updated. For every new job reported for a person, the MEPS
attempted to obtain current wage information.
Top-Coding, Editing, and Confidentiality
For reasons of confidentiality, earnings variables on
the file were top-coded. The earnings variables include HRLYWAGE, BONSAMT,
COMMAMT, TIPSAMT, DAYWAGE, WKLYAMT, GROSSPAY, and MAKEAMT. A value of
‘-10’ for one of these variables on a record indicates that the variable had a
positive value and that the hourly rate for that earnings variable for the
record was greater than or equal to $80.00. Beginning in 2005, the process by
which the top-code value for the Jobs file is derived incorporates the wage
top-code process used in the Full-Year Use file top-coding process. The purpose
of this change in top-coding procedures is to ensure confidentiality for each
person across files.
Beginning with the 2004 Use file process, top-coding
was changed to consider updated wages in any round – that is, in addition to
using wages from the first report of a Current Main Job, updated wages from that
job reported in any subsequent round are also included in deriving the top-code
value. On the Use file, any person who has a wage in any round that is greater
than or equal to the top-code value will have all wages top-coded, regardless of
round. And any person whose wages are top-coded on the Full-Year 2015 Use file
has all wages on all jobs top-coded in the 2015 Jobs file.
Moreover, because other jobs where wages are reported
are included in the 2015 Jobs file but not summarized in the Full-Year 2015 Use
file (i.e., newly reported former main jobs and current/former miscellaneous
jobs), and these wages may exceed the current year top-code value, wages for
these jobs and all jobs belonging to the same jobholder are top-coded on the
2015 Jobs file. In turn, the wages of these persons are top-coded in the
Full-Year 2015 Use file as well.
Note too that there are some jobs where respondents
indicate that a supplemental wage, such as a commission, tip, or bonus, is
greater than or equal to the wage top-code value, but, at that same job, base
wage such as the annual salary is not. For these cases, only the tips,
commissions, or bonus amounts were top-coded on the job where they are greater
than or equal to the wage top-code value. All other wage amounts on all jobs for
these persons were left as reported.
For some persons in Panel 19, whose wages were imputed
in Round 1 or Round 2 and copied forward into the Full-Year 2015 Use PUF wage
variable HRWG31X, the updated Round 3 wage as reported in the 2015 Jobs file may
meet or exceed the wage top-code value. For these cases, the main wage at the
job is set to ‘-9’ (not ascertained) and all other wage responses remain as reported.
Some wage information was logically edited for
consistency. Edits were performed under two circumstances:
- in some cases where wages reported as less than $1.00 per
hour are updated in a subsequent round to greater than $1.00,
and the wage increased by a factor of 10 or 100 (for example, if
a Round 4 wage is updated to $20.00, the Round 3 wage of $0.20
could logically be updated to $20.00); in some of these cases,
additional comments may have also indicated an error
- in some cases where wages changed substantially from round
to round and a keying error was evident (for example, ‘the
number of hours on which the salary is based’ is updated from
‘40’ to ‘4’; the ‘4’ could logically be updated to ‘40’)
In all cases that result in an edit, a complete review
of wage and employment history is performed; in some cases, comparisons are made
to employment at similar establishments within the MEPS as well as to data
reported and summarized by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To further improve the quality of wage reports,
beginning in Panel 20 Round 3/Panel 19 Round 5, CAPI prompts the respondent to
confirm wages reported in the Employment Wage section if a wage amount falls
outside a specified wage range.
Ranges vary depending on the unit of pay as follows:
| Unit of Pay |
Wage Range |
| PER YEAR |
$5,000.00 - $200,000.00 |
| PER MONTH |
$375.00 - $20,000.00 |
| PER 2-WEEK PERIOD |
$150.00 - $10,000.00 |
| PER WEEK |
$75.00 - $5,000.00 |
| PER DAY |
$10.00 - $750.00 |
| PER HOUR |
$1.00 - $125.00 |
These changes will be fully reflected on all wage
variables in the 2017 Jobs File.
To calculate the hourly rate for earnings types not
reported on an hourly basis, the number of hours per week worked and in some
cases the number of weeks worked were used in conjunction with the various
amounts. These hours and weeks are included on the file along with the reported
earnings amounts, but not the calculated hourly rates. (Earnings variables were
not reconciled with income data collected elsewhere in the MEPS.)
Also for confidentiality reasons, the establishment
size variables NUMEMPS (establishment size for jobs held by wage earners) and
TOTLEMP (establishment size for self-employed jobs) were top-coded as ‘-10’ for
establishment sizes greater than or equal to 13,000 employees.
It is important to note that the establishment size
variable for the self-employed is TOTLEMP, while the establishment size for wage
earners can be found in NUMEMPS and ESTMATE1. The variable ESTMATE1 is derived
from a question that allowed respondents who did not know the actual
establishment size (NUMEMPS) to choose from a number of size ranges.
Beginning in Panel 20 Round 3/Panel 19 Round 5, CAPI
no longer accepts a value of ‘0’ at questions EM124 and RJ08B (JOBS.TOTLEMP)
where respondents are asked to indicate the total number of employees working at
a self-employed business. It should be noted that some persons continue to have
a JOBS.TOTLEMP value of ‘0’ due to the CAPI flow and the round in which this change occurs.
Temporary and Seasonal Jobs
Two variables on the file pertain to the temporary and
seasonal nature of a person’s main or miscellaneous job. The variable
TEMPJOB indicates whether a main or miscellaneous job is temporary (i.e., is a
current main job for a limited amount of time or until the completion of a
project). The variable SESNLJOB indicates either that a main or miscellaneous
job is available only during certain times of the year or that the individual is
working throughout the entire year at that job. Teachers and other school
personnel who work only during the school year are considered to work year
round. Prior to the 2013 Jobs file, the questions related to temporary and
seasonal job characteristics were asked both when a current job was initially
reported as well as during a review of that job. As of Panel 17 Round 5/Panel 18
Round 3, these questions are asked of newly reported jobs only. These questions
are not asked of newly reported former miscellaneous jobs, last jobs outside of
reference period, and retirement jobs. These variables are set to inapplicable
(-1) for all subsequent rounds.
Health Insurance Data
Questions about employment-related health insurance
are asked both when any type of job is newly reported and when any continuing
job is reviewed. For main jobs, either newly reported or changing from
miscellaneous, the variable that indicates whether insurance is held through
that establishment is EMPLINS. For all non-main jobs, the variable JOBHASHI
indicates whether insurance is held through that establishment.
For a newly reported job, depending on whether
employment-related insurance is held or not, there may be follow-up information
gathered which is contained in the following variables:
- OFFRDINS, which notes if insurance was not held,
whether it was offered;
- DIFFPLNS, which notes if a choice of plans is available
where insurance is either offered or held;
- ANYINS, which notes if insurance coverage is available to
any other employees at the establishment in cases where the
jobholder does not hold and is not offered coverage.
For a continuing job, when no insurance was held in
the round in which the job was first reported but insurance was offered,
OFFTAKEI is asked to determine if it is now held in this round. If not, there is
no follow-up regarding insurance coverage through that job. When insurance was
not previously held nor offered, the follow-up questions in the RJ section
relate to the following variables:
- NOWTAKEI indicates if insurance is now held through the
establishment. If not, the jobholder is asked if health
insurance was offered (ESTBTHRU).
- If insurance was not offered, a follow-up question is asked
regarding insurance availability to any employees as noted in
the variable INSESTB.
- If insurance was held for a portion of the previous round or
the respondent disavows coverage in the Health Insurance section
that was previously indicated in the Employment section of the
interview, only NOWTAKEI is asked in subsequent rounds.
Skip Patterns
Due to many skip patterns, it is recommended that
users of the 2015 Jobs file become familiar with the Employment section in the
MEPS questionnaire. To aid users, a crosswalk between variables and MEPS
questionnaire numbers is provided in this release. The following examples of
variables involved in skip patterns are presented to be illustrative; these
examples do not represent the full range of variables affected by questionnaire
skip patterns.
In one example of a skip pattern, the MEPS did not
obtain job-related benefits such as vacation, sick leave, and pension
information for self-employed jobs, so those variables are coded as inapplicable
(-1) for those types of jobs. Nor did the MEPS attempt to obtain wage, salary,
and information regarding whether the job was in the private sector, federal or
local government (TYPEEMPL) for the self-employed. So again, due to the skip
pattern, TYPEEMPL is coded as inapplicable (-1) for self-employed jobs.
Conversely, the questions relating to business
organization type (BUSINC, PROPRIET) were asked only of the self-employed, so
the skip pattern results in those variables being coded inapplicable (-1) for
jobs performed by wage earners.
Industry and Occupation Coding
Industry and occupation codes were assigned by
professional coders at the Census Bureau based on verbatim descriptions provided
by respondents during the survey interview. The codes are determined at a
detailed 4-digit level and then collapsed into broader groups on the file to
ensure the confidentiality of the records. INDCODEX contains industry
information and OCCCODEX contains occupation information. The page on the MEPS
website describing the 2015 Jobs file contains a crosswalk between the detailed
and collapsed codes for both industry and occupation.
With the 2010 file, the Census Bureau began using 2007
Industry and 2010 Occupation codes, which were developed for the Bureau’s
Current Population Survey and American Community Survey. These updated coding
schemes incorporate minor changes from the 2003 industry and occupation codes
used for the 2002-2009 files; therefore, INDCODEX and OCCCODEX for 2010 and
later files will be comparable to those variables on the 2002-2009 files.
(Industry and occupation variables for pre-2002 files are not comparable to
those for later files.)
This 2015 Jobs file does not include any weights
necessary to extrapolate this data to the U.S. population. To make person-level
estimates, link to any of the 2015 MEPS files and use the person-level weight
for the appropriate panel. The link should be made through the variable DUPERSID.
Note that not all persons in the MEPS have positive weights and job records;
only those persons who have either a positive person-level or family-level
weight in the 2015 Full-Year Person-Level file are included in the 2015 Jobs
file.
Return To Table Of Contents
For each variable on the 2015 Jobs file, an unweighted
frequency is provided in the accompanying codebook file.
Return To Table Of Contents
The following reserved code values are used:
| Value |
Definition |
| -1 INAPPLICABLE |
Question was not asked due to skip pattern |
| -7 REFUSED |
Question was asked and respondent refused to answer question |
| -8 DK |
Question was asked and respondent did not know answer |
| -9 NOT ASCERTAINED |
Interviewer did not record the data |
| -10 TOP-CODED VALUE |
Variable was top-coded for confidentiality, as described above |
Return To Table Of Contents
This codebook describes an ASCII dataset (with related
SAS, SPSS, and STATA programming statements and data user information),
although the data are also provided in a SAS transport file. The file contains
77 variables and has a logical record length of 227 with an additional 2-byte
carriage return/line feed at the end of each record. The following codebook
items are provided for each variable:
| Identifier |
Description |
| Name |
Variable name (maximum of 8 characters) |
| Description |
Variable descriptor (maximum 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
In general, variable names reflect the content of the
variable, with an 8-character limitation. Variables contained on this file were
derived from the questionnaire itself or from the CAPI. The source of each
variable is identified in Section D. Variable-Source Crosswalk. Sources for each
variable are indicated in one of two ways:
- Variables derived from CAPI or assigned in sampling are so
indicated as “CAPI Derived” or “Assigned in Sampling,”
respectively;
- Variables that come from one or more specific questions have
those questionnaire sections and/or question numbers listed in
the “Source” column.
Return To Table Of Contents
Panel-specific longitudinal files are available for
downloading in the data section of the MEPS Web site. For each panel, the
longitudinal file comprises MEPS survey data obtained in Rounds 1 through 5 of
the panel and can be used to analyze changes over a two-year period. Variables
in the file pertaining to survey administration, demographics, employment,
health status, disability days, quality of care, health insurance, and medical
care use and expenditures were obtained from the MEPS full-year Consolidated
files from the two years covered by that panel. For more details or to download
the data files, please see Longitudinal Weight Files at
meps.ahrq.gov/data_stats/more_info_download_data_files.jsp.
Return To Table Of Contents
MEPS began in 1996, and the utility of the survey for
analyzing health care trends expands with each additional year of data; however,
it is important to consider a variety of factors when examining trends over time
using MEPS. Statistical significance tests should be conducted to assess the
likelihood that observed trends are not attributable to sampling variation. The
length of time being analyzed should also be considered. In particular, large
shifts in survey estimates over short periods of time (e.g., from one year to
the next) that are statistically significant should be interpreted with caution
unless they are attributable to known factors such as changes in public policy,
economic conditions, or MEPS survey methodology.
For example, as a result of improved methods for
collecting priority conditions data implemented in 2007, prevalence measures
prior to 2007 are not comparable to those from 2007 and beyond for many
conditions. Users should refer to the documentation for the conditions file
(HC-180) for details.
With respect to methodological considerations, in 2013
MEPS introduced an effort to obtain more complete information about health care
utilization from MEPS respondents with full implementation in 2014. This effort
likely resulted in improved data quality and a reduction in underreporting in FY
2014 and could have some modest impact on analyses involving trends in
utilization across years.
There are also statistical factors to consider in
interpreting trend analyses. Looking at changes over longer periods of time can
provide a more complete picture of underlying trends. Analysts may wish to
consider using techniques to smooth or stabilize analyses of trends using MEPS
data such as comparing pooled time periods (e.g., 1996-97 versus 2011-2013),
working with moving averages or using modeling techniques with several
consecutive years of MEPS data to test the fit of specified patterns over time.
Finally, researchers should be aware of the impact of multiple comparisons on
Type I error. Without making appropriate allowance for multiple comparisons,
undertaking numerous statistical significance tests of trends increases the
likelihood of concluding that a change has taken place when one has not.
Return To Table Of Contents
SURVEY ADMINISTRATION VARIABLES - PUBLIC USE
| VARIABLE |
DESCRIPTION |
SOURCE |
| JOBSIDX |
JOBS ID Number |
CAPI Derived |
| DUPERSID |
Sample Person ID (DUID + PID) |
Assigned in Sampling |
| DUID |
Dwelling Unit ID |
Assigned in Sampling |
| PID |
Person Number |
Assigned in Sampling |
| RN |
Round |
CAPI Derived |
| JOBSN |
JOBS Number |
CAPI Derived |
| PANEL |
Panel to which Jobholder Belongs |
Assigned in Sampling |
Return To Table Of Contents
EMPLOYMENT VARIABLES - PUBLIC USE
| VARIABLE |
DESCRIPTION |
SOURCE |
| JOBTYPE |
Self-Employed or Work for Someone Else |
EM05, EM08, EM09, EM11, EM14, EM15, EM18, EM22, EM23, EM24, EM27, EM31, EM32, EM33, EM40, EM44, EM46, EM53, EM57, EM58, EM70, EM74, EM76, EM82, EM85A, EM86, EM87, EM88 |
| JSTRTM |
Job Start Date – Month |
EM10OV1-2, EM16OV1-2, EM25OV1-2, EM34OV1-2, EM47OV1-2, EM60OV1-2 |
| JSTRTY |
Job Start Date – Year |
EM10, EM16, EM25, EM34, EM47, EM60 |
| JSTOPM |
Job Stop Date – Month |
EM35OV1-2, EM48OV1-2, EM61OV1-2, EM66OV1-2, EM89OV1-2, RJ09 |
| JSTOPY |
Job Stop Date – Year |
EM35, EM48, EM61, EM66, EM89, RJ09 |
| RETIRJOB |
Person Retired from This Job |
EM08, EM09, EM14, EM15, EM22, EM23, EM24, EM31, EM32, EM33, EM44, EM46, EM57, EM58, EM74, EM75, EM76, EM80, EM85A, EM86, EM87, EM88 |
| SUBTYPE |
Job Sub Type |
EM and RJ Sections |
| MAIN_JOB |
Still Main Job or Business |
RJ01A |
| DIFFWAGE |
Any Change in Wage Amount |
RJ02 |
| WORKSTAT |
Full or Part Time |
RJ04 |
| Y_CHANGE |
Why Change in Full/Part Time Status |
RJ05 |
| STILLWRK |
Still Work at Establishment/Miscellaneous Job |
RJ06 |
| OFFTAKEI |
Offered Insurance and Now Take |
RJ07 |
| NOWTAKEI |
Now Offered and Take Insurance |
RJ08, RJ08A |
| ANYINS |
Is Insurance Offered To Any Employees? |
EM115A |
| WHY_LEFT |
Reason Why Not at Job Now |
RJ10 |
| NUMEMPS |
Establishment Size-Non-Self-Employed Job |
EM91 |
| ESTMATE1 |
Categorical Approximate Establishment Size |
EM92 |
| MORELOC |
More Than One Location |
EM93 |
| BUSINC |
Business Incorporated |
EM94 |
| PROPRIET |
Proprietorship or Partnership |
EM95 |
| TYPEEMPL |
Employee Type |
EM96 |
| YLEFT |
No Job Reason |
EM101 |
| YNOBUSN |
Why No Business |
EM102 |
| HRSPRWK |
Number of Hours Worked Per Week |
EM104, EM111 |
| HRS35WK |
Work at least 35 Hours Per Week |
EM105 |
| APXHRDAY |
Approximate # of Hours Worked Per Day |
EM106 |
| SICKPAY |
Does Person Have Paid Sick Leave |
EM107 |
| PAYDRVST |
Is There Paid Sick Leave for Dr’s Visits |
EM108 |
| PAYVACTN |
Does Person Get Paid Vacation |
EM109 |
| RETIRPLN |
Does Person Have Pension/Retirement Plan |
EM110 |
| WKLYAMT |
Usual Weekly Gross Income |
EM112 |
| EMPLINS |
Have Health Insurance through This Job |
EM113 |
| OFFRDINS |
Offered Insurance But Chose Not to Take |
EM114 |
| DIFFPLNS |
Choice of Different Health Insurance Plans |
EM115 |
| INUNION |
Belong to Labor Union at Job |
EM116 |
| PROVDINS |
Who Provides Health Insurance |
EM117 |
| HHMEMBER |
Any Other HH Member Work at This Business |
EM122 |
| TOTLEMP |
Establishment Size-Self-Employed Job |
EM124, RJ08B |
| SALARIED |
Is Person Salaried, Paid by the Hour, etc. |
EW01 |
| HOWPAID |
How Is Person Paid |
EW02 |
| DAYWAGE |
Person’s Daily Wage Rate |
EW03 |
| HRSPRDY |
Number of Hours Person Worked in One Day |
EW04 |
| MAKEAMT |
How Much Money Does Person Make |
EW05 |
| PERUNIT |
Period for which Person Is Paid |
EW05OV1 |
| MORE10 |
Person Makes More or Less than $10/Hour |
EW08, EW14, EW20 |
| MORE15 |
Person Makes More or Less than $15/Hour |
EW09, EW15, EW21 |
| MOREMINM |
Person Makes More or Less than Minimum Wage |
EW10, EW16, EW22 |
| GROSSPAY |
Person’s Salary Before Taxes (Gross) |
EW11 |
| GROSSPER |
Period in which Gross Salary Was Earned |
EW11OV1 |
| SALRYWKS |
Number of Weeks Per Year on which Salary is Based |
EW12 |
| EARNTIPS |
Does Person Earn Tips |
EW23_01 |
| EARNBONS |
Does Person Earn Bonuses |
EW23_02 |
| EARNCOMM |
Does Person Earn Commission |
EW23_03 |
| TIPSUNIT |
Period on which Tip Earnings are Based |
EW24AOV1 |
| TIPSAMT |
How Much Are Person’s Tips |
EW24A |
| BONSUNIT |
Period on which Bonuses are Based |
EW24BOV1 |
| BONSAMT |
How Much Are Person’s Bonuses |
EW24B |
| COMMUNIT |
Period on which Commissions Are Based |
EW24COV1 |
| COMMAMT |
How Much Are Person’s Commissions |
EW24C |
| HRLYWAGE |
How Much Person Makes Per Hour |
EW07, EW13, EW18 |
| JOBHASHI |
Does Person Have Health Insurance at This Job |
EM17, EM26, EM39, EM52, EM69, EM81 |
| STILLAT |
Still Work at Establishment/Main Job |
RJ01 |
| ESTBTHRU |
Offered Insurance, Did Not Take (Review) |
RJ08AA |
| SESNLJOB |
Is Job Seasonal? |
EM105D, EM111D |
| TEMPJOB |
Is Job Temporary? |
EM105C, EM111C |
| INSESTB |
Insur Offered Any Employees (Review)? |
RJ08AAA |
| HRSALBAS |
Hours on which Salary Is Based |
EW17 |
| INDCODEX |
Condensed Industry Code |
EM98 |
| OCCCODEX |
Condensed Occupation Code |
EM99, EM100 |
Return To Table Of Contents
|
Back
Email Updates
