MEPS HC-050: 2000 Full Year Consolidated Data File

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MEPS HC-050: 2000 Full Year Consolidated Data File
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 HouseholdComponent
2.0 Medical Provider Component
3.0 Insurance Component
4.0 Survey Management
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 Naming
2.5 File Contents
2.5.1 Survey Administration Variables
2.5.2 Navigating the MEPS Data with Information on Person Disposition Status
2.5.3 Geographic Variables
2.5.4 Demographic Variables
2.5.5 Income and Tax Filing Variables
2.5.5.1 Income Top-Coding
2.5.5.2 Poverty Status
2.5.6 Employment Variables
2.5.7 Health Insurance Variables (TRIJA00X-PMEDIN53)
2.5.7.1 Monthly Health Insurance Indicators (TRIJA00X-INSDE00X)
2.5.7.2 Summary Insurance Coverage Indicators (PRVEV00 - INSCOV00)
2.5.7.3 Managed Care Variables (MCDHMO31-PRVMNC00)
2.5.7.4 Unedited Health Insurance Variables (PREVCOVR-LIMITOT) Duration of Uninsurance
2.5.7.5 Health Insurance Coverage Variables (TRICR31X-INSAT00X)
2.5.7.6 Dental and Prescription Drug Private Insurance Variables (DENTIN31-DENTIN53)
2.5.8 Disability Days Indicator Variables (DDNWRK31-OTHNDD53)
2.5.9 Access to Care Variables (ACCELI42-OTHRPR42)
2.5.10 Health Status Variables (RTHLTH31-DSPRX53)
2.5.11 2000 Parent Administered Questionnaire (PAQ)
2.5.12 Utilization, Expenditures and Source of Payment Variables (TOTTCH00-RXOSR00)
2.5.12.1 Expenditures Definition
2.5.12.2 Utilization and Expenditure Variables by Type of Medical Service
3.0 Survey Sample Information
3.1 Sample Design and Response Rates
3.2 Person-level Estimation using this MEPS Public Use Release
3.3 Family-level Estimation Using this MEPS Public Use Release
3.4 Analysis Using HIEUs
3.5 Weights and Response Rates for the Self Administered/Parent Administered Questionnaire
3.6 Weights and Response Rates for the Diabetes Care Survey
3.7 Variance Estimation
3.8 Guidelines for which weight to use for analysis involving data/variables from multiple sources and supplements: MEPS 2000 full-year use file
D. Variable-Source Crosswalk
Appendix 1: Summary of Utilization and Expenditure Variables by Health Service Category A1-1

A. Data Use Agreement

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:

1. No one is to use the data in this data set in any way except for statistical reporting and analysis; and

2. 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

3. 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.

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B. Background

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) provides nationally representative estimates of health care use, expenditures, sources of payment, and insurance coverage for the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized 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, also known as NMES-1) was conducted in 1977 and the National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES-2) in 1987. Since 1996, MEPS continues 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.

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1.0 Household Component

The MEPS HC, a nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized 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 2 ½-year period. Using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) technology, data on medical expenditures and use for two 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 non-institutionalized population, with oversampling of Hispanics and blacks.

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2.0 Medical Provider Component

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.

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3.0 Insurance Component

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, eligibility requirements, 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 Bureau of the Census.

To provide an integrated picture of health insurance, data collected from the first sampling frame (employers and insurance providers identified by MEPS HC respondents) are linked back to data provided by those respondents. Data 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 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.

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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 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 electronic files.

Selected printed documents 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 you are requesting.

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
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
301-427-1406

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C. Technical and Programming Information

1.0 General Information

This documentation describes the 2000 full-year population characteristics data file from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS HC). Released as an ASCII file (with related SAS programming statements) and a SAS transport dataset, this public use file provides information collected on a nationally representative sample of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the United States for calendar year 2000. This file consists of MEPS survey data obtained in Rounds 3, 4, and 5 of Panel 4 and Rounds 1, 2, and 3 of Panel 5, the rounds for the MEPS panels covering calendar year 2000, and contains variables pertaining to survey administration, demographics, employment, health status, quality of care, patient satisfaction, health insurance, income and person-level medical care use and expenditure.

The following documentation offers a brief overview of the types and levels of data provided, the content and structure of the files, and programming information. It contains the following sections:

. Data File Information
. Survey Sample Information
. Variable-Source Crosswalk (Section D)

A codebook of all the variables included in the 2000 full-year population characteristics data file is provided in a separate file (H50CB.PDF).

A database of all MEPS products released to date and a variable locator indicating the major MEPS data items on public use files that have been released to date can be found at the following link on the MEPS web site: www.meps.ahrq.gov.

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2.0 Data File Information

This public use dataset contains variables and frequency distributions associated with 25,096 persons who participated in the MEPS Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey in 2000. These persons received a person-level weight, a family-level weight, or both (some participating persons belonged to families characterized as family-level nonrespondents while some members of participating families were not eligible for a person-level weight). These persons were part of one of the two MEPS panels for whom data were collected in 2000: Rounds 3, 4, and 5 of Panel 4 or Rounds 1, 2, and 3 of Panel 5. Of these persons, 23,839 were assigned a positive person-level weight. There were 9,515 families receiving a positive family-level weight. The codebook provides both weighted and unweighted frequencies for each variable on the dataset. In conjunction with the person-level weight variable (PERWT00F) provided on this file, data for persons with a positive person-level weight can be used to make estimates for the civilian non-institutionalized U. S. population for 2000.

The records on this file can be linked to all other 2000 MEPS-HC public use data sets by the sample person identifier (DUPERSID). Panel 4 cases (PANEL00=4) can be linked back to the 1999 MEPS-HC public use data files. However, the user should be aware that, at this time, no weight is provided to facilitate two-year analysis of Panel 4 data.

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2.1 Codebook Structure

The codebook and data file sequence lists variables in the following order:

. Unique person identifiers
. Geographic variables
. Demographic variables
. Health status variables
. Employment variables
. Health insurance variables
. Medical usage count variables
. Weight and variance estimation variables

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2.2 Reserved Codes

The following reserved code values are used:

VALUE	DEFINITION
-1 INAPPLICABLE	Question was not asked due to skip pattern
-2 DETERMINED IN PREVIOUS ROUND	Question was not asked in round because there was no change in current main job since previous round
-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 HOURLY WAGE >= $57.69	Hourly wage was top-coded for confidentiality

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2.3 Codebook Format

This codebook describes an ASCII data set and provides the following programming identifiers 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

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2.4 Variable Naming

In general, variable names reflect the content of the variable, with an eight-character limitation. Edited variables end in an X and are so noted in the variable label. The last two characters in round-specific variables denote the rounds of data collection, Round 3, 4, or 5 of Panel 4 and Round 1, 2, or 3 of Panel 5. Unless otherwise noted, variables that end in "00" represent status as of December 31, 2000.

Variables contained in this delivery were derived either from the questionnaire itself or from the CAPI. The source of each variable is identified in the section of the documentation entitled "Section D. Variable-Source Crosswalk." Sources for each variable are indicated in one of four ways: (1) variables derived from CAPI or assigned in sampling are so indicated; (2) variables derived from complex algorithms associated with re-enumeration are labeled "RE Section"; (3) variables that are collected by one or more specific questions in the instrument have those question numbers listed in the Source column; (4) variables constructed from multiple questions using complex algorithms are labeled "Constructed."

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2.5 File Contents

2.5.1 Survey Administration Variables

The survey administration variables contain information related to conducting the interview, household and family composition, and person-level and RU-level status codes. Data for the survey administration variables were derived from the sampling process, the CAPI programs, or were computed based on information provided by the respondent in the re-enumeration section of the questionnaire. Most survey administration variables on this file are asked during every round of the MEPS interview. They describe data for Rounds 3/1, 4/2, 5/3 status and status as of December 31, 2000. Variable names ending in "xy" represent variables relevant to Round "x" of Panel 4 or Round "y" of Panel 5. For example, RULETR53 is a variable relevant to Round 5 of Panel 4 or Round 3 of Panel 5, depending on the panel in which the person was included. The variable PANEL00 indicates the panel in which the person participated.

The December 31, 2000 variables were developed in two ways. Those used in the construction of eligibility, inscope, and the end reference date were based on an exact date. The remaining variables were constructed using data from specific rounds, if available. If data were missing from the target round but were available in another round, data from that other round were used in the variable construction. If no valid data were available during any round of data collection, an appropriate reserved code was assigned.

Dwelling Units, Reporting Units, and Families

The definitions of Dwelling Units (DUs) in the MEPS Household Survey are generally consistent with the definitions employed for the National Health Interview Survey. The dwelling unit ID (DUID) is a five-digit random ID number assigned after the case was sampled for MEPS. A person number (PID) uniquely identifies each person within the dwelling unit. The variable DUPERSID is the combination of the variables DUID and PID.

PANEL00 is a constructed variable used to specify the panel number for the person. PANEL00 will indicate either Panel 4 or Panel 5 for each person on the file. Panel 4 is the panel that started in 1999, and Panel 5 is the panel that started in 2000.

A Reporting Unit (RU) is a person or group of persons in the sampled dwelling unit who are related by blood, marriage, adoption, foster care, or other family association. Each RU was interviewed as a single entity for MEPS. Thus, the RU serves chiefly as a family-based "survey" operations unit rather than an analytic unit. Members of each RU within the DU are identified in the pertinent three rounds by the round-specific variables RULETR31, RULETR42, and RULETR53. End-of-year status (as of December 31, 2000 or the last round they were in the survey) is indicated by the RULETR00 variable. Regardless of the legal status of their association, two persons living together as a "family" unit were treated as a single reporting unit if they chose to be so identified. Examples of different types of reporting units are:

1. A married daughter and her husband living with her parents in the same dwelling unit constitute a single reporting unit

2. A husband and wife and their unmarried daughter, age 18, who is living away from home while at college constitute two reporting units

3. Three unrelated persons living in the same dwelling unit would each constitute a distinct reporting unit (a total of three reporting units)

Unmarried college students (less than 24 years of age) who usually live in the sampled household but were living away from home and going to school at the time of the Round 3/1 MEPS interview were treated as a reporting unit separate from that of their parents for the purpose of data collection.

The round-specific variables RUSIZE31, RUSIZE42, RUSIZE53, and the end-of-year status variable RUSIZE00 indicate the number of persons in each RU, treating students as single RUs separate from their parents. Thus, students are not included in the RUSIZE count of their parents' RU. However, for many analytic objectives, the student reporting units would be combined with their parents' reporting unit, treating the combined entity as a single family. Family identifier and size variables are described below and include students with their parents' reporting unit.

The round-specific variables FAMID31, FAMID42, FAMID53, and the end-of-year status variable FAMID00 identify a family (i.e., persons related to one another by blood, marriage, adoption, foster care, or self-identified as a single unit) for each round and as of December 31, 2000. The FAMID variables differ from the RULETR variables only in that student reporting units are combined with their parents' reporting unit.

Two other family identifiers, FAMIDYR and CPSFAMID, are provided on this file. The annualized family ID letter, FAMIDYR, identifies eligible members of the eligible annualized families within a DU. The CPSFAMID represents a redefinition of MEPS families into families defined by the Current Population Survey (CPS). Some of the distinctions between CPS and MEPS defined families are that MEPS families include and CPS families do not include: non-married partners, foster children, and in-laws. These persons are considered as members of separate families for CPS-like families. The reason CPS-like families are defined is so that a poverty status classification variable consistent with established definitions of poverty can be assigned to the CPS-like families and used for weight poststratification purposes. In order to identify a person's family affiliation, users must create a unique set of FAMID variables by concatenating the DU identifier and the FAMID variable. Instructions for creating family estimates are described in section 3.3.

Health Insurance Eligibility Units (HIEUs) are sub-family relationship units constructed to include adults plus those family members who would typically be eligible for coverage under the adults' private health insurance family plans. To construct the HIEUIDX variable, which links persons into a common HIEU, we begin with the family identification variable CPSFAMID. Working with this family ID, we define HIEUIDX using family relationships as of the end of 2000. Persons missing end of year relationship information are assigned to an HIEUIDX using relationship information from the last round in which they provided such information. HIEUs comprise adults, their spouses, and their unmarried natural/adoptive children age 18 and under. We also include children under age 24 who are full-time students. Children who do not live with their natural/adoptive adult parents are placed in an HIEUIDX as follows:

. Foster children always comprise a separate HIEUIDX.

. Other unmarried children are placed in stepparent HIEUIDX, grandparent HIEUIDX, great-grandparent HIEUIDX, or aunt/uncle HIEUIDX.

. Children of unmarried minors are placed (along with their minor parents) in the HIEUIDX of their adult grandparents (if possible). Married minors are placed into separate HIEUs along with any spouses and children they might have.

. Some HIEUs are headed by unmarried minors, when there is no adult family member present in the CPSFAMID.

HIEUs do not, in general, comprise adult (nonmarital) partnerships, because unmarried adult partners are rarely eligible for dependent coverage under each other's insurance. The exception to this rule is that we include adult partners in the same HIEU if there is at least one (out-of-wedlock) child in the family that links to both adult partners. In cases of missing or contradictory relationship codes, HIEUs are edited by hand, with the presumption being that the adults and children form a nuclear family.

The round-specific variables FAMSZE31, FAMSZE42, FAMSZE53, and the end-of-year status variable FAMSZE00 indicate the number of persons associated with a single family unit after students are linked to their associated parent RUs for analytical purposes. Family-level analyses should use the FAMSZE variables.

Note that the variables RUSIZE31, RUSIZE42, RUSIZE53, RUSIZE00, FAMSZE31, FAMSZE42, FAMSZE53, and FAMSZE00 exclude persons who are ineligible for data collection (i.e., those where ELGRND31 NE 1, ELGRND42 NE 1, ELGRND53 NE 1 or ELGRND00 NE 1); analysts should exclude ineligible persons in a given round from all family-level analyses for that round.

The round-specific variables RURSLT31, RURSLT42, and RURSLT53 indicate the RU response status for each round. Users should note that the values for RURSLT31 differ from those for RURSLT42 and RURSLT53. The values for RURSLT31 include the following:

-1	Inapplicable
60	Complete with RU member
61	Complete with proxy‑‑all RU members deceased
62	Complete with proxy‑‑all RU members institutionalized or deceased
63	Complete with proxy, other
80	Entire RU merged with other RU
81	Entire RU deceased before 1/1/00
82	Entire RU is in military before 1/1/00
83	RU institutionalized before 1/1/00
84	Entire RU left U.S. before 1/1/00
85	RU ineligible before 1/1/00, multi-reason
86	RU ineligible, Non-Key NHIS study
87	Re-enumeration complete, no eligible RU member, Ineligible RU
88	Unavailable during field period
89	Too ill, No proxy
90	Physical/Mental incompetent, No proxy
91	Final Refusal
92	Final Breakoff
93	Unable to locate
94	Entire RU is military or left U.S. after 1/1/00
95	RU member institutionalized after 1/1/00, No proxy
96	RU member deceased after 1/1/00, No proxy
97	Re-enumeration complete, no RU member, Non-Response
98	RU moved too far away to interview
99	Final other Non-Response

The values for RURSLT42 and RURSLT53 include the following:

-1	Inapplicable
60	Complete with RU member
61	Complete with proxy‑‑all RU members deceased
62	Complete with proxy‑‑all RU members institutionalized or deceased
63	Complete with proxy, other
70	Entire RU merged with other RU
71	Re-enumeration complete, no eligible RU member, Ineligible RU
72	RU institutionalized in prior round; still institutionalized
81	Entire RU deceased before 1/1/00
82	Entire RU is in military before 1/1/00
83	RU institutionalized before 1/1/00
84	Entire RU left U.S. before 1/1/00
85	RU ineligible before 1/1/00, multi-reason
86	RU ineligible, Non-Key NHIS study
87	Language Barrier
88	Unavailable during field period
89	Too ill, No proxy
90	Physical/Mental incompetent, No proxy
91	Final Refusal
92	Final Breakoff
93	Unable to locate
94	Entire RU is military or left U.S. after 1/1/00
95	RU member institutionalized after 1/1/00, No proxy
96	RU member deceased after 1/1/00, No proxy
97	Re-enumeration complete, no RU member, Non-Response
98	RU moved too far away to interview
99	Final other Non-Response

Standard or primary RUs are the original RUs from NHIS. A new RU is one created when members of the household leave the primary RU and are followed according to the rules of the survey. A student RU is an unmarried college student (under 24 years of age) who is considered a usual member of the household, but was living away from home while going to school, and was treated as a Reporting Unit (RU) separate from his or her parents' RU for the purpose of data collection. RUCLAS00 was set based on the RUCLASS values from Rounds 3/1, 4/2, and 5/3. If the person was present in the responding RU in Round 5/3, then RUCLAS00 was set to RUCLAS53. If the person was not present in a responding RU in Round 5/3 but was present in Round 4/2, then RUCLAS00 was set to RUCLAS42. If the person was not present in either Rounds 4/2 or 5/3 but was present in Round 3/1, then RUCLAS00 was set to RUCLAS31. If the person was not linked to a responding RU during any round, then RUCLAS00 was set to
-9.

Reference Period Dates

The reference period is the period of time for which data were collected in each round for each person. The reference period dates were determined during the interview for each person by the CAPI program. The round-specific beginning reference period dates are included for each person. These variables include BEGRFM31, BEGRFD31, BEGRFY31, BEGRFM42, BEGRFD42, BEGRFY42, BEGRFM53, BEGRFD53, and BEGRFY53. The reference period for Round 1 for most persons began on January 1, 2000 and ended on the date of the Round 1 interview. For RU members who joined later in Round 1, the beginning Round 1 reference date was the date the person entered the RU. For all subsequent rounds, the reference period for most persons began on the date of the previous round's interview and ended on the date of the current round's interview. Persons who joined after the previous round's interview had their beginning reference date for the round set to the day they joined the RU.

The round-specific ending reference period dates for Rounds 3/1, 4/2, and 5/3 as well as the end-of-year reference period end date variables are also included for each person. These variables include ENDRFM31, ENDRFD31, ENDRFY31, ENDRFM42, ENDRFD42, ENDRFY42, ENDRFM53, ENDRFD53, ENDRFY53, ENDRFM00, ENDRFD00, and ENDRFY00. For most persons in the sample, the date of the round's interview is the reference period end date. Note that the end date of the reference period for a person is prior to the date of the interview if the person was deceased during the round, left the RU, was institutionalized prior to that round's interview, or left the RU to join the military.

Reference Person Identifiers

The round-specific variables REFPRS31, REFPRS42, and REFPRS53 and the end-of-year status variable REFPRS00 identify the reference person for Rounds 3/1, 4/2 and 5/3, and as of December 31, 2000 (or the last round they were in the survey). In general, the reference person is defined as the household member 16 years of age or older who owns or rents the home. If more than one person meets this description, the household respondent identifies one from among them. If the respondent is unable to identify a person fitting this definition, the questionnaire asks for the head of household and this person is then considered the reference person for that RU. This information is collected in the Re-enumeration section of the CAPI questionnaire.

Respondent Identifiers

The respondent is the person who answered the interview questions for the reporting unit (RU). The round-specific variables RESP31, RESP42, and RESP53 and the end-of-year status variable RESP00 identify the respondent for Rounds 3/1, 4/2, and 5/3 and as of December 31, 2000 (or the last round they were in the survey). Only one respondent is identified for each RU. In instances where the interview was completed in more than one session, only the first respondent is indicated.

There are two types of respondents. The respondent can be either an RU member or a non-RU member proxy. The round-specific variables PROXY31, PROXY42, and PROXY53 and the end-of-year status variable PROXY00 identify the type of respondent for Rounds 3/1, 4/2, 5/3 and as of December 31, 2000 (or the last round they were in the survey).

Language of Interview

Language of interview (INTVLANG) was documented in the Closing section of the interview, and has the following possible values:

1

ENGLISH

2

SPANISH

3

ENGLISH & SPANISH

91

OTHER LANGUAGE

-1

INAPPLICABLE

Although this question is round-specific, the responses were summarized to the person-level variable, INTVLANG. The hierarchy used in determining the value is as follows: 1) assign the value from the first round with a reported value recorded for each person; 2) if one is not recorded at the person level, then assign the first recorded value within the reporting unit (RU); 3) if one is not available at that level, then assign the first recorded value of the dwelling unit (DU); 4) if no value is available, then a value of -1 is assigned.

Person Status

A number of variables describe the various components reflecting each person's status for each round of data collection. These variables provide information about a person's inscope status, keyness status, eligibility status, and disposition status. These variables include: KEYNESS, INSCOP31, INSCOP42, INSCOP53, INSCOP00, INSC1231, INSCOPE, ELGRND31, ELGRND42, ELGRND53, ELGRND00, ELIGIBLE, PSTATS31, PSTATS42, and PSTATS53. These variables are set based on sampling information and responses provided in the Re-enumeration section of the CAPI questionnaire.

Through the Re-enumeration section of the CAPI questionnaire, each member of a reporting unit was classified as "Key" or "Non-Key", "inscope" or "out-of-scope", and "eligible" or "ineligible" for MEPS data collection. To be included in the set of persons used in the derivation of MEPS person-level estimates, a person had to be a member of the civilian non-institutionalized population for at least one day during 2000. Because a person's eligibility for the survey might have changed since the NHIS interview, a sampling re-enumeration of household membership was conducted at the start of each round's interview. Only persons who were "inscope" sometime during the year, "key", and responded for the full period in which they were inscope were assigned positive person-level weights and thus are to be used in the derivation of person-level national estimates from the MEPS.

Note: If analysts want to subset to infants born during 2000, then newborns should be identified using AGE00X = 0 rather than PSTATSxy = 51.

Inscope

A person was considered as inscope during a round if he or she was a member of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population at some time during that round. The round-specific variables INSCOP31, INSCOP42, and INSCOP53 indicate a person's inscope status for Rounds 3/1, 4/2, and 5/3. INSCOP00 indicates a person's inscope status for the portion of round 5/3 that covers 2000. The values of these variables taken in conjunction allow one to determine inscope status over time (for example, becoming inscope in the middle of a round, as would be the case for newborns). The INSCOPE variable indicates whether a person was ever inscope during the calendar year 2000. INSCOP31, INSCOP42, INSCOP53, and INSCOP00 will contain the following values and corresponding labels (for INSCOP00, "reference period" in the description below is the portion of Round 5/3 in 2000):

Incorrectly listed, or on NHIS roster but out-of-scope prior to January 1, 2000

Person is inscope for the whole reference period

Person is inscope at the start of the RU reference period, but not at the end of the RU reference period

Person is not inscope at the start of RU reference period, but is inscope at the end of the RU reference period. (For example, the person is inscope from the date the person joined the RU or the person was in the military in the previous round, but is no longer in the military in the current round)

Person is inscope during the reference period, but neither at the reference start date nor on the reference end date. (For example, person leaves an institution, goes into community, and then dies)

Person is out-of-scope for all of the reference period during which he or she is in an RU member. (For example, the person is in the military)

Person is out-of-scope for the entire reference period and is not a member of the RU during this time period and was inscope and an RU member in an earlier round.

Person is not in an RU, joined in a later round (or joined the RU after December 31, 2000 for INSCOP00)

RU Non-response and Key persons who left an RU with no tracing info and so a new RU was not formed

Person is non-key or full time in the military, not a member of an RU during this time period, and was an RU member in an earlier round

Keyness

The term "Keyness" is related to an individual's chance of being included in MEPS. A person is Key if that person is linked for sampling purposes to the set of NHIS sampled households designated for inclusion in MEPS. Specifically, a Key person was a member of an NHIS household at the time of the NHIS interview or became a member of such a household after being out-of-scope at the time of the NHIS (examples of the latter situation include newborns and persons returning from military service, an institution, or living outside the United States).

A non-key person is one whose chance of selection for the NHIS (and MEPS) was associated with a household eligible but not sampled for the NHIS and who later became a member of a MEPS reporting unit. MEPS data, (e.g., utilization and income) were collected for the period of time a non-key person was part of the sampled unit to provide information for family-level analyses. However, non-key persons who leave a sample household unaccompanied by a key, inscope member were not followed for subsequent interviews. Non-key individuals do not receive sample person-level weights and thus do not contribute to person-level national estimates.

The variable KEYNESS indicates a person's keyness status. This variable is not round specific. Instead, it is set at the time the person enters MEPS, and the person's keyness status never changes. Once a person is determined to be key, that person will always be key.

It should be pointed out that a person might be key even though not part of the civilian, non-institutionalized portion of the U.S. population. For example, a person in the military may have been living with his or her civilian spouse and children in a household sampled for NHIS. The person in the military would be considered a key person for MEPS; however, such a person would not be eligible to receive a person-level sample weight if he or she was never inscope during 2000.

Eligibility

The eligibility of a person for MEPS pertains to whether or not data were to be collected for that person. All of the key inscope persons of a sampled RU were eligible for data collection. The only non-key persons eligible for data collection were those who happened to be living in an RU with at least one key, inscope person. Their eligibility continued only for the time that they were living with at least one such person. The only out-of-scope persons eligible for data collection were those who were living with key inscope persons, again only for the time they were living with such a person. Only military persons can meet this description (for example, a person on full time active duty military, living with a spouse who is key).

A person may be classified as eligible for an entire round or for some part of a round. For persons who are eligible for only part of a round (for example, persons may have been institutionalized during a round), data were collected for the period of time for which that person was classified as eligible. The round-specific variables ELGRND31, ELGRND42, ELGRND53 and the end-of-year status variable ELGRND00 indicate a person's eligibility status for Rounds 3/1, 4/2 and 5/3 and as of December 31, 2000. The ELIGIBLE variable indicates if a person was ever eligible during the calendar year 2000.

Person Disposition Status

The round-specific variables PSTATS31, PSTATS42, and PSTATS53 indicate a person's response and eligibility status for each round of interviewing. The PSTATSxy variables indicate the reasons for either continuing or terminating data collection for each person in the MEPS. Using this variable, one could identify persons who moved during the reference period, died, were born, institutionalized or who were in the military. Analysts should note that PSTATS53 provides a summary for all of Round 5/3, including transitions that occurred after 2000.

The following codes specify the value labels for the PSTATSxy variables.

‑1

The person was not fielded during the round or the RU was non‑response

Incorrectly listed in RU at NHIS ‑applies to MEPS Round 1 only

Person in original RU , not full time active military duty

Person in original RU, full time active military duty, out‑of‑scope for whole reference period

Full time student living away from home, but associated with sampled RU

The person is full time active military duty during round, is inscope for part of the reference period and is in the RU at the end of the reference period

The person remains in a health care institution for the whole round ‑ Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

The person leaves an institution (health care or non-health care) and rejoins the community ‑ Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

The person leaves a health care institution, goes into community and then dies ‑ Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

The person dies in a health care institution during the round (former RU member) ‑ Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

Person from original RU, dies during reference period

Went to health care institution during reference period

Went to non‑healthcare institution during reference period

Moved from original RU, outside U.S. (not as student)

Moved from original RU, to a military facility while on full time active military duty

Went to institution (type unknown) during reference period

Moved from the original RU, to new RU within U.S. (new RUs include RUs originally classified as "Student RU" but which converted to "New RU")

The person joins RU and is not full time military during round

The person's disposition as to why the person is not in the RU is unknown or the person moves and it is unknown whether the person moved inside or outside the U.S.

The person leaves an RU and joins an existing RU and is not both in the military and coded as inscope during the round

Newborn in reference period

Died prior to reference period (not eligible)‑Round 1 only

Institutionalized prior to reference period (not eligible)‑Round 1 only

Moved outside U.S., prior to reference period (not eligible)‑Round 1 only

Full time military, living on a military facility, moved prior to reference period (not eligible)‑Round 1 only

Student under 24 living away at school in grades 1‑12 (Non‑Key)

Person is dropped from the RU roster as ineligible: the person is a non-key student living away or the person is not related to reference person or the RU is the person's residence only during the school year

Not Key and not full‑time military, moved without someone key and inscope (not eligible)

Moved as full‑time military but not to a military facility and without someone key and inscope (not eligible this round)

Person moved from original RU, full-time student living away from home, did not respond

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2.5.2 Navigating the MEPS Data with Information on Person Disposition Status

Since the variables PSTATS31, PSTATS42, and PSTATS53 indicate the reasons for either continuing or terminating data collection for each person in MEPS, these variables can be used to explain the beginning and ending dates for each individual's reference period of data collection, as well as which sections in the instrument each individual did not receive. By using the information included in the following table, analysts will be able to determine for each individual which sections of the MEPS questionnaire collected data elements for that person.

Some individuals have a reference period that spans an entire round, while other individuals may have data collected only for a portion of the round. When an individual's reference period does not coincide with the RU reference period, the individual's start date may be a later date, or the end date may be an earlier date, or both. In addition, some individuals have reference period information coded as "Inapplicable" (e.g., for individuals who were not actually in the household). The information in this table indicates the beginning and ending dates of reference periods for persons with various values of PSTATS31, PSTATS42, and PSTATS53. The actual dates for each individual can be found in the following variables included on this file: BEGRFM31, BEGRFM42, BEGRFM53, BEGRFD31, BEGRFD42, BEGRFD53, BEGRFY31, BEGRFY42, BEGRFY53, ENDRFM31, ENDRFM42, ENDRFM53, ENDRFD31, ENDRFD42, ENDRFD53, ENDRFY31, ENDRFY42, ENDRFY53, ENDRFM00, ENDRFD00, and ENDRFY00.

The table below also describes the section or sections of the questionnaire that were NOT asked for each value of PSTATS31, PSTATS42, and PSTATS53. For example, the condition enumeration (CE) and alternative/preventive care (AP) sections have questions that are not asked for deceased persons. The closing section (CL) also contains some questions or question rosters (see CL06A, CL35 through CL37, CL48 through CL50, CL54, CL58, and CL64) that exclude certain persons depending on whether the person died, became institutionalized, or otherwise left the reporting unit; however, no one is considered to have skipped the entire section. Some questions or sections (e.g., health status (HE), employment (RJ, EM, EW)) are skipped if individuals are not within a certain age range. Since the PSTATS variables do not address skip patterns based on age, analysts will need to use the appropriate age variables.

The paper-and-pencil Self Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) and Parent Administered Questionnaire (PAQ) were designed to collect information based on two age categories during Panel 5 Round 2 and Panel 4 Round 4. A person was considered eligible to receive an SAQ/PAQ if that person did not have a status of deceased or institutionalized, did not move out of the U. S. or to a military facility, was not a non-response at the time of the Round 2 or Round 4 interview date, and was 18 years of age or older (SAQ) or was under 18 years of age (PAQ) as of July 1, 2000. No RU members added in Round 3 or Round 5 were asked to complete an SAQ/PAQ questionnaire. Because PSTATS variables do not address skip patterns based on age, these questionnaires were not included in the table below. Once again, analysts will need to use the appropriate age variables which in this cause would be AGEJUL01. The documentation for these questionnaires appears in the SAQ and PAQ sections of this document under Health Status Variables.

Please note that the end reference date shown below for PSTATS53 reflects the Round 5/3 reference period rather than the portion of Round 5/3 that occurred during 2000.

PSTATS Value

PSTATS

Description

Sections in the instrument which persons with this PSTATS value do NOT receive

Begin Reference Date

End

Reference Date

-1

The person was not fielded during the round or the RU was non-response

ALL sections

Inapplicable

Incorrectly listed in RU at NHIS - Round 3/1 only

ALL sections after RE

Inapplicable

Person in original household, not FT active military duty (Person is in the same RU as the previous round)

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Interview date

Person in original household, FT active military duty, out-of-scope for whole reference period.

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Interview date

FT student living away from home, but associated with sampled household

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Interview date

The person is FT active military duty during round and is inscope for part of the reference period and is in the RU at the end of the reference period

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

PSTATS31: Interview date

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: If the person is living w/ someone Key and inscope, then the interview date. If not living w/ someone who is Key and inscope, then the date the person joined the military

The person remains in a health care institution for the whole round - Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

The person leaves a health care institution and rejoins the community - Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

Date rejoined the community

Interview date

The person leaves a health care institution, goes into community and then dies - Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

Part of CE - Condition enumeration: Skip CE1 to-CE5

HE - Health status

AC - Access to care

Part of AP - Alternative/Preventive care: Skip AP12 to AP22

Date rejoined the community

Date of Death

The person dies in a health care institution during the round (former household member) - Rounds 4/2 and 5/3 only

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

Person from original household, dies during reference period

Part of CE - Condition enumeration: Skip CE1 to CE5

HE - Health status

AC - Access to care

Part of AP - Alternative/Preventive care: Skip AP12 to AP22

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Date of Death

Went to healthcare institution during reference period

Access to care (AC)

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Date institutionalized

Went to non-healthcare institution during reference period

Access to care (AC)

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Date institutionalized

Moved from original household, outside US

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Date left the RU

Moved from original household, to a military facility while on FT active military duty

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Date left the RU

Went to institution (type unknown) during reference period

Access to care (AC)

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Date institutionalized

Moved from the original household, to new household within US (new households include RUs originally classified as a student RU but which converted to a new RU. These are individuals in an RU that has split from an RU since the previous round)

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Interview date

The person joins household and is not full time military during round

The later date of January 1, 2000 and the date the person joined the RU

Interview date

The person's disposition as to why the person is not in the RU is unknown or the person moves and it is unknown whether the person moved inside or outside the U.S.

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

The person leaves an RU and joins an existing RU and is not both in the military and coded as inscope during the round

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date of the RU the person has joined. This may not be the interview date of the RU that the person came from

Interview date

Newborn in reference period

Questions where age must be > 1

Health status (HE),

Disability days (DD)

Employment (RJ/EM/EW) will be skipped)

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000 if born prior to 2000. The date of birth if born in 2000.

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: The later of the Prior round interview date and date of birth

Interview date

Died prior to reference period (not eligible)--Round 3/1 only

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

Institutionalized prior to reference period (not eligible)--Round 3/1 only

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

Moved outside U.S., prior to reference period (not eligible)--Round 3/1 only

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

FT military, moved prior to reference period (not eligible)--Round 3/1 only

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

Student under 24 living away at school in grades 1 through 12 (Non-Key)

PSTATS31: January 1, 2000

PSTATS42 and PSTATS53: Prior round interview date

Interview date

Person is dropped from the RU roster as ineligible: the person is a Non-Key student living away or the person is not related to reference person or the RU is the person's residence only during the school year

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

Not Key and not full-time military, moved w/o someone Key and inscope (not eligible)

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

Moved as full-time military but not to a military facility and w/o someone Key and inscope (not eligible)

All sections after RE

Inapplicable

Person moved from original household, FT student living away from home, did not respond

No data were collected

Inapplicable

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2.5.3 Geographic Variables

The round-specific variables REGION31, REGION42, REGION53, and the end-of-year status variable REGION00 indicate the Census region for the RU. REGION00 indicates the region for the 2000 portion of Round 5/3. For most analyses, REGION00 should be used. The round-specific variables MSA31, MSA42, and MSA53 and the end-of-year status variable MSA00 indicate whether or not the RU is found in a metropolitan statistical area. MSA31, MSA42, and MSA53 indicate the MSA status at the time of Rounds 3/1, 4/2, and 5/3 interviews. MSA00 indicates the MSA status for the 2000 portion of Round 5/3. For most analyses, analysts should use MSA00 rather than MSA31, MSA42, or MSA53.

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2.5.4 Demographic Variables

General Information

Demographic variables provide information about the demographic characteristics of each person from the MEPS-HC. The characteristics include age, sex, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, marital status, and military service. As noted below, some variables have edited and imputed values. Most demographic variables on this file were asked during every round of the MEPS interview. These variables describe data for Rounds 3, 4, and 5 of Panel 4 (1999 Panel); Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of Panel 5 (2000 Panel); and status as of December 31, 2000. Demographic variables that are round specific are identified by names including numbers "xy", where x and y refer to Round numbers of Panels 4 and 5 respectively. Thus, for example, AGE31X represents the age data relevant to Round 3 of Panel 4 or Round 1 of Panel 5. As mentioned in Section 2.5.1 Survey Administrative Variables, the variable PANEL00 indicates the panel from which the data were derived. A value of 4 indicates Panel 4 data and a value of 5 indicates Panel 5 data. The remaining demographic variables on this file are not round specific.

The variables describing demographic status of the person as of December 31, 2000 were developed in two ways. First, the age variable (AGE00X) represents the exact age as of 12/31/00, calculated from date of birth and indicates age status as of 12/31/00. For the remaining December 31st variables [i.e., related to marital status (MARRY00X, SPOUID00, SPOUIN00), student status (FTSTU00X), and the relationship to reference persons (RFREL00X)], the following algorithm was used: data were taken from Round 5/3 counterpart if non-missing; else, if missing, data were taken from the Round 4/2 counterpart; else from the Round 3/1 counterpart. If no valid data were available during any of these Rounds of data collection, the algorithm assigned the missing value (other than -1 Inapplicable") from the first round that the person was part of the study. When all three rounds were set to -1, a value of -9 "Not Ascertained" was assigned.

Age

Date of birth and age for each RU member were asked or verified during each MEPS interview (DOBMM, DOBYY, AGE31X, AGE42X, AGE53X). If date of birth was available, age was calculated based on the difference between date of birth and date of interview. Inconsistencies between the calculated age and the age reported during the CAPI interview were reviewed and resolved. For purposes of confidentiality, the variables AGE31X, AGE42X, AGE53X and AGE00X were top coded at 90 years.

When date of birth was not provided but age was provided (either from the MEPS interviews or the 1998-1999 NHIS data), the month and year of birth were assigned randomly from among the possible valid options. For any cases still not accounted for, age was imputed using:

(1) the mean age difference between MEPS participants with certain family relationships (where available) or

(2) the mean age value for MEPS participants.

For example, a mother's age is imputed as her child's age plus 26, where 26 is the mean age difference between MEPS mothers and their children. A wife's age is imputed as the husband's age minus 3, where 3 is the mean age difference between MEPS wives and husbands.

Age was imputed in this way for 10 persons on this file. Age was determined for one additional person from data in a later round.

Sex

Data on the gender of each RU member (SEX) were initially determined from the 1998 NHIS for Panel 4 and from the 1999 NHIS for Panel 5. The SEX variable was verified and, if necessary, corrected during each MEPS interview. The data for new RU members (persons who were not members of the RU at the time of the NHIS interviews) were also obtained during each MEPS Round. When gender of the RU member was not available from the NHIS interviews and was not ascertained during one of the subsequent MEPS interviews, it was assigned in the following way. The person's first name was used to assign gender if obvious (no cases were resolved in this way). If the person's first name provided no indication of gender, then family relationships were reviewed (no cases were resolved this way). If neither of these approaches made it possible to determine the individual's gender, gender was randomly assigned (2 cases).

Race, Race/Ethnicity, Hispanic Ethnicity, and Hispanic Ethnicity Group

Race (RACEX) and Hispanic ethnicity (HISPANX) were asked for each RU member during the MEPS interview. If this information was not obtained in Round 1, the questions were asked in subsequent Rounds. When race and/or ethnicity was not reported in the interview, values for these variables were obtained based on the following priority order. When available, they were obtained from the originally collected NHIS data. If not ascertained, the race, and/or ethnicity were assigned based on relationship to other members of the DU using a priority ordering that gave precedence to blood relatives in the immediate family. The variable RACETHNX indicating both race and ethnicity (e.g., with categories such as "Hispanic" and "black but not Hispanic") reflects the imputations done for RACEX and HISPANX. The specific Hispanic ethnicity group is reported in the unedited variable HISPCAT.

Note: Starting with Panel 5 Round 3, the questions asking about race and ethnicity were modified to allow coding of multiple races and multiple Hispanic places of origin or ancestry. If more than one race was recorded, then a follow-up question asked which race "best" represents the person's racial background. Thus, persons new to MEPS in Panel 5 Round 3 used the new source questions in constructing RACEX, HISPANX and HISPCAT. Those persons who participated in MEPS in Panel 5 Round 1 or 2 used the old questions and method of construction of the race and ethnicity variables.

The ranges of RACEX, HISPANX, and RACETHNX delivered in this public use file remain the same as in previous full-year data files. HISPCAT was modified to collapse persons coded with multiple sources of national origin or ancestry into the "Other Latin American/Other Spanish" category. The range for HISPCAT was expanded to include "91 Other".

Marital Status and Spouse ID

Current marital status was collected and/or updated during every Round of the MEPS interview. This information was obtained in RE13 and RE97 and is reported as MARRY31X, MARRY42X, MARRY53X and MARRY00X. Persons under the age of 16 were coded as 6 "Under 16 - Inapplicable". If marital status of a specified Round differed from that of the previous Round, then the marital status of the specified Round was edited to reflect a change during the Round (e.g., married in Round, divorced in Round, separated in Round, or widowed in Round).

In instances where there were discrepancies between the marital status of two individuals within a family, other person-level variables were reviewed to determine the edited marital status for each individual. Thus, when one spouse was reported as married and the other spouse reported as widowed, the data were reviewed to determine if one partner should be coded as 8 "Widowed in Round".

Four edits were performed to ensure minimal consistency across rounds. First, a person could not be coded as "Never Married" after previously being coded as any other marital status (e.g. "Widowed"). Second, a person could not be coded as "Under 16 - Inapplicable" after being previously coded as any other marital status. Third, a person could not be coded as "Married in Round" after being coded as "Married" in the Round immediately preceding. Fourth, a person could not be coded as an "in Round" code (e.g., "Widowed in Round") in two subsequent Rounds. Because no other edits were performed and since marital status can change across Rounds, unlikely sequences for marital status across the Round-specific variables do exist.

When marital status was missing in the preceding round and provided in the current round, then the person was coded to the "in Round" marital state. For example, if marital status was not available from the National Health Interview Survey and the person's marital status was reported as married in Round 1 of MEPS, then the person would be coded as 7 "Married in Round" for Round 1 of MEPS.

The person identifier for each individual's spouse is reported in SPOUID31, SPOUID42, SPOUID53, and SPOUID00. These are the PIDs (within each family) of the person identified as the spouse during Round 3/1, Round 4/2, and Round 5/3 and as of December 31, 2000, respectively. If no spouse was identified in the household, the variable was coded as 995 "No spouse in household". Those with unknown marital status are coded as 996 "Marital Status Unknown". Persons under the age of 16 are coded as 997 "Less than 16 Years Old".

The SPOUIN31, SPOUIN42, SPOUIN53, and SPOUIN00 variables indicate whether a person's spouse was present in the RU during Round 3/1, Round 4/2, Round 5/3 and as of December 31, 2000 respectively. If the person had no spouse in the household, the value was coded as 2 "Not Married/No Spouse". For persons under the age of 16 the value was coded as 3 "Under 16 - Inapplicable".

The SPOUID and SPOUIN variables were obtained from RE76 and RE77, where the respondent was asked to identify how each pair of persons in the household were related. Analysts should note that this information was collected in a set of questions separate from the questions that asked about marital status. While editing was performed to ensure that SPOUID and SPOUIN are consistent within each Round, there was no consistency check between these variables and marital status in a given Round. Apparent discrepancies between marital status and spouse information may be due to any of the following causes:

1. Ambiguity as to when during a Round a change in marital status occurred. This is a result of relationship information being asked for all persons living in the household at any time during the Round, while marital status is asked as of the interview date (e.g., If one spouse died during the reference period, the surviving spouse's marital status would be "Widowed in Round", but SPOUIN and SPOUID for the same round would indicate that a spouse was present).

2. Valid discrepancies in the case of persons who are married but not living with their spouse, or separating but still living together.

3. Discrepancies that cannot be explained for either of the previous reasons.

Student Status and Educational Attainment

The variables FTSTU31X, FTSTU42X, FTSTU53X and FTSTU00X indicate whether the person was a full-time student at the interview date (or 12/31/00 for FTSTU00X). These variables have valid values for all persons between the ages of 17 - 23 inclusive. When this question was asked during Round 1 of Panel 5, it was based on age as of the 1999 NHIS interview date.

Number of years of education completed is indicated in the variable EDUCYEAR. Formation was obtained from questions RE 103-105. Children who are 5 years of age or older and who never attended school were coded as 0; children under the age of 5 years were coded as 1 "Inapplicable" regardless of whether or not they attended school. However, among the cases coded as -1 "Inapplicable", there is no distinction between those who were under the age of five and others who were inapplicable, such as persons who may be institutionalized for an entire round. EDUCYEAR is based on the first round in which the number of years of education is collected for a person. The user should note that EDUCYEAR is an unedited variable and minimal data cleaning was performed on this variable.

The variable HIDEGYR indicating highest degree of education was obtained from three questions: highest grade completed (RE103), high school diploma (RE 104), and highest degree (RE 105). Persons under 16 years of age were coded as 8 "Under 16- Inapplicable". In cases where the response to the highest degree question was "No degree" and the response to the highest grade question was 13 through 17 "1 or More Years of College", the variable HIDEGYR was coded as 3 "High School Diploma". If highest grade completed was "Refused" or "Don't Know" for those with a "No Degree" response for the highest degree question, the variable HIDEGYR was coded as 1 "No Degree". HIDEGYR is based on the first round in which the highest degree was collected for a person. The user should note that HIDEGYR is an unedited variable and minimal data cleaning was performed on this variable.

Military Service and Service Era

Information on active duty military status was collected during each Round of the MEPS interview. Persons currently on full-time active duty status are identified in the variables ACTDTY31, ACTDTY42, and ACTDTY53. Those under 16 years of age were coded as 3 "Under 16 - Inapplicable", and those over the age of 59 were coded as 4 "Over 59 - Inapplicable".

The variable DIDSERVE indicates if the person ever served in the Armed Forces. Persons under the age of 16 were coded as 3 "Under 16 - Inapplicable". Individuals currently on active duty military service were coded as 4 "Now Active Duty". Individuals who were ever in the military based on the DIDSERVE and ACTDTY question(s) were also asked if they served in the Vietnam War era (VETVIET), the Korean War era (VETKOR), either World War I or World War II (VETWW), or another service era (VETOTH). Those under the age of 16 were coded as 3 "Under 16 -Inapplicable", and those who never served in the military were coded as 4 "Never in military". Persons entering a MEPS household have these variables set to -1 "Inapplicable". In Panel 4 Round 1 and Rounds 3-5 and Panel 5 Rounds 1-3 the military service questions were asked of everyone when they entered MEPS.

The user should note that the DIDSERVE and veteran status variables were reviewed for consistency. The veteran status variables were minimally edited to ensure that all individuals under 16 years of age were coded as 3 "Under 16 - Inapplicable" for the specific veteran-era variables. However, no other age editing was performed, and thus it is possible for age/era inconsistencies to exist (e.g., AGE31X=17 and VETVIET=Yes).

Relationship to the Reference Person within Reporting Units

For each reporting unit (RU), the person who owns or rents the dwelling unit is usually defined as the reference person. For student RUs, the student is defined as the reference person. (For additional information on reference persons, see the documentation on survey administration variables.) The variables RFREL31X, RFREL42X, RFREL53X, and RFREL00X indicate the relationship of each individual to the reference person of the reporting unit (RU) in a given round. For the reference person, this variable has the value "Self"; for all other persons in the RU, relationship to the reference person is indicated by codes representing "Husband/Spouse", "Wife/Spouse", "Son", "Daughter", "Female Partner", "Male Partner", etc. A code of 91, meaning "Other Related, Specify", was used to indicate rarely observed relationship descriptions such as "Mother of Partner". If the relationship of an individual to the reference person was not ascertained during the Round-specific interview, relationships between other RU members were used, where possible, to assign a relationship to the reference person. If MEPS data from calendar year 2000 were not sufficient to identify the relationship of an individual to the reference person, relationship variables from the 1999 MEPS or NHIS data were used to assign a relationship. In the event that a meaningful value could not be determined or data were missing, the relationship variable was assigned a missing value code.

For 53 cases, where two individuals' relationship indicated they were spouses, but both had marital status indicating they were not married, their relationship was changed to non-marital partners. In addition, the relationship variables were edited to insure that they did not change across rounds for RUs in which the reference person did not change, with the exception of relationships identified as partner, spouse, or foster relationships.

Parent Identifiers

The variables MOPID31X, MOPID42X, MOPID53X and DAPID31X, DAPID42X DAPID53X are round specific and are used to identify the parents (biological, adopted, or step) of the person represented on that record. MOPID##X contains the person identifier (PID) for each individual's mother if she lived in the dwelling unit in that panel/round of the survey, or a value of -1 (Inapplicable) if she did not. Similarly, DAPID##X contains the person identifier (PID) for each individual's father if he lived in the dwelling unit in that panel/round of the survey, or a value of -1 (Inapplicable) if he did not. MOPID##X and DAPID##X were constructed based on information collected in the relationship grid of the instrument each round at questions RE76 and RE77 and include biological, adopted, and step parents. Foster parents were not included. For persons who were not present in the household during a round, MOPID##X and DAPID##X have values of -1 (Inapplicable).

Edits were performed to ensure that MOPID##X and DAPID##X were consistent with each individual's age, sex, and other relationships within the family. For instance, the gender of the parent must be consistent with the indicated relationship; mothers are at least 12 years older than the person and no more than 55 years older than the person; fathers are at least 12 years older than the person; each person has no more than one mother and no more than one father; any values set for MOPID##X and DAPID##X were removed from any person identified as a foster child; and the PID for the person's mother and father are valid PIDs for that person's DU for the 2000 Full Year File.

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2.5.5 Income and Tax Filing Variables

The file provides income and tax-related variables that were constructed primarily from data collected in the Panel 4 Round 5 and Panel 5 Round 3 Income Sections. Person-level income amounts have been edited and imputed for every record on the full-year file, with detailed imputation flags provided as a guide to the method of editing. The tax-filing variables and some program participation variables are unedited, as discussed below.

Logical editing, cold-deck imputation and weighted, sequential hot-deck imputation were used to impute income amounts for missing values (both for item non-response and for persons in the full-year file who were not in the income rounds). Reported income components were generally left unedited (with the few exceptions noted below). Thus, analysts using these data may wish to apply additional checks for outlier values that would appear to stem from mis-reporting.

The editing process began with wage and salary income, WAGEP00X. Complete responses were left unedited, and this group of people was assigned WAGIMP00 = 1, where WAGIMP00 is the imputation flag for wage and salary data. The only exception was for a small number of persons who reported zero wage and salary income despite having been employed for pay during the year according to round level data (see below). Since data on tax filing and on taxable income sources were collected using an approach that encouraged respondents to provide information from their federal tax returns, logical edits were used to assign separate income amounts to married persons whose responses were based on combined income amounts on their joint tax returns.

Persons assigned WAGIMP00=2 were those providing broad income ranges rather than giving specific dollar amounts. Weighted sequential hot-decking was used to provide these individuals with specific dollar amounts. For this imputation, donors were persons who reported specific dollar amounts within the corresponding broad income ranges. All WAGEP00X hot-deck imputations used cells defined on the basis of a conventional list of person-level characteristics including age, education, employment status, race, sex, and region.

Persons assigned WAGIMP00=3 were those who did not report wage and salary income and who were assigned WAGEP00X=0 based on not having been employed during the year.

Persons assigned WAGIMP00=4 were those who did not provide valid dollar amounts or dollar ranges, but for whom we had information from the employment sections of the survey concerning wages, hours, and weeks worked (in all jobs). These data were used to construct annualized wage amounts to be used in place of missing annual wage and salary data. Comparisons of reported and constructed wages and salaries using persons who provided both sorts of information yielded a high degree of confidence that employment data could be reliably used to derive values to serve in place of missing wage and salary information. To implement this approach, part-year responders were assumed to be fully-employed during the remainder of the year if they were employed during the period in which they provided data. An exception was made for those who either died or were institutionalized. These persons were assigned zero wages and salaries for the time they were not in MEPS.

About 550 persons were inadvertently coded as having complete wage response (WAGIMP00=1) on the 2000 file; when in fact their data were edited.

Hot-deck imputation was used for the remaining persons with missing WAGEP00X. Donor pools included persons whose WAGEP00X amounts were edited in the steps described above. Whenever possible, the hot-deck imputations used data on whether or not the person had been employed at any point during the year (and, if available, the number of weeks worked). Imputations for persons deemed to have been employed were conditional in nature, using only donors with positive WAGEP00X amounts (WAGIMP00=5). Imputations for WAGEP00X for the remaining persons were unconditional, using both workers and non-workers as donors (WAGIMP00=6).

After editing WAGEP00X for all persons in the full-year file, the remaining income sources were edited in the following sequence: INTRP00X, BUSNP00X, FARMP00X, DIVDP00X, REFDP00X, ALIMP00X, SALEP00X, TRSTP00X, PENSP00X, IRASP00X, SSECP00X, UNEMP00X, WCMPP00X, VETSP00X, CASHP00X, OTHRP00X, CHLDP00X, SSIP00X, and PUBP00X. Income components were edited sequentially, in each case using information regarding income amounts that had already been edited (so as to maintain patterns of correlation across income sources whenever possible). In all cases, bracketed responses were edited first (using hot-deck imputations from donors in corresponding brackets who gave specific dollar amounts), followed by imputations for remaining missing values. The hot-deck imputations used cells defined on the basis of income amounts already edited and a conventional list of person-level characteristics such as age, education, employment status, race, sex, and region. In addition, hot-deck imputations for CHLDP00X used family-level information concerning marital status and the number of children. Hot-deck imputations for SSIP00X and PUBP00X were also assigned using, in part, simulated program eligibility indicators that integrated state-level program eligibility criteria with data on family composition and income.

As with the 1999 MEPS income variables, data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were incorporated in editing the 2000 variables. The NHIS sample is the frame for the new sample selected for MEPS collection each year, with a year's time lag. Data from the 1998 NHIS correspond to MEPS Panel 4, while those from the 1999 NHIS correspond to MEPS Panel 5.

Because MEPS units come from the NHIS, it is possible to match individual MEPS responding units to an NHIS unit. In some hot-decks this matching ability allowed income recipiency indicators collected by NHIS to be used in imputing for missing data in certain MEPS income components  interest, dividends, business income, pensions, and Social Security. (Not all MEPS income categories have an equivalent in NHIS. Also, wage data were available from NHIS, but were not used in the MEPS imputation process.)

In cases where data on a particular income category were missing for a person in MEPS, the indicator in that income category on the NHIS file was employed, assuming a non-missing value. Indicators were examined for the entire tax-filing unit (two people in the case of married couples filing jointly; one person in all other cases).

Due to the nature of the skip patterns in the MEPS income section, persons who do not file federal income tax returns were more likely to not report any data about an income item than were those persons who do file tax returns. In order to compensate for this missing information, it is critical to impute from other persons who did not file tax returns (or whose filing status was unknown), because persons not filing and filers had different income patterns. For the variables INTRP00X, DIVDP00X, PENSP00X, and SSECP00X, new cold-decks were implemented beginning with the 1999 editing process to address this issue.

These cold-decks used income amounts reported in the 1995 NHIS (the last time dollar amounts, not just recipiency data, were collected), adjusted for inflation. Donors were limited to those 1995 NHIS persons who did not file, or whose filing status was unknown, based on the MEPS Panel 1 results. The cold-decks were run prior to the hot-decks for each variable; cold-deck recipients could not be donors in the subsequent hot-decks.

A similar cold-deck imputation was introduced for certain filers (TAXFRM00) of the "short" or "EZ" 1040 form with missing data caused by the skip patterns in income collection.

Reported income amounts of less than one dollar were treated as missing amounts (to be hot-decked from donors with positive amounts of the corresponding income source). Also, a very few cases of outlier responses were edited (primarily public sources of income that exceeded possible amounts). Otherwise, reported amounts were left unchanged.

For each income component, the corresponding xxIMP00 variable contains an indicator concerning the method for editing/imputation. All the flag variables have the following formatted values:

. 1=Original response used;
. 2=Bracket converted;
. 3=Missing value set to 0;
. 4=Weeks worked/earnings used (WAGIMP00 only);
. 5=Conditional hot-deck;
. 6=Unconditional hot-deck;
. 7=Edited using NHIS data.

Missing values were set to zero when there were too few recipients to warrant hot-deck imputations of positive values (as in the case of ALIMP00X received by males). "Conditional hot-decks" indicate instances where the respondent indicated receipt but not a specific dollar amount. In these cases, the donor pool was restricted to persons with nonzero amounts of the income source in question. "Unconditional hot-decks" indicate instances where the donor pool included persons receiving both zero and nonzero amounts (implemented in cases where we had little or no information about a person's income source).

Total person-level income (TTLP00X) is the sum of all income components with the exception of REFDP00X and SALEP00X (to match as closely as possible the CPS definition of income; see Section 2.5.5.2). Some researchers may wish to define their own income measure by adding in one or both of these excluded components.

The tax variables, food stamp variables, SSI disability flag, and welfare participation flag are all completely unedited. Note that while the welfare participation flag is named AFDC00, in fact this variable reflects participation in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), with respondents having been prompted with "TANF", "AFDC", and "welfare." Unedited tax variables are provided to assist researchers building tax simulation programs. No efforts have been made to eliminate inconsistencies among these program participation and tax variables and other MEPS data. All of these unedited variables should be used with great care.

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2.5.5.1 Income Top-Coding

All income amounts on the file, including both total income and the separate sources of income, were top coded to preserve confidentiality. For each income source, top codes were applied to the top percentile of all cases (including negative amounts that exceeded income thresholds in absolute value). In cases where fewer than one percent of all persons received a particular income source, all recipients were top-coded. Top-coded income amounts were masked using a regression-based approach. The regressions relied on many of the same variables used in the hot-deck imputations, with the dependent variable in each case being the natural logarithm of the amount that the income component was in excess of its top-code threshold. Predicted values from this regression were reconverted from logarithms to levels using a smearing correction, and these predicted amounts were then added back to the top-code thresholds. This approach preserves the component-by-component weighted means (both overall and among top-coded cases), while also preserving much of the income distribution conditional on the variables contained in the regressions. At the same time, this approach ensures that every reported amount in excess of its respective threshold is altered on the public use file. The process of top-coding income amounts in this way inevitably introduces measurement error in cases where income amounts were reported correctly by respondents. Note, however, that top-coding can also help to reduce the impact of outliers that occur due to reporting errors.

Total income is constructed as the sum of the adjusted income components. Having constructed total income in this manner, this total was then top-coded using the same regression-based procedure described above (again masking the top percentile of cases). Finally, the components of income were scaled up or down in order to make the sources of income consistent with the newly-adjusted totals.

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2.5.5.2 Poverty Status

The file includes a categorical variable for 2000 family income as a percentage of poverty (POVCAT00). The definitions of income, family, and poverty categories used were taken from the 2000 poverty statistics developed by the Current Population Survey (CPS).

Family income was derived by constructing person-level total income comprising annual earnings from wages, salaries, bonuses, tips, commissions; business and farm gains and losses; unemployment and workers' compensation; interest and dividends; alimony, child support, and other private cash transfers; private pensions, IRA withdrawals, social security, and veterans payments; supplemental security income and cash welfare payments from public assistance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and related programs; gains or losses from estates, trusts, partnerships, S corporations, rent, and royalties; and a small amount of "other" income. Family income excluded tax refunds and capital gains. Person-level income totals were then summed over family members as defined by CPSFAMID to yield the family-level total. POVCAT00 was constructed by dividing family income by the applicable poverty line (based on family size and composition), with the resulting percentages grouped into 5 categories; negative or poor (less than 100%), near poor (100% to less than 125%), low income (125% to less than 200%), middle income (200% to less than 400%), and high income (greater than or equal to 400%). Persons missing CPSFAMID were treated as one-person families in constructing POVCAT00. Family income as well as the components of person level income have been subjected to internal editing patterns and derivation methods that are in accordance to specific definitions, and are not being released at this time. Researchers working with a family definition other than CPSFAMID may wish to create their own versions of total family income (and perhaps POVCAT00).

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2.5.6 Employment Variables

Employment questions were asked of all persons 16 years and older at the time of the interview. Employment variables consist of person-level indicators such as employment status and job-related variables such as hourly wage. All job-specific variables refer to a person's current main job. The current main job, defined by the respondent, indicates the main source of employment.

Most employment variables pertain to the round interview date. The round dates are indicated by two numbers following the variable name; the first number representing the round for Panel 4 persons, the second number representing the round for Panel 5 persons. For example, EMPST31 refers to employment status on the Round 3 interview date for Panel 4 persons and employment status on the Round 1 interview date for Panel 5 persons.

With the exception of health insurance held at or offered through a current main job, no attempt has been made to logically edit any employment variables. When missing, values were imputed for certain persons' hourly wages; however, there was no editing performed on any values reported by the respondent. Due to confidentiality concerns, hourly wages greater than or equal to $57.69 were top-coded to "-10" and the number of employees variable was top-coded at 500. With the exception of a variable indicating whether the employer has more than one location (MORE), all employer-specific variables refer to the establishment that is the location of a person's current main job.

The MEPS employment section used dependent interviewing in Rounds 2 through 5. If employment status and certain job characteristics did not change from the previous round, as identified in the review of employment section, the respondent was skipped through the main employment section. A code of "-2" is used to indicate that the information in question was obtained in a previous round. For example, if the HRWG42X (Round 4 interview date hourly wage for Panel 4 persons or Round 2 interview date hourly wage for Panel 5 persons) is coded as "-2", refer to HRWG31X (Round 3 interview date hourly wage for Panel 4 persons or Round 1 interview date hourly wage for Panel 5 persons) for the value for HRWG42X. Note that there may be a value for the Round 3/1 hourly wage or there may be an "Inapplicable" code (-1). The "-2" value for HRWG42X simply indicates that the person was skipped past the question at the time of the subsequent interview. Obviously, to determine who should be skipped through various employment questions, certain information, such as employment status, had to be asked in every round and, thus, "-2" codes do not apply to employment status. Additionally, information on whether the person currently worked at more than one job or whether the person held health insurance from a current main employer was asked in every round, and, therefore, those variables also have no "-2" codes.

For Panel 4 persons who have a current main job in Round 3 that continues from Round 1 or 2, the "-2" code is not sufficient for those variables that the person was skipped past at the time of the interview. This is because the Panel 4 Round 1 and 2 data are not included on this release and therefore there are no data to which to refer. For such persons, the values for the variables for these skipped questions are copied from the Round 1 or 2 constructed variable on the 1999 Full Year Public Use Release, depending on the round in which the job first became the current main job. The accompanying variable RNDFLG31 indicates the round in which these data were collected. For example, if the person has a Round 3 current main job that continues from Round 2 and was first reported as the current main job in Round 2, HRWG31X will be a copy of the HRWG42X variable from the 1999 Full Year Public Use Release and RNDFLG31 will be "2," indicating the round in which the job was first reported as the current main job.

Employment Status (EMPST31, EMPST42, and EMPST53)

Employment status was asked for all persons age 16 or older. Allowable responses to the employment status questions were as follows:

"currently employed" if the person had a job at the interview date;
"has a job to return to" if the person did not work during the reference period but had a job to return to as of the interview date;
"employed during the reference period" if the person had no job at the interview date but did work during the round;
"not employed with no job to return to" if the person did not have a job at the interview date, did not work during the reference period, and did not have a job to which he or she could return.

Data Collection Round for Round 3/1 CMJ (RNDFLG31)

For Panel 4, if a person's Round 3 current main job (CMJ) is a continuation CMJ from Round 2 or Round 1, the value of most "31" variables will be copied forward from the variable representing the round in which the job was first reported as the CMJ. For persons in Panel 4, RNDFLG31 indicates the round in which the Round 3 CMJ was first reported as the CMJ and provides a timeframe for the reported wage information and other job details. RNDFLG31 is used with many "31" variables to indicate the round on which the reported information is based.

RNDFLG31 is set to "Inapplicable" (-1) for persons in either panel who are under age 16 or who do not have a CMJ in Panel 4 Round 3 or Panel 5 Round 1. For persons who are part of Panel 4, RNDFLG31 is also set to "Inapplicable" (-1) if the person is out-of-scope in the 2000 portion of Round 3. For persons who are part of Panel 5, RNDFLG31 is also set to "Inapplicable" (-1) if the person is out-of-scope in Round 1. For persons who are part of Panel 4, other values for RNDFLG31are set as follows:

1 - continuing Round 3 CMJs reported first in Round 1;
2 - continuing Round 3 CMJs reported first in Round 2;
3 - jobs newly reported as current main in Round 3;
-9 - Round 3 CMJ is a continuation CMJ (wage information and other details were not collected in Round 3) but the Round 2 CMJ record either does not exist or is not the same job. This can occur in rare instances because corrections made to a person's record in a current file cannot be made to that record in an earlier file due to data base processing constraints.

For persons who are part of Panel 5 and reported a Round 1 CMJ, RNDFLG31 is set to "1" indicating that the job information represented in the "31" variables was collected in Round 1.

Self-employed (SELFCM31, SELFCM42, and SELFCM53)

Information on whether an individual was self-employed at the current main job was obtained for all persons who reported a current main job. Certain questions, namely those regarding benefits and hourly wage, were not asked of the self-employed. These variables indicate whether the establishment reported by wage earners as the main source of employment offered the following benefits:

Paid leave to visit a doctor (PAYDR31, PAYDR42, and PAYDR53)
Paid sick leave (SICPAY31, SICPAY42, and SICPAY53)
Paid vacation (PAYVAC31, PAYVAC42, and PAYVAC53)
Pension plan (RETPLN31, RETPLN42, and RETPLN53)

Those who were self-employed at their current main job were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) for all these variables. Additionally, information on whether the firm had more than one business location (MORE31, MORE42, and MORE53) and whether the establishment was a private for-profit, nonprofit, or a government entity (JOBORG31, JOBORG42, and JOBORG53) was not applicable for self-employed persons. Conversely, the variables that identify whether a business was incorporated, a proprietorship, or a partnership (BSNTY31, BSNTY42, and BSNTY53) applied only to those who were self-employed at their current main job.

Hourly wage (HRWG31X, HRWG42X, HRWG53X)

Hourly wage was asked of all persons who reported a current main job that was not self-employment (SELFCM). An hourly wage was imputed using a weighted sequential hot-deck procedure for those identified as having a current main job who were not self-employed and who did not know their wage or refused to report a wage. Hourly wage for persons for whom employment status was not known was coded as "Not Ascertained" (-9). Additionally, wages were imputed for wage earners reporting a wage range and not a specific value. For these persons, values were imputed from donors within the reported range. All imputed wages can be identified as such by three wage imputation flags (HRWGIM31, HRWGIM42, HRWGIM53). Note that wages were imputed only for persons with a positive person or family weight.

For reasons of confidentiality, the hourly wage variable was top-coded. A value of "-10" indicates that the hourly wage was greater than or equal to $57.69. The hourly wage variables on this file (HRWG31X, HRWG42X, HRWG53X) should be considered along with their accompanying variables - HRHOW31, HRHOW42, and HRHOW53 - which indicate how the respective round hourly wage was constructed. Hourly wage could be derived, as applicable, from a large number of source variables. In the simplest case, hourly wage was reported directly by the respondent. For other persons, construction of the hourly wage was based upon salary, the time period on which the salary was based, and the number of hours worked per time period. If the number of hours worked per time period was not available, a value of 40 hours per week was assumed, as identified in the HRHOW variable. It should be noted that, as mentioned above, wage imputations were performed on persons with positive weights only, while HRHOW will also apply to persons with a zero person-level weight.

Health Insurance (HELD31X, HELD42X, HELD53X, OFFER31X, OFFER42X, OFFER53X, CHOIC31, CHOIC42, CHOIC53, DISVW31X, DISVW42X, DISVW53X)

There are several employment-related health insurance measures included in this release: health insurance held at a current main job (HELD31X, HELD42X, HELD53X), health insurance offered through a current main job (OFFER31X, OFFER42X, OFFER53X), and a choice of health plans available through the current main job (CHOIC31, CHOIC42, CHOIC53). The HELD and OFFER variables were logically edited using health insurance information.

Several persons indicated that they held health insurance through a current main job in the employment section and then denied this coverage later in the interview in the health insurance section. Employment section health insurance HELD variables were edited for consistency to match the health insurance measures obtained in the health insurance section. To allow for easy identification of these individuals, round-specific flag variables were constructed (DISVW31X, DISVW42X, DISVW53X).

Responses in the employment section for health insurance held were recoded to be consistent with the variables in the health insurance section of the survey. Due to questionnaire skip patterns, the responses to health insurance offered were affected by editing the HELD variable. For example, if a person responded that health insurance was held from a current main job, the question relating to whether health insurance was offered was skipped. For persons who responded in the employment section that they held health insurance coverage and then disavowed the coverage in the health insurance section, we could not ascertain whether they were offered a policy. These individuals are coded as -9 for the OFFER variables.

Within the employment section, an inconsistency can occur between the held and offered information in the file. In the first round in which a person is reported as having a specific CMJ, MEPS asks if the person holds health insurance through that job. If the person does not hold insurance, then a follow-up question is asked as to whether the person was offered insurance (but declined coverage). However, if a person does hold insurance then that person is skipped over the offered question and the offer variable (OFFER31X, OFFER42X, OFFER53X) is automatically set to "Yes" (1).

In the rounds after a CMJ is initially reported, the "held" question is asked again in each interview (whether a person originally held insurance or not). This is to determine if there has been any change in coverage. However, the offer question is not updated again after the initial round, regardless of any change in the held status. After the initial round the offer variable is set to "-2" (value determined in previous round).

For persons in the second panel for a year (Rounds 1-3), this can result in a situation where the current round's held variable (HELD31X, HELD42X, HELD53X) equals "Yes" (1), but looking back to the original round in which the offered variable was set (which must be done since the current round's value is "-2"), the offered value may be set to "No" (2). For persons in the first panel of a year (Rounds 3-5), the offered value is pulled forward on the file from the original round (on the prior year's PUF) and the same discrepancy held equal "Yes"; offered equal "No" can occur.

Finally, persons under age 16 as well as persons aged 16 and older who did not hold a current main job or who were self-employed with no employees were coded as "Inapplicable" for the health insurance-related employment variables.

Hours (HOUR31, HOUR42, HOUR53)

The hours measure refers to usual hours worked per week.

Number of Employees (NUMEMP31, NUMEMP42, NUMEMP53)

Due to confidentiality concerns, the variable indicating the number of employees at the establishment has been top coded at 500 or more employees. NUMEMP indicates the number of employees at the location of the person's current main job. For persons who reported a categorical size, we report a median estimated size from donors within the reported range.

Other Employment Variables

Information about industry and occupation types for a person's current main job at the interview date is also contained in this release. Based on verbatim text fields collected during the interview, industry and occupation types were first coded by trained coders into the three-digit codes defined by the Bureau of the Census for the 1990 Census. For confidentiality reasons, these codes were then condensed. CIND31, CIND42, and CIND53 represent the condensed industry codes for a person's current main job at the interview date. COCCP31, COCCP42 and COCCP53 represent the condensed occupation codes for a person's current main job at the interview date.

Information indicating whether a person belonged to a labor union (UNION31, UNION42, and UNION53) and whether a person worked an irregular work shift (SHFTWK31, SHFTWK42, and SHFTWK53) is also contained in this release. In addition, there are three round-specific variables that show the usual daily start time of the current main job (BGNWK31, BGNWK42, and BGNWK53). There are also three measures of the usual daily end time of the current main job (ENDWK31, ENDWK42, and ENDWK53). The values for these variables are coded in 24-hour military time and reflect the hour that the respondent reported as the usual starting and ending time. There is an additional allowable value of "95," indicating respondents who reported that their usual start and end times varied.

The day, month, and year that the current main job started for Rounds 3, 4, and 5 of Panel 4 and Rounds 1, 2, and 3 of Panel 5 are provided in this release (STJBDD31, STJBMM31, STJBYY31, STJBDD42, STJBMM42, STJBYY42, STJBDD53, STJBMM53, and STJBYY53).

There are two measures included in this release that relate to a person's work history over a lifetime. One indicates whether a person ever retired from a job as of the Round 5 interview date for Panel 4 persons or the Round 3 interview date for Panel 5 persons (EVRETIRE). The other indicates whether a person ever worked for pay as of the Round 5 interview date for Panel 4 persons or the Round 3 interview date for Panel 5 persons (EVRWRK). The latter was asked of everyone who indicated that they were not working as of the round interview date. Therefore, anyone who indicated current employment or who had a job during any of the previous or current rounds was skipped past the question identifying whether the person ever worked for pay. These individuals were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1). The ever retired question was asked of all persons who ever reported a job and were 55 years or older as of the round interview date. Since both of these variables are not round specific, there are no "-2" codes.

This release contains variables indicating the main reason a person did not work since the start of the reference period (NWK31, NWK42, and NWK53). If a person was not employed at all during the reference period (at the interview date or at any time during the reference period) but was employed some time prior to the reference period, the person was asked to choose from a list the main reason he or she did not work during the reference period. The "Inapplicable" (-1) category for the NWK variables includes:

Persons who were employed during the reference period;
Persons who were not employed during the reference period and who were never employed;
Persons who were out-of-scope the entire reference period;
Persons who were less than 16 years old.

A measure of whether an individual had more than one job on the round interview date (MORJOB31, MORJOB42, and MORJOB53) is provided on this release. In addition to those under 16 and those individuals who were out of scope, the "Inapplicable" category includes those who did not report having a current main job. Because this is not a job-specific variable, there are no "-2" codes.

This release contains variables indicating if a current main job changed between the third and fourth rounds for Panel 4 persons or between the first and second rounds for Panel 5 persons (CHGJ3142) and between the fourth and fifth rounds for Panel 4 persons or between the second and third rounds for Panel 5 persons (CHGJ4253). In addition to the "Inapplicable", "Refused", "Don't Know", and "Not Ascertained" categories, the change job variables were coded to represent the following:

1- person left previous round current main job and now has a new current main job;
2- person still working at the previous round's current main job but, as of the new round, no longer considers this job to be the current main job and defines a new main job (previous round's current main job is now a current miscellaneous job);
3- person left previous round's current main job and does not have a new job;
4- person did not change current main job.

Finally, this release contains the reason given by the respondent for the job change (YCHJ3142 and YCHJ4253). The reasons for a job change were listed in the CAPI questionnaire and a respondent was asked to choose the main reason from this list. In addition to those out of scope, those under 16, and those not having a current main job, the "Inapplicable" category for YCHJ3142 and YCHJ4253 includes workers who did not change jobs.

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2.5.7 Health Insurance Variables (TRIJA00X-PMEDIN53)

2.5.7.1 Monthly Health Insurance Indicators (TRIJA00X-INSDE00X)

Constructed and edited variables are provided that indicate any coverage in each month of 2000 for the sources of health insurance coverage collected during the MEPS interviews (Panel 4, Rounds 3 through 5 and Panel 5, Rounds 1 through 3). In Rounds 2, 3, 4, and 5, insurance that was in effect at the previous round's interview date was reviewed with the respondent. Most of the insurance variables have been logically edited to address issues that arose during such reviews in Rounds 2, 3, 4, and 5. One edit to the private insurance variables corrects for a problem concerning covered benefits that occurred when respondents reported a change in any of their private health insurance plan names. Additional edits address issues of missing data on the time period of coverage for both public and private coverage that was either reviewed or initially reported in a given round. For Tricare coverage (TRIJA00X - TRIDE00X), respondents who were over age 65 had their reported Tricare coverage overturned. Additional edits, described below, were performed on the Medicare and Medicaid variables to assign persons to coverage from these sources. Observations that contain edits assigning persons to Medicare or Medicaid coverage can be identified by comparing the edited and unedited versions of the Medicare and Medicaid variables.

Public sources include Medicare, Tricare, Medicaid and other public hospital/physician coverage. State-specific program participation in non-comprehensive coverage (STAJA00 - STADE00) was also identified but is not considered health insurance for the purpose of this survey.

In addition to the month-by-month indicators of coverage, 12 round-specific Health Insurance variables indicating coverage by an HMO or managed care plan have been added for FY 2000. The variables PRVHM031/42/00 and PRVMNC31/42/00 indicate coverage by a private HMO or managed care plan in Panel 5, Rounds 1 - 3, and Panel 4, Rounds 3 - 5. The variables MCDHMO31/42/00 and MDCMC31/42/00 indicate coverage by a Medicaid HMO or managed care plan in Panel 5, Rounds 1 - 3, and Panel 4, Rounds 3 - 5. For Panel 5, the "31" version indicates coverage at any time in Round 1, the "42" version indicates coverage at any time in Round 2, and the "00" version represents coverage at any time during the 2000 portion of Round 3. For Panel 4, the "31" version indicates coverage at any time during the 2000 portion of Round 3, the "42" version indicates coverage at any time in Round 4, and the "00" version represents coverage at any time during Round 5 (because Round 5 ends on 12/31/00).

In the health insurance section of the questionnaire, respondents reporting private health insurance were asked to identify what types of coverage they had via a checklist. If they selected prescription drug or dental coverage from this checklist, variables were constructed to indicate prescription drug or dental coverage respectively. It should be noted, however, that in some cases respondents may have failed to identify prescription drug or dental coverage that was included as part of a hospital and physician plan.

Medicare

Medicare (MCRJA00 - MCRDE00) coverage was edited (MCRJA00X - MCRDE00X) for persons age 65 or over. Within this age group, individuals were assigned Medicare coverage if:

They answered "Yes" to a follow-up question on whether or not they received Social Security benefits; or

They were covered by Medicaid, other public hospital/physician coverage or Medigap coverage; or

Their spouse was age 65 or over and covered by Medicare; or

They reported Tricare coverage.

Medicaid and Other Public Hospital/Physician Coverage

Questions about other public hospital/physician coverage were asked in an attempt to identify Medicaid recipients who may not have recognized their coverage as Medicaid. These questions were asked only if a respondent did not report Medicaid directly. Respondents reporting other public hospital/physician coverage were asked follow-up questions to determine if their coverage was through a specific Medicaid HMO or if it included some other managed care characteristics. Respondents who identified managed care from either path were asked if they paid anything for the coverage and/or if a government source paid for the coverage.

The Medicaid variables (MCDJA00 - MCDDE00) have been edited (MCDJA00X - MCDDE00X) to include persons who paid nothing for their other public hospital/physician insurance when such coverage was through a Medicaid HMO or reported to include some other managed care characteristics.

To assist users in further editing sources of insurance, this file contains variables constructed from the other public hospital/physician series that measure whether:

The respondent reported some type of managed care and paid something for the coverage, Other Public A Insurance (OPAJA00 - OPADE00); and
The respondent did not report any managed care, Other Public B Insurance (OPBJA00 - OPBDE00).

The variables OPAJA00 - OPADE00 and OPBJA00 - OPBDE00 are provided only to assist in editing and should not be used to make separate insurance estimates for these types of insurance categories.

Any Public Insurance in Month

The file also includes summary measures that indicate whether or not a sample person has any public insurance in a month (PUBJA00X - PUBDE00X). Persons identified as covered by public insurance are those reporting coverage under Tricare, Medicare, Medicaid or other public hospital/physician programs. Persons covered only by state-specific programs that did not provide comprehensive coverage (STAJA00 - STADE00), for example, Maryland Kidney Disease Program, were not considered to have public coverage when constructing the variables PUBJA00X - PUBDE00X.

Private Insurance

Variables identifying private insurance in general (PRIJA00 - PRIDE00) and specific private insurance sources [such as employer/union group insurance (PEGJA00 - PEGDE00); non-group (PNGJA00 - PNGDE00); and other group (POGJA00 - POGDE00)] were constructed. Private insurance sources identify coverage in effect at any time during each month of 2000. Separate variables identify covered persons and policyholders (policyholder variables begin with the letter "H", e.g., HPEJA00 - HPEDE00). These variables indicate coverage or policyholder status within a source and do not distinguish between persons who are covered or are policyholders on one or more than one policy within a given source. In some cases, the policyholder was unable to characterize the source of insurance (PDKJA00 - PDKDE00). Covered persons (but not policyholders) are identified when the policyholder is living outside the RU (POUJA00 - POUDE00). An individual was considered to have private health insurance coverage if, at a minimum, that coverage provided benefits for hospital and physician services (including Medigap coverage). Sources of insurance with missing information regarding the type of coverage were assumed to contain hospital/physician coverage. Persons without private hospital/physician insurance were not counted as privately insured.

Health insurance through a job or union (PEGJA00 - PEGDE00, PRSJA00 - PRSDE00) was initially asked about in the Employment Section of the interview and later confirmed in the Health Insurance Section. Respondents also had an opportunity to report employer and union group insurance (PEGJA00 - PEGDE00) for the first time in the Health Insurance Section, but this insurance was not linked to a specific job.

All insurance reported to be through a job classified as self-employed with firm size of 1 (PRSJA00 - PRSDE00) was initially reported in the Employment Section and verified in the Health Insurance Section. Unlike the other employment-related variables (PEGJA00 - PEGDE00), self-employed-firm size 1 (PRSJA00 - PRSDE00) health insurance could not be reported in the Health Insurance section for the first time. The variables PRSJA00 - PRSDE00 have been constructed to allow users to determine if the insurance should be considered employment-related.

Private insurance that was not employment-related (POGJA00 - POGDE00, PNGJA00 - PNGDE00, PDKJA00 - PDKDE00 and POUJA00 - POUDE00) was reported in the Health Insurance section only.

Any Insurance in Month

The file also includes summary measures that indicate whether or not a person has any insurance in a month (INSJA00X - INSDE00X). Persons identified as insured are those reporting coverage under Tricare, Medicare, Medicaid or other public hospital/physician or private hospital/physician insurance (including Medigap plans). A person is considered uninsured if not covered by one of these insurance sources.

Persons covered only by state-specific programs that provide non-comprehensive coverage (STAJA00 - STADE00), for example, Maryland Kidney Disease Program, and those without hospital/physician benefits (for example, private insurance for dental or vision care only, accidents or specific diseases) were not considered to be insured when constructing the variables INSJA00X - INSDE00X.

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2.5.7.2 Summary Insurance Coverage Indicators (PRVEV00 - INSCOV00)

The variables PRVEV00-UNINS00 summarize health insurance coverage for the person in 2000 for the following types of insurance: private (PRVEV00); Tricare (TRIEV00); Medicaid (MCDEV00); Medicare (MCREV00); other public A (OPAEV00); other public B (OPBEV00). Each variable was constructed based on the values of the corresponding 12 month to month health insurance variables described above. A value of 1 indicates that the person was covered for at least one day of at least one month during 2000. A value of 2 indicates that the person was not covered for a given type of insurance for all of 2000. The variable UNINS00 summarizes PRVEV00-OPBEV00. Where PRVEV00-OPBEV00 are all equal to 2, then UNINS00 equals 1; person was uninsured for all of 2000. Otherwise UNINS00 is set to 2, not uninsured for some portion of 2000.

For user convenience this file contains a constructed variable INSCOV00 that summarizes health insurance coverage for the person in 2000, with the following 3 values:

1 = ANY PRIVATE (Person had any private insurance coverage (including Tricare/VA) any time during 2000)

2 = PUBLIC ONLY (Person had only public insurance coverage during 2000)

3 = UNINSURED (Person was uninsured during all of 2000)

Please note this variable categorizes Tricare as private coverage. If an analyst wishes to consider Tricare public coverage, the variable can easily be reconstructed using the PRVEV00 and TRIEV00 variables.

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2.5.7.3 Managed Care Variables (MCDHMO31-PRVMNC00)

HMO or gatekeeper plan variables have been constructed from information on health insurance coverage at any time in a reference period and the characteristics of the plan. A separate set of managed care variables has been constructed for private insurance and Medicaid coverage. The purpose of these variables is to provide information on managed care participation during the portion of the three rounds (i.e., reference periods) that fall within the same calendar year.

Managed care variables for calendar year 2000 are based on responses to health insurance questions asked during the Round 3, 4, and 5 interviews of Panel 4, and the Round 1, 2, and 3 interviews of Panel 5. Each variable ends in "xy" where x and y denote the interview round for Panels 4 and 5, respectively. The variables ending in "31" and "42" correspond to the first two interviews of each Panel in the calendar year. Because Round 3 interviews typically overlap the final months of one year and the beginning months of the next year, the "31" variables for Panel 4 have been restricted to the year 2000 portion of the reference period. Similarly, the Panel 4/Round 5 and Panel 5/Round 3 interviews have been restricted to the year 2000 portion of these reference periods, and the corresponding managed care variables have been given the suffix "00" (as opposed to "53") to emphasize the restricted time frame.

Construction of the managed care variables is straightforward, but three caveats are appropriate. First, MEPS estimates of the number of persons in HMOs are higher than figures reported by other sources, particularly those based on HMO industry data. The differences stem from the use of household-reported information, which may include respondent error, to determine HMO coverage in MEPS.

Second, the managed care questions are asked about the last plan held by a respondent through his or her establishment (employer or insurer) even though the person could have had a different plan through the establishment at an earlier point during the interview period. As a result, in instances where a respondent changed his or her establishment-related insurance, the managed care variables describe the characteristics of the last plan held through the establishment.

Third, the "00" versions of the HMO and gatekeeper variables for Panel 5 are developed from Round 3 variables that cover different time frames. The health insurance variable for Round 3 is restricted to the same calendar year as the Round 1 and 2 data. The Round 3 variables describing plan type, on the other hand, overlap the next calendar year. As a consequence, the Round 3 managed care variables may not describe the characteristics of the last plan held in the calendar year if the person changed plans after the first of the year.

Medicaid Managed Care Plans

Persons were assigned Medicaid coverage based on their responses to the health insurance questions or through logical editing of the survey data. The number of persons with edited Medicaid coverage is small, but it contains two distinct groups of individuals. The first group includes persons in Other Government programs that were identified by name as Medicaid HMOs and did not require premium payment from the insured party. This group was asked about the characteristics of their insurance plan. The second group includes a small number of persons who did not report public insurance, but were classified as Medicaid recipients because they received AFDC, SSI, or WIC. The health insurance questions were not applicable to this group. As a consequence, the plan type could be determined for some, but not all, respondents who were assigned Medicaid coverage through logical editing of the data.

Medicaid HMOs

If Medicaid or Other Government programs were identified as the source of hospital/physician insurance coverage, the respondent was asked about the characteristics of the plan. The variables MCDHMO31, MCDHMO42, and MCDHMO00 have been set to "Yes" if the plan was identified from a list of state names or programs for Medicaid HMOs in the area, or if an affirmative response was provided to the following question:

1. Under {{Medicaid/{STATE NAME FOR MEDICAID}/the program sponsored by a state or local government agency which provides hospital and physician benefits} (are/is) (READ NAME(S) FROM BELOW) signed up with an HMO, that is a Health Maintenance Organization?
[With an HMO, you must generally receive care from HMO physicians. If another doctor is seen, the expense is not covered unless you were referred by the HMO, or there was a medical emergency.]
In subsequent rounds, respondents who had been previously identified as covered by Medicaid were asked whether the name of their insurance plan had changed since the previous interview. An affirmative response triggered the previous set of questions about managed care (name on list of Medicaid HMOs or signed up with an HMO).
In each round, the variables MCDHMO31, MCDHMO42, and MCDHMO00 have five possible values:

1

The person was covered by a Medicaid HMO.

2

The person was covered by Medicaid but the plan was not an HMO.

3

The person was not covered by Medicaid.

-9

The person was covered by Medicaid but the plan type was not ascertained.

-1

The person was out-of-scope.

Medicaid Gatekeeper Plans

If the respondent did not belong to a Medicaid HMO, a third question was used to determine whether the person was in a gatekeeper plan. The variables MCDMC31, MCDMC42, and MCDMC00 were set to "Yes" if the person provided an affirmative response to the following question:

1. Does {{Medicaid /{STATE NAME FOR MEDICAID}} require (READ NAME(S) BELOW) to sign up with a certain primary care doctor, group of doctors, or with a certain clinic which they must go to for all of their routine care?
Probe: Do not include emergency care or care from a specialist to which they were referred to.
In each round, the variables MCDMC31, MCDMC42, and MCDMC00 have five possible values:

1

The person was covered by a Medicaid gatekeeper plan.

2

The person was covered by Medicaid, but it was not a gatekeeper plan.

3

The person was not covered by Medicaid.

-9

The person was covered by Medicaid but the plan type was not ascertained.

-1

The person was out-of-scope.

Private Managed Care Plans

Persons with private insurance were identified from their responses to questions in the health insurance section of the MEPS questionnaire. In some cases, persons were assigned private insurance as a result of comments collected during the interview, but data editing was minimal. As a consequence, most persons with private insurance were asked about the characteristics of their plan, and their responses were used to identify HMO and gatekeeper plans.

Private HMOs

Persons with private insurance were classified as being covered by an HMO if they met any of the three following conditions:

1. The person reported that his or her insurance was purchased directly through an HMO,
2. The person reporting private insurance coverage identified the type of insurance company as an HMO, or
3. The person answered "Yes" to the following question: Now I will ask you a few questions about how (POLICYHOLDER)'s insurance through (ESTABLISHMENT) works for non-emergency care.
We are interested in knowing if (POLICYHOLDER)'s (ESTABLISHMENT) plan is an HMO, that is, a health maintenance organization. With an HMO, you must generally receive care from HMO physicians. For other doctors, the expense is not covered unless you were referred by the HMO or there was a medical emergency. Is (POLICYHOLDER)'s (INSURER NAME) an HMO?

In subsequent rounds, policyholders were asked whether the name of their insurance plan had changed since the previous interview. An affirmative response triggered the detailed question about managed care (i.e., was the insurer an HMO).
Some insured persons have more than one private plan. In these cases, if the policyholder identified any plan as an HMO, the variables PRVHMO31, PRVHMO42, and PRVHMO00 were set to "Yes." In each round, the variables PRVHMO31, PRVHMO42, and PRVHMO00 have five possible values:

1

The person was covered by a private HMO.

2

The person was covered by private insurance, but it was not an HMO.

3

The person was not covered by private insurance.

-9

The person was covered by private insurance, but the plan type was not ascertained.

-1

The person was out-of-scope.

Private Gatekeeper Plans

If the respondent did not report belonging to a private HMO, a follow up question was used to determine whether the person was in a gatekeeper plan. Persons with private insurance were classified as being covered by a gatekeeper plan if the person provided an affirmative response to the following question:

1. (Do/Does) (POLICYHOLDER)'S insurance plan require (POLICYHOLDER) to sign up with a certain primary care doctor, group of doctors, or a certain clinic which (POLICYHOLDER) must go to for all of (POLICYHOLDER)'s routine care?
Probe: Do not include emergency care or care from a specialist you were referred to.

Some insured persons have more than one private plan. In these cases, if the policyholder identified any plan as a gatekeeper plan, the variables PRVMNC31, PRVMNC42, and PRVMNC00 were set to "Yes." In each round, the variables PRVMNC31, PRVMNC42, and PRVMNC00 have five possible values:

1

The person was covered by a private gatekeeper plan.

2

The person was covered by private insurance, but it was not a gatekeeper plan.

3

The person was not covered by private insurance.

-9

The person was covered by private insurance, but the plan type was not ascertained.

-1

The person was out-of-scope.

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2.5.7.4 Unedited Health Insurance Variables (PREVCOVR-LIMITOT) Duration of Uninsurance

If a person was identified as being without insurance as of January 1st in the MEPS Round 1 interview, a series of follow-up questions were asked to determine the duration of uninsurance prior to the start of the MEPS survey. If the person said he/she was covered by insurance in the 2 years prior to the MEPS Round 1 interview (PREVCOVR), the month, year (COVRMM, COVRYY), and type of coverage (Employer-sponsored (WASESTB), Medicare (WASMCARE), Medicaid (WASMCAID), CHAMPUS/CHAMPVA (WASCHAMP), VA/Military Care (WASVA), Other public (WASOTGOV, WASAFDC,WASSSI, WASSTAT1-2, WASOTHER) or Private coverage purchased through a group, association or insurance company (WASPRIV) was ascertained. For persons who were covered by health insurance on January 1st, it was ascertained if they were ever without health insurance in the previous year (NOINSBEF). The number of weeks/months without health insurance was also ascertained (NOINSTM, NOINUNIT). For persons who reported only non-comprehensive coverage as of January 1st, a question was asked to determine if they had been covered by more comprehensive coverage that paid for medical and doctors bills in the previous 2 years (MORCOVR). If they were, the most recent month and year of coverage was ascertained (INSENDMM, INSENDYY) as was the type of coverage (see the variable names above). Note that these variables are unedited and have been taken directly as they were recorded from the raw data. There may be inconsistencies with the health insurance variables released on public use files that indicate that an individual is uninsured in January.

Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions/ Denial of Insurance

All individuals, regardless of their insurance status, were also asked in Round 1 if they had ever been denied insurance (DENYINSR) and if so, due to what conditions (DNYCANC, DNYHYPER, DNYDIAB, DNYCORON, DENYOTH). Individuals insured in January were asked whether there were any limitations or restrictions on their plans due to any physical or mental health condition (INSLIMIT) and if so, which conditions caused these limitations or restrictions (LMTBACK and LIMITOT). Individuals under age 65 without any coverage in January were also asked if they had ever tried to purchase health insurance (INSLOOK). It should be noted that conditions collected in these questions were not recorded on the condition roster.

Note that the duration of uninsurance, limitation, denial and ever looked for insurance questions were only asked in Round 1. These variables are included on the file only for individuals in Panel 5 since Panel 5's Round 1 occurred in 2000 but Panel 4's Round 1 occurred in 1999. Round 1 data for Panel 4 members is contained on the 1999 Supplemental File (HC-044). The unedited health insurance variables are included on this supplemental file to facilitate longitudinal analysis. However, since they are not available for Panel 4, Round 4, they cannot be used to generate national estimates for the estimation year.

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2.5.7.5 Health Insurance Coverage Variables (TRICR31X-INSAT00X)

Constructed and edited variables are provided that indicate health insurance coverage at any time in a given round as well as at the MEPS interview dates and on December 31st, 2000. Note that for respondents who left the RU before the MEPS interview date or before December 31st, the variables measuring coverage at the interview date or on December 31st represent coverage at the date the person left the RU. In addition, since Round 5 only covers the time period from the Round 4 interview date up to December 31st, values for the December 31st variables are equivalent to those for Round 5 variables for Panel 4 members.
The health insurance variables are constructed for the sources of health insurance coverage collected during the MEPS interviews (Panel 4, Rounds 3 through 5 and Panel 5, Rounds 1 through 3). Note that the Medicare variables on this file as well as the private insurance variables that indicate the particular source of private coverage (rather than any private coverage) only measure coverage at the interview date and on December 31st. Users should also note that while the same general editing rules were followed for the month-by-month health insurance variables released on other MEPS public use files and those on this file, in a small number of cases the month-by-month variables experienced further edits performed after the variables on this file were completed. Since editing programs checking for consistencies between these sets of variables developed over time, there should be fewer discrepancies in data for calendar year 1998 and beyond than in data for the years 1996 and 1997.
In Rounds 2, 3, 4 and 5, insurance that was in effect at the previous round's interview date was reviewed with the respondent. Most of the insurance variables have been logically edited to address issues that arose during such reviews in Rounds 2, 3, 4, and 5. One edit to the private insurance variables corrects for a problem concerning covered benefits that occurred when respondents reported a change in any of their private health insurance plan names. Additional edits address issues of missing data on the time period of coverage for both public and private coverage that was either reviewed or initially reported in a given round. For Tricare coverage (TRICR31X, TRICR42X, TRICR53X, TRICR00X, TRIAT31X, TRIAT42X, TRIAT53X, TRIAT00X), respondents who were age 65 and over had their reported Tricare coverage overturned. Additional edits, described below, were performed on the Medicare and Medicaid/SCHIP variables to assign persons to coverage from these sources. Observations that contain edits assigning person to Medicare or Medicaid/SCHIP coverage can be identified by comparing the edited and unedited versions of the Medicare and Medicaid/SCHIP variables.
Public sources include Medicare, Tricare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and other public hospital/physician coverage. State-specific program participation (STAPR31, STAPR42, STAPR53, STAPR00, STPRAT31, STPRAT42, STPRAT53, STPRAT00) in non-comprehensive coverage was also identified but is not considered health insurance for the purpose of this survey.

Medicare

Medicare (MCARE31, MCARE42, MCARE53 and MCARE00) coverage was edited (MCARE31X, MCARE42X, MCARE53X and MCARE00X) for persons age 65 or over. Within this age group, individuals were assigned Medicare coverage if:

They answered yes to a follow-up question on whether or not they received Social Security benefits; or

They were covered by Medicaid, SCHIP, other public hospital/physician coverage or Medigap coverage: or

Their spouse was covered by Medicare.

They reported Tricare coverage.

Medicaid and Other Public Hospital/Physician Coverage

Questions about other public hospital/physician coverage were asked in an attempt to identify Medicaid or SCHIP recipients who may not have recognized their coverage as such. These questions were asked only if a respondent did not report Medicaid or SCHIP directly. Respondents reporting other public hospital/physician coverage were asked follow-up questions to determine if their coverage was through a specific Medicaid HMO or if it included some other managed care characteristics. Respondents who identified managed care from either path were asked if they paid anything for the coverage and/or if a government source paid for the coverage.

The Medicaid variables (MCAID31, MCAID42, MCAID53, MCAID00) have been edited to include persons who paid nothing for their other public hospital/physician insurance when such coverage was through a Medicaid HMO or reported to include some other managed care characteristics (MCAID31X, MCAID42X, MCAID53X, MCAID00X, MCDAT31X, MCDAT42X, MCDAT53X, MCDAT00X). The Medicaid variables also include those identified as covered by State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

To assist users in further editing sources of insurance, this file contains variables constructed from the other public hospital/physician series that measure whether:

The respondent reported some type of managed care and paid something for the coverage, Other Public A Insurance (OTPUBA31, OTPUBA42, OTPUBA53, OTPUBA00, OTPAAT31, OTPAAT42, OTPAAT53, OTPAAT00); and

The respondent did not report any managed care, Other Public B insurance (OTPUBB31, OTPUBB42, OTPUBB53, OTPUBB00, OTPBAT31, OTPBAT42, OTPBAT53, OTPBAT00).

The variables for Other Public A and B Insurance are provided only to assist in editing and should not be used to make separate insurance estimates for these types of insurance categories.

Any Public Insurance

The file also includes summary measures that indicate whether or not a sample person has any public insurance during a given round, at the interview date, or on December 31st (PUB31X, PUB42X, PUB53X, PUB00X, PUBAT31X, PUBAT42X PUBAT53X and PUBAT00X). Persons identified as covered by public insurance are those reporting coverage under Tricare, Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, or other public hospital/physician programs. Persons covered only by state-specific programs that did not provide comprehensive coverage (STAPR31, STAPR42, STAPR53, STAPR00, STPRAT31, STPRAT42, STPRAT53, STPRAT00), for example, Maryland Kidney Disease Program, were not considered to have public coverage when constructing the variables PUB31X.....PUBAT00X.

Private Insurance

Variables identifying private insurance in general (PRIV31, PRIV42, PRIV53, PRIV00, PRIVAT31, PRIVAT42, PRIVAT53, PRIVAT00) and specific private insurance sources [such as employer/union group insurance (PRIEU31, PRIEU42, PRIEU53, PRIEU00); non-group (PRING31, PRING42, PRING53, PRING00); and other group (PRIOG31, PRIOG42, PRIOG53, PRIOG00)] were constructed. Variables indicating any private insurance coverage are available for the following time periods: at any time in a given round, at the interview date and on December 31st. The variables for the specific sources of private coverage are only available for coverage on the interview dates and on December 31st. Note that these variables indicate coverage within a source and do not distinguish between persons who are covered on one or more than one policy within a given source. In some cases, the policyholder was unable to characterize the source of insurance (PRIDK31, PRIDK42, PRIDK53, PRIDK00). Covered persons are also identified when the policyholder is living outside the RU (PROUT31, PROUT42, PROUT53, PROUT00). An individual was considered to have private health insurance coverage if, at a minimum, that coverage provided benefits for hospital and physician services (including Medigap coverage). Sources of insurance with missing information regarding the type of coverage were assumed to contain hospital/physician coverage. Persons without private hospital/physician insurance were not counted as privately insured.

Health insurance through a job or union (PRIEU31, PRIEU42, PRIEU53, PRIEU00) was initially asked about in the Employment Section of the interview and later confirmed in the Health Insurance Section. Respondents also had an opportunity to report employer and union group insurance for the first time in the Health Insurance Section, but this insurance was not linked to a specific job.

All insurance reported to be through a job classified as self-employed with firm size of 1 (PRIS31, PRIS42, PRIS53, PRIS00) was initially reported in the Employment Section and verified in the Health Insurance Section. Unlike the other employment-related variables, self-employed-firm size 1 health insurance could not be reported in the Health Insurance section for the first time. The variables PRIS31, PRIS42, PRIS53, PRIS00 have been constructed to allow users to determine if the insurance should be considered employment-related.

Private insurance that was not employment-related was reported in the Health Insurance section only.

Any Insurance in Month

The file also includes summary measures that indicate whether or not a person has any insurance in a round, at an interview date or on December 31st (INS31X, INS42X, INS53X, INSAT31X, INSAT42X, INSAT53X, INSAT00X). Persons identified as insured are those reporting coverage under Tricare, Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, or other public hospital/physician or private hospital/physician insurance (including Medigap plans). A person is considered uninsured if not covered by one of these insurance sources.

Persons covered only by state-specific programs that provide non-comprehensive coverage (STAPR31, STAPR42, STAPR53, STAPR00, STPRAT31, STPRAT42, STPRAT53, STPRAT00), for example, Maryland Kidney Disease Program, and those without hospital/physician benefits (for example, private insurance for dental or vision care only, accidents or specific diseases) were not considered to be insured when constructing the variables INS31X, INS42X, INS53X, INSAT31X, INSAT42X, INSAT53X and INSAT00X.

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2.5.7.6 Dental and Prescription Drug Private Insurance Variables (DENTIN31-DENTIN53)

Dental Private Insurance Variables

Round specific variables (DENTIN31/42/53) are provided that indicates the respondent was covered by a private health insurance plan that included at least some dental coverage for each round of 2000. It should be noted that the information was elicited from a pick-list, code all that apply, question that asked what type of health insurance person obtained through an establishment. The list included: hospital and physician benefits including coverage through an HMO, Medigap coverage, vision coverage, dental, and prescription drugs. It is possible that some dental coverage provided by hospital and physician plans was not independently enumerated in this question. Users should also note that persons with missing information on dental benefits for all reported private plans and those who reported that they did not have dental coverage for one or more plans but had missing information on other plans are coded as not having private dental coverage. Respondents who reported dental coverage from at least one reported private plan were coded as having private dental coverage.

Prescription Drug Private Insurance Variables

Round specific variables (PMEDIN31/42/53) are provided that indicate the respondent was covered by a private health insurance plan that included at least some prescription drug insurance coverage for each round of 2000. It should be noted that the information was elicited from a pick-list, code all that apply, question that asked what type of health insurance a person obtained through an establishment. The list included: hospital and physician benefits including coverage through an HMO, Medigap coverage, vision coverage, dental, and prescription drugs. It is possible some prescription drug coverage provided by hospital and physician plans was not independently enumerated in this question. Users should note that some insured persons have more than one private plan. In these cases, if the policyholder identified any plan as having prescription drug coverage, the prescription drug variable was set to "yes". If a person had multiple plans and one or more were identified as not having prescription drug coverage and the other(s) had missing values for prescription drug coverage, the person level variable was set to missing. Those who reported that they did not have prescription drug coverage for all private plans are coded as not having private prescription drug coverage.

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2.5.8 Disability Days Indicator Variables (DDNWRK31-OTHNDD53)

The disability days section of the core interview contains questions about time lost from work or school and days spent in bed because of a physical illness, injury, or mental or emotional problem. Data were collected on each individual in the household. These questions were repeated in each round of interviews; these files contains data from Rounds 3, 4, and 5 of the MEPS panel 4 initiated in 1999 and Rounds 1, 2, and 3 of the MEPS panel 5 initiated in 2000 respectively. The number at the end of the variable name (31, 42 or 53) identifies the Rounds in which the information was collected.
The reference period for these questions is the time period between the beginning of the panel or the previous interview date and the current interview date. In order to establish the length of a round, analysts are referred to the variables that indicate the beginning date and ending date of each Round (BEGREFD, BEGREFM, BEGREFY, ENDREFD, ENDREFM, ENDREFY). Analysts should be aware that Round 3 was conducted across years. Some data from Round 3 thus pertains to the following year. The number of disability days in Round 3 that occurred in each calendar year was not ascertained. If analysts want to create an indicator of disability days for a given calendar year, some adjustment must be made to the Round 3 data. Analysts who want to estimate disability days for a given calendar year will need to develop an algorithm for deciding what portion of reported disability days occurred in the year of interest and what portion occurred in the following year.

The variables DDNWRK31, DDNWRK42 and DDNWRK53 represent the number of times the respondent lost a half-day or more from work because of illness, injury or mental or emotional problems during Rounds 31, 42, and 53, respectively. A response of "no work days lost" was coded zero; if the respondent did not work, these variables were coded -1 (inapplicable), and for some analyses these values may have to be recoded to zero. Respondents who were less than 16 years old were not asked about lost workdays, and these variables are coded -1 (inapplicable) for them.

WKINBD31, WKINBD42 and WKINBD53 represent the number of work-loss days during each round in which the respondent spent at least half of the day in bed. These questions were asked only of persons aged 16 and over. Persons aged 15 or younger received a code of -1 (inapplicable). If a respondent answered the preceding work-loss question with "zero days" or "does not work", then the corresponding WKINBD question was coded as -1 (inapplicable).

DDNSCL31, DDNSCL42 and DDNSCL53 indicate the number of times that a respondent missed a half-day or more of school during Rounds 31, 42, or 53, respectively. These questions were asked of persons aged 3 to 22; respondents aged less than 3 or older than 22 did not receive these questions and are coded as -1 on these variables. A code of -1 also indicates that the person does not attend school. The analyst should be aware that there was no attempt to reconcile school loss days with the time of year (e.g., summer vacation). In order to establish time of year, analysts are referred to the variables that indicate the beginning date and ending date of each Round (BEGREFD, BEGREFM, BEGREFY, ENDREFD, ENDREFM, ENDREFY).

SCLNBD31, SCLNBD42 and SCLNBD53 represent the number of school-loss days during each round in which the individual spent at least a half-day in bed. Respondents aged less than 3 or older than 22 did not receive these questions and are coded as -1 on these variables. If a respondent answered the preceding school-loss question with "zero days" or "does not attend school", then the corresponding SCLNBD question is coded as -1 (inapplicable).

DDBDYS31, DDBDYS42 and DDBDYS53 represent additional days, other than school or work days, in which the respondent spent at least half a day in bed, because of a physical illness or injury or a mental or emotional problem. These are the only indicators of disability days for persons who do not work or go to school. This question was not asked of children less than one year of age (coded -1).

A final set of variables indicate if an individual took a half-day or more off from work to care for the health problems of another individual in the family. OTHDYS31, OTHDYS42, and OTHDYS53 indicate if a person missed work because of someone else's illness, injury or health care needs, for example to take care of a sick child or relative. These variables each have three possible answers: yes -- missed work to care for another (coded 1); no did not miss work to care for another (coded 2); or the person does not work (coded 2), based on responses to the DDNWRK variable for the same Round. Respondents younger than 16 were not asked these questions and are coded as -1. OTHNDD31, OTHNDD42 and OTHNDD53 indicate the number of days during each round in which work was lost because of another's health problem. Respondents younger than 16, those who do not work, and those who answer "no" to OTHDYS are skipped out of OTHNDD and receive codes of -1.
For respondents with positive weights, a minimal amount of editing was done on these variables to preserve the skip patterns. No imputation was done for those with missing data.

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2.5.9 Access to Care Variables (ACCELI42-OTHRPR42)

The variables ACCELI42 through OTHRPR42 describe data from the Access to Care section of the HC questionnaire, which was administered in Panel 4 Round 4 and Panel 5 Round 2 of the MEPS HC. This supplement serves a number of purposes in the MEPS HC by gathering information on three main topic areas: whether each family member has a usual source of health care, the characteristics of usual source of health care providers for the family, and barriers the family has faced in obtaining needed health care. The variable ACCELI42 indicates whether persons were eligible to receive the Access to Care questions. Persons with ACCELI42 = -1 should be excluded from estimates made with the Access to Care data.

Family members' usual source of health care. For each individual family member, MEPS HC ascertains whether there is a particular doctor's office, clinic, health center, or other place that the individual usually goes to if he/she is sick or needs advice about his/her health (HAVEUS42). For those family members who do not have a usual source of health care, MEPS HC ascertains the reason(s) why (YNOUSC42 through OTHREA42). If any family members changed their usual source of health care during the 12 months prior to the interview, MEPS HC gathers information on the reason why this change was made (CHNGUS42 through YNOMOR42).

Characteristics of usual source of health care providers for the family. For each unique usual source of care provider for a given family, MEPS HC asks for information on the following characteristics of the usual source of care provider:

. is the provider a medical doctor or some other type of medical provider (followed by questions which ask either the provider's medical specialty or the type of non-physician provider) (TYPEPE42), and is the provider hospital-based (TYPEPL42 and LOCATI42);

. is the provider the person or place family members would go to for new health problems, preventive health care, and referrals to other health professionals (MINORP42 through REFFRL42);

. does the provider have office hours nights and weekends, characteristics of the provider related to appointments and waiting time, ease of contacting a medical person at the provider's office by telephone (OFFHOU42 through PHONED42);

. a number of quality-related characteristics of the provider, including whether the provider generally listens to family members, asks about prescription medications other doctors may give them, and family members' confidence in and satisfaction with the care received from the provider (PRLIST42 through USCQUA42).

Family barriers. Finally, the Access to Care supplement gathers information on barriers to health care for the family. This includes one question that asks if any family members have recently gone without needed health care because the family needed money to buy food, clothing, or pay for housing (NOCARE42). In addition, the respondent is asked to rate his/her satisfaction with the ability of family members to obtain health care if needed (HCNEED42). A series of two questions is asked to directly assess whether any family members experienced difficulty in obtaining any type of health care, delayed obtaining care, or did not receive health care they thought they needed due to any of the following reasons (OBTAIN42 through OTHRPR42):

. Financial/Insurance Problems, including couldn't afford care; insurance company wouldn't approve, cover, or pay for care; pre-existing condition; insurance required a referral, but couldn't get one; doctor refused to accept family's insurance plan;

. Transportation Problems, including medical care was too far away; can't drive or don't have car/no public transportation available; too expensive to get there;

. Communication Problems, including hearing impairment or loss; different language;

. Physical Problems, including hard to get into building; hard to get around inside building; no appropriate equipment in office;

. Other Problems, including couldn't get time off work; didn't know where to go to get care; was refused services; couldn't get child care; didn't have time or took too long.

Editing of the Access to Care Variable

Editing consisted primarily of logical editing for consistency with skip patterns. Other editing included the construction of new variables describing the USC provider, and recoding several "other specify" text items into existing or new categorical values, which are described below.

Not all variables or categories that appear in the Access to Care section are included on the file, as some small cell sizes have been suppressed to maintain respondent confidentiality. This affects the following questions:

AC03: Category 5 was combined with 91 OTHER REASON (YNOUSC42)

AC11:
Categories 7 and 9 were combined with 10 OTHER NON-MD PROVIDER (TYPEPE42).

AC23: Categories 2 and 4 were combined with 91 OTHER REASON (YNOMOR42)

AC25A: Categories 9, 11, 12, 13 and 17 were combined with 91 OTHER (MAINPR42)

Constructed Variables Describing the Usual Source of Care Provider

The variables PROVTY42, TYPEPL42, TYPEPE42 and LOCATI42 provide information on the type and location of the usual source of care provider. These variables were constructed as follows, using one or more questionnaire items which are not included on the file:

PROVTY42 was constructed from items in the Provider Roster Section (available as a downloadable file on the MEPS Home Page), and has the following possible values:

1 FACILITY

2 PERSON

3 PERSON IN FACILITY PROVIDER

Question PV01 asks whether the provider is a person or a facility. For providers designated as a person, the responses to item PV05 (which indicates if the provider is part of a group practice or HMO) and items PV03/ PV10 (which indicate the provider's address), were used to determine if the provider is a "person in facility" provider (i.e., a person for whom both person and facility characteristics are known, such as "Dr. X at Y Medical Associates").

TYPEPE42 was constructed from responses to items AC10, AC11, AC11OV, AC12 and AC12OV in the Access to Care Section and describes the type of medical provider for providers indicated as person or person in facility providers (records with PROVTY42 = 1 have a value of -1 for TYPEPE42). TYPEPE42 has the following possible values:

1
MD - GENERAL/FAMILY PRACTICE

2
MD - INTERNAL MEDICINE

3
MD - PEDIATRICS

4
MD - OB/GYN

5
MD - SURGERY

6
MD - OTHER

7
CHIROPRACTOR

8
NURSE/NURSE PRACTITIONER

9
PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT

10
OTHER NON-MD PROVIDER

11
UNKNOWN

Note that the value 6 MD-OTHER includes doctors of osteopathy, as well as a small number of medical doctors whose specialty is unknown.

TYPEPL42 was constructed from responses to Access to Care items AC06 and AC07 and describes the type of place corresponding to the usual source of care provider with the following values:

1
HOSPITAL CLINIC OR OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT

2 PRIVATE OFFICE IN HOSPITAL

3 HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM

4 NON-HOSPITAL PLACE

TYPEPL42 was only constructed for cases with provider type indicated as facility or person in facility provider (records with PROVTY42=2 have a value of -1 for TYPEPL42).

LOCATI42 was constructed from the variables PROVTY42 and TYPEPL42, and describes the location of the provider as either office based or hospital based, and if hospital based, as either emergency room or non-emergency room. LOCATI42 has the following values:

1
OFFICE

2 HOSPITAL, NOT EMERGENCY ROOM

3 HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM

Note that all cases with PROVTY42=2 PERSON have LOCATI42 = 1 OFFICE.

These 4 variables in combination describe the usual source of care provider. For example, a group practice or clinic with no particular person named is coded as:

PROVTY42 = 1 FACILITY, LOCATI42 = 1 OFFICE and TYPEPE42 = -1 INAPPLICABLE.

Re-coding of Additional Other Specify Text Items

For Access to Care items AC03, AC04, AC08, AC09, AC21 and AC23, the other specify text responses were reviewed and coded as an existing or new value for the related categorical variable (for AC03, AC08, AC21 and AC23), or coded as an existing or new "yes/no" variable (for items AC04 and AC09). The following are the new codes or variables which were created from these other specify text responses.

for item AC03 - this new value was constructed for the variable YNOUS42:

10 OTHER INSURANCE RELATED REASON

for item AC04 - the new variable OTHINS42 was constructed for insurance-related reasons

for item AC08 - these new values were constructed for the variable YGOTOU42:

8
MILITARY/VA

10 INSURANCE RELATED REASON

for item AC09 - the new variable INSREA42 was constructed for insurance-related reasons

for item AC21 - these new values were constructed for the variable YCHNGUS2:

9
OTHER INSURANCE-RELATED REASON

10 JOB RELATED REASON

11 NEW DOCTOR WAS REFERRED OR RECOMMENDED

12 OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT OLD DOCTOR

13 TRANSPORTATION REASON

for item AC23 - these new values were constructed for the variable YNOMORE2:

9
SELDOM OR NEVER SICK/NO NEED FOR DOCTOR

10 OTHER INSURANCE-RELATED REASON

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2.5.10 Health Status Variables (RTHLTH31-DSPRX53)

Due to the overlapping panel design of the MEPS, Round 3 for Panel 4 overlapped with Round 1 for Panel 5. Similarly, Round 4 for Panel 4 coincided with Round 2 for Panel 5, and Round 5 for Panel 4 occurred at the same time as Round 3 for Panel 5. Data from overlapping Rounds have been combined across panels. Thus, any variable ending in "31" reflects data obtained in Round 3 of Panel 4 and Round 1 of Panel 5. Analogous comments apply to variables ending in "42" and "53". Health Status variables whose names end in "00" indicate a full-year measurement.

This data release incorporates information from calendar year 2000. However, health status data obtained in Round 3 of both Panel 4 and Panel 5 are included in variables that have names ending in "31" and "53" respectively. For persons in Panel 4, Round 3 extended from 1999 into 2000. Therefore, for these people, some information from late 1999 is included for variables that have names ending in "31". For persons in Panel 5, Round 3 extended from 2000 into 2001. Therefore, for these people, some information from early 2001 is included for variables that have names ending in "53". Note that for most Panel 4 persons, the Round 5 reference period ends on December 31, 2000; however, the Round 5 interview actually occurs in 2001. Round 5 respondents receive an instruction at the start of the Health Status (HE) section of CAPI to limit information about health status and limitations to the period ending on December 31, 2000. Nevertheless, if respondents forget or ignore this reference period instruction, some information collected in this section in Round 5 (variables ending in "53") might reflect circumstances in early 2001. Further, health status questions asked in the Condition Enumeration (CE), Preventive Care (AP), and Priority Conditions (PC) sections of CAPI in Round 5 do not contain a similar explicit instruction that the reference period ends on December 31, 2000, although this is stated at the start of the overall interview. Hence, in these sections, respondents may also be providing health status information that pertains to 2001.

Health Status variables in this data release can be classified into several conceptually distinct sets:

Perceived health status and ADL and IADL limitations

Functional limitations and activity limitations

Child care arrangements

Vision problems

Hearing problems

Children's health status

Preventive care

Priority conditions

Self-administered questionnaire

Parent-administered questionnaire

Diabetes care survey

Perceived health status and ADL and IADL limitations were measured in all Rounds. Functional and activity limitations were measured in Rounds 3 and 5 for Panel 4 and Rounds 1 and 3 for Panel 5. Vision, hearing, and children's health status were measured only in Round 4 for Panel 4 and Round 2 for Panel 5. Preventive care and priority conditions were measured only in Round 5 of Panel 4 and Round 3 of Panel 5. The self-administered and parent-administered questionnaires were distributed only in Round 4 of Panel 4 and Round 2 of Panel 5. The diabetes care supplement was distributed in only Round 5 of Panel 4 and Round 3 of Panel 5.

In general, Health Status variables involved the construction of person-level variables based on information collected in the Condition Enumeration and Health Status sections of the questionnaire. Many Health Status questions were initially asked at the family-level to ascertain if anyone in the household had a particular problem or limitation. These were followed up with questions to determine which household member had each problem or limitation. All information ascertained at the family-level has been brought to the person-level for this file. Logical edits were performed in constructing the person-level variables to assure that family-level and person-level values were consistent. Particular attention was given to cases where missing values were reported at the family-level, to ensure that appropriate information was carried to the person-level.

Inapplicable cases occurred when a question was never asked because of a skip pattern in the survey (e.g., individuals who were 13 years of age or older were not asked some follow-up verification questions; individuals older than 17 were not asked questions pertaining to children's health status). Inapplicable cases are coded as -1. In addition, deceased persons were coded as "Inapplicable" and received a code of -1.

Each of the sets of variables listed above will be described in turn.

Perceived Health Status and ADL and IADL Limitations

Perceived Health Status. Perceived health status (RTHLTH31, RTHLTH42, and RTHLTH53) and perceived mental health status (MNHLTH31, MNHLTH42, and MNHLTH53) were collected in the Condition Enumeration section. These questions (CE01 and CE02) asked the respondent to rate each person in the family according to the following categories: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor. The corresponding dichotomous variables RTPROX31, RTPROX42, RTPROX53, MNPROX31, MNPROX42, and MNPROX53 each indicate whether the ratings of physical and mental health were provided by oneself or by someone else.

IADL Help. The Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Help or Supervision variables (IADLHP31, IADLHP42, and IADLHP53) were each constructed from a series of three questions administered in the Health Status section of the interview. The initial question (HE01) determined if anyone in the family received help or supervision with IADLs such as using the telephone, paying bills, taking medications, preparing light meals, doing laundry, or going shopping. If the response was "Yes", a follow-up question (HE02) was asked to determine which household member(s) received this help or supervision. For persons under age 13, a final verification question (HE03) was asked to confirm that the IADL help or supervision was the result of an impairment or physical or mental health problem. If the response to the final verification question was "No", IADLHP31, IADLHP42, and IADLHP53 were coded "No" for persons under the age of 13.

If no one in the family was identified as receiving help or supervision with IADLs, all members of the family were coded as receiving no IADL help or supervision. In cases where the response to the family-level question was "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all persons were coded according to the family-level response. In cases where the response to the family-level question (HE01) was "Yes" but no specific individuals were identified in the follow-up question as having IADL difficulties, all persons were coded as "Don't Know" (-8).

ADL Help. The Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Help or Supervision variables (ADLHLP31, ADLHLP42, and ADLHLP53) were each constructed in the same manner as the IADL help variables, but using questions HE04-HE06. Coding conventions for missing data were the same as for the IADL variables.

Functional and Activity Limitations

Functional Limitations. A series of questions pertained to functional limitations, defined as difficulty in performing certain specific physical actions. WLKLIM31 and WLKLIM53 were the filter questions, depending on the Round. These variables were derived from a question (HE09) that was asked at the family-level: "Does anyone in the family have difficulties walking, climbing stairs, grasping objects, reaching overhead, lifting, bending or stooping, or standing for long periods of time?" If the answer was "No", then all family members were coded as "No" (2) on WLKLIM31 or WLKLIM53. If the answer was "Yes", then the specific persons who had any of these difficulties were identified and coded as "Yes" (1), and remaining family members were coded as "No". If the response to the family-level question was "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), "Not Ascertained" (-9), or "Inapplicable" (-1), then the corresponding missing value code was applied to each family member's value for WLKLIM31 or WLKLIM53. If the answer to HE09 was "Yes" but no specific individual was named as experiencing such difficulties, then each family member was assigned "Don't Know" (-8). Deceased persons were assigned a -1 code ("Inapplicable") for WLKLIM31 or WLKLIM53.

For Rounds 3 (Panel 4) and 1 (Panel 5), if any family member was coded "Yes" to WLKLIM31, a subsequent series of questions was administered. The series of questions for which WLKLIM31 served as a filter is as follows:

LFTDIF31 - difficulty lifting 10 pounds

STPDIF31 - difficulty walking up 10 steps

WLKDIF31 - difficulty walking 3 blocks

MILDIF31 - difficulty walking a mile

STNDIF31 - difficulty standing 20 minutes

BENDIF31 - difficulty bending or stooping

RCHDIF31 - difficulty reaching over head

FNGRDF31 - difficulty using fingers to grasp

The series of questions was asked separately for each person who was coded "Yes" to WLKLIM31. The series of questions was not asked for other individual family members for whom WLKLIM31 was "No". In addition, this series was not asked about family members who were less than 13 years of age, regardless of their status on WLKLIM31. These questions were not asked about deceased family members. In such cases (i.e., WLKLIM31 = 2, or age < 13, or PSTATS31 = 31), each question in the series was coded as "Inapplicable" (-1). Finally, if responses to WLKLIM31 were "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), "Not Ascertained" (-9), or otherwise Inapplicable (-1), then each question in this series was coded as "Inapplicable" (-1).

Analysts should note that, for WLKLIM31, there was no minimum age criterion used to determine a skip pattern. For the subsequent series of questions, however, persons less than 13 years old were skipped and coded as "Inapplicable". Therefore, it is possible for someone aged 12 or less to have a code of 1 ("Yes") on WLKLIM31, and also to have codes of "Inapplicable" on the subsequent series of questions.

For Rounds 5 (Panel 4) and 3 (Panel 5), the corresponding filter question was WLKLIM53.
The series of questions for which WLKLIM53 served as a filter was as follows:

LFTDIF53 - difficulty lifting 10 pounds

STPDIF53 - difficulty walking up 10 steps

WLKDIF53 - difficulty walking 3 blocks

MILDIF53 - difficulty walking a mile

STNDIF53 - difficulty standing 20 minutes

BENDIF53 - difficulty bending or stooping

RCHDIF53 - difficulty reaching over head

FNGRDF53 - difficulty using fingers to grasp

Editing conventions were the same for this set of variables as they were for the corresponding set described above.

Use of Assistive Technology and Social/Recreational Limitations . The variables indicating use of assistive technology (AIDHLP31 and AIDHLP53, from question HE07) and social/recreational limitations (SOCLIM31 and SOCLIM53, from question HE22) were collected initially at the family-level. If there was a "Yes" response to the family-level question, a second question identified the specific individual(s) to whom the "Yes" response pertained. Each individual identified as having the difficulty was coded "Yes" for the appropriate variable; all remaining family members were coded "No". If the family-level response was "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all persons were coded with the family-level response. In cases where the family-level response was "Yes" but no specific individual was identified as having difficulty, all family members were coded as "Don't Know" (-8).

Work, Housework, and School Limitations. The variables indicating any limitation in work, housework, or school (ACTLIM31 and ACTLIM53) were constructed using questions HE19-HE20. Specifically, information was collected initially at the family-level. If there was a "Yes" response to the family-level question (HE19), a second question (HE20) identified the specific individual(s) to whom the "Yes" response pertained. Each individual identified as having a limitation was coded "Yes" for the appropriate variable; all remaining family members were coded "No". If the family-level response was "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all persons were coded with the family-level response. In cases where the family-level response was "Yes" but no specific individual was identified as having difficulty, all family members were coded as "Don't Know" (-8). Persons less than five years old were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) on ACTLIM31 and ACTLIM53.

For Round 3 (Panel 4) or Round 1 (Panel 5), if ACTLIM31 was "Yes" and the person was 5 years of age or older, a follow-up question (HE20A) was asked to identify the specific limitation or limitations for each person. These included working at a job (WRKLIM31), doing housework (HSELIM31), or going to school (SCHLIM31). Respondents could answer "Yes" to each activity; one person could thus report limitation in multiple activities. WRKLIM31, HSELIM31, and SCHLIM31 have values of "Yes" or "No" only if ACTLIM31 was "Yes"; each variable was coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) if ACTLIM31 was "No" (2). When ACTLIM31 was "Refused" (-7), these variables were all coded as "Refused" (-7); when ACTLIM31 was "Don't Know" (-8), these variables were all coded as "Don't Know" (-8); and when ACTLIM31 was "Not Ascertained" (-9), these variables were all coded as "Not Ascertained" (-9). If a person was under 5 years old or was deceased, WRKLIM31, HSELIM31, and SCHLIM31 were each coded as "Inapplicable" (-1).

A second question (UNABLE31) asked if the person was completely unable to work at a job, do housework, or go to school. This question was asked only of the same set of respondents who provided data on WRKLIM31, HSELIM31, and SCHLIM31. Therefore, those respondents who were coded "No", "Refused", "Don't Know", or "Not Ascertained" on ACTLIM31, were under 5 years of age, or were deceased, were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) on UNABLE31. UNABLE31 was asked once for whichever set of WRKLIM31, HSELIM31, and SCHLIM31 the respondent had limitations; if a respondent was limited in more than one of these three activities, UNABLE31 did not specify if the respondent was completely unable to perform all of them, or only some of them.

For Rounds 5 (Panel 4) or 3 (Panel 5) corresponding variables were ACTLIM53, WRKLIM53, HSELIM53, SCHLIM53, and UNABLE53. Editing conventions were the same as those described above.

Cognitive Limitations. The variables indicating any cognitive limitation (COGLIM31 or COGLIM53, depending on the round) were collected at the family-level as a three-part question (HE24-01 to HE24-03) indicating if any of the adults in the family (1) experience confusion or memory loss, (2) have problems making decisions, or (3) require supervision for their own safety. If a "Yes" response was obtained to any item, the persons affected were identified in HE25 and COGLIM31 or COGLIM53 was coded as "Yes". Remaining family members not identified were coded as "No" for COGLIM31 or COGLIM53.

If responses to HE24-01 through HE24-03 were all "No", or if two of three were "No" and the remaining was "Don't Know", "Refused", or "Not Ascertained", all family members were coded as "No". If responses to the three questions were combinations of "Don't Know", "Refused", and missing, all persons were coded as "Don't Know" (-8). If the response to any of the three questions was "Yes" but no individual was identified in HE25, all persons were coded as "Don't Know" (-8).

The cognitive limitations variables (COGLIM31 and COGLIM53) reflect whether any of the three component questions is "Yes". Respondents with one, two, or three specific cognitive limitations cannot be distinguished. In addition, because the question asked specifically about adult family members, all persons less than 18 years of age are coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) on this question.

Child Care Arrangements

A series of three questions (HE25A to HE25C) provides information on child care arrangements. These questions were asked in Round 5 (Panel 4) or Round 3 (Panel 5). These questions were asked only if the household contained children 15 years of age or less. DAYCAR00 indicates whether any children in the household required child care arrangements, other than school attendance, because the child's parents were working. If the response to DAYCAR00 was "No" (2), "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), the other two questions in this set were not asked. If DAYCAR00 was "Yes" (1), then WHOCAR00 was asked to determine whether the child was usually cared for by a relative or a non-relative. If the respondent answered "Relative" (1), "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9) to WHOCAR00, then the third question was not asked. However, if the respondent answered "Non-Relative" (2), WHRCAR00 was asked to determine where the care was usually provided. Possible responses to WHRCAR00 were: "Child's Home" (1); "Other Private Home" (2); "Nursery, Pre-School" (3); "Organized (Before/After) School Activities" (4); "Day Care Center, Not At Parent's Work Place" (5); "Day Care Center, At Parent's Work Place" (6); "Parent Watches Child At Work" (7); "Some Other Arrangement" (91); "Refused" (-7); "Don't Know" (-8); and "Not Ascertained" (-9). (If multiple children in a household were under 16 years old, WHOCAR00 and WHRCAR00 were asked about the youngest child.)

To reflect skip patterns, WHOCAR00 and WHRCAR00 were coded "Inapplicable" (-1) if the response to DAYCAR00 was "No" (2), "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9). Responses to WHRCAR00 were coded "Inapplicable" (-1) if the response to WHOCAR00 was "Relative" (1), "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9). Responses to all three questions were coded "Inapplicable" (-1) if there was no child under 16 in the household.

Vision Problems

A series of questions (HE26 to HE32) provides information on visual impairment. These questions were asked of all household members, regardless of age. Deceased respondents were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1).

WRGLAS42 indicates whether a person wears eyeglasses or contact lenses. This variable was based on two questions, HE26 and HE27. The initial question (HE26) determined if anyone in the family wore eyeglasses or contact lenses. If the response was "Yes", a follow-up question (HE27) was asked to determine which household member(s) wore eyeglasses or contact lenses. If the family-level response was "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all persons were coded with the family-level response. In cases where the family-level response was "Yes" but no specific individual was identified as wearing glasses or contact lenses, all family members were coded as "Don't Know" (-8).

SEEDIF42 indicates whether anyone in the family had difficulty seeing (with glasses or contacts, if used). This variable was based on two questions, HE28 and HE29. The initial question (HE28) determined if anyone in the family had difficulty seeing. If the response was "Yes", a follow-up question (HE29) was asked to determine which household member(s) had a visual impairment. If the family-level response was "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all persons were coded with the family-level response. In cases where the family-level response was "Yes" but no specific individual was identified as having difficulty seeing, all family members were coded as "Don't Know" (-8).

Three subsequent questions were asked only for individuals who had difficulty seeing (i.e., SEEDIF42 = 1). Persons with no visual impairment were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) for these questions, as were persons with "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), or "Not Ascertained" (-9) responses to SEEDIF42. BLIND42 determined if a person with difficulty seeing was blind. For persons who were not blind (BLIND42 = 2), READNW42 asked whether the person could see well enough to read ordinary newspaper print (with glasses or contacts, if used); persons who were blind were not asked this question and were coded "Inapplicable" (-1). For persons who could not read ordinary newspaper print (READNW42 = 2), RECPEP42 asked if the person could see well enough to recognize familiar people standing two or three feet away. Persons who were blind or who could read newsprint were not asked this question and were coded "Inapplicable" (-1).

VISION42 summarizes the pattern of responses to the set of visual impairment questions. Codes for VISION42 are as follows:

1 - No difficulty seeing (SEEDIF42 = 2)

2 - Some difficulty seeing, can read newsprint (SEEDIF42 = 1 and READNW42 = 1)

3 - Some difficulty seeing, can not read newsprint, can recognize familiar people
(SEEDIF42 = 1 and READNW42 = 2 and RECPEP42 = 1)

4 - Some difficulty seeing, can not read newsprint, cannot recognize familiar people but is not blind (SEEDIF42 =1 and READNW42 = 2 and RECPEP42 = 2)

5 - Blind (SEEDIF42 = 1 and BLIND42 = 1)

Hearing Problems

A series of questions (HE33 to HE39) provides information on hearing impairment. These questions were asked of all household members, regardless of age. Deceased respondents were coded "Inapplicable" (-1).

HEARAD42 indicates whether a person wears a hearing aid. This variable was based on two questions, HE33 and HE34. The initial question (HE33) determined if anyone in the family wore a hearing aid. If the response was "Yes", a follow-up question (HE34) was asked to determine which household member(s) wore a hearing aid. If the family-level response was "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all persons were coded with the family-level response. In cases where the family-level response was "Yes" but no specific individual was identified as wearing a hearing aid, all family members were coded as "Don't Know" (-8).

HEARDI42 indicates whether a person had difficulty hearing (with a hearing aid, if used). This variable is based on two questions, HE35 and HE36. The initial question (HE35) determined if anyone in the family had difficulty hearing. If the response was "Yes", a follow-up question (HE36) was asked to determine which household member had an aural impairment. If the family-level response was "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all persons were coded with the family-level response. In cases where the family-level response was "Yes" but no specific individual was identified as using a hearing aid, all family members were coded as "Don't Know" (-8).

Three subsequent questions were asked only for individuals who had difficulty hearing (i.e., HEARDI42 = 1). Persons with no hearing impairment were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) for these questions, as were persons with "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), or "Not Ascertained" (-9) responses to HEARDI42. DEAF42 determined if a person with difficulty hearing was deaf. For persons who were not deaf (DEAF42 = 2), HEARMO42 asked whether the person could hear well enough to hear most of the things people say (with a hearing aid, if used); persons who were deaf were not asked this question and were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1). For persons who could not hear most things people say (HEARMO42 = 2), HEARSM42 asked if the person could hear well enough to hear some of the things that people say. Persons who were deaf or who could hear most conversation were not asked this question and were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1).

HEARNG42 summarizes the pattern of responses to the set of hearing impairment questions. Codes for HEARNG42 are as follows:

1 - No difficulty hearing (HEARDI42 = 2)

2 - Some difficulty hearing, can hear most things people say (HEARDI42 = 1 and HEARMO42 = 1)

3 - Some difficulty hearing, can not hear most things people say, can hear some things people say (HEARDI42 = 1 and HEARMO42 = 2 and HEARSM42 = 1)

4 - Some difficulty hearing, can not hear most things people say, can not hear some things people say, but not deaf (HEARDI42 =1 and HEARMO42 = 2 and HEARSM42 = 2)

5 -Deaf (HEARDI42 = 1 and DEAF42 = 1)

Any Limitation Rounds 3, 4, and 5 (Panel 4) / Rounds 1, 2, and 3 (Panel 5)

ANYLIM00 summarizes whether a person has any ADL, IADL, activity, functional, or sensory limitations in any of the pertinent rounds. This variable was derived based on data from Rounds 3, 4, and 5 (Panel 4) or Rounds 1, 2, and 3 (Panel 5). ANYLIM00 was built upon component variables IADLHP31, IADLHP42, IADLHP53, ADLHLP31, ADLHLP42, ADLHLP53, WLKLIM31, WLKLIM42, WLKLIM53, ACTLIM31, ACTLIM53, SEEDIF42, and HEARDI42. (The latter two variables, discussed above, indicate any visual or hearing impairment, respectively.) If any of these components was coded "Yes", then ANYLIM00 was coded "Yes" (1). If all components equaled "No", then ANYLIM00 equaled "No" (2). If all the components were "Inapplicable" (-1), then ANYLIM00 was coded as "Inapplicable" (-1). If all the components had missing value codes (i.e., -7, -8, -9, or -1), then ANYLIM00 was coded as "Not Ascertained" (-9). If some components were "No" and others had missing value codes, ANYLIM00 was coded as "Not Ascertained" (-9). The exception to this latter rule was for children less than five years old, who did not receive the ACTLIM31 or ACTLIM53 questions; for these respondents, if all other components were "No", then ANYLIM00 was coded as "No" (2). The variable label for ANYLIM00 departs slightly from conventions. Typically, variables that end in "00" refer only to 2000. However, some of the variables used to construct ANYLIM00 were assessed in 2001, so some information from early 2001 is incorporated into this variable.

Children's Health Status

Play Limitations (Children age 4 and under). The variable LIMACT42, indicating limitation in activities for children ages 0 through 4, was constructed using questions HE40 and HE41. The initial question (HE40) determined if any child aged 4 or under in the family was limited in any way, including play activity, because of an impairment or physical or mental health problem. If the response was "Yes", the follow-up question determined which child should be coded "Yes". If there were other children aged 4 or under in the family who were not identified as having limitations, they were coded "No". If the answer to LIMACT42 was "No", all children aged four or under in the family were coded "No". If there was an indication that a child had a limitation, but no child was identified, all children within the age category were coded "Don't Know" (-8). In cases where the response to the family-level question was "Don't Know" (-8), "Refused" (-7), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), all children ages 4 and under were coded according to the family-level response. If a person's age (as measured by the Panel 4 Round 4/Panel 5 Round 2 age variable) was greater than 4, LIMACT42 was coded "Inapplicable" (-1).

Other variables indicate if children aged 0 to 4 were limited in the kind or amount of play activities (PLYLIM42), were unable to play (CANTPL42), or participated in special programs or early interventions (SPCPRO42). If a person aged 4 or under had no activity limitations (i.e.,LIMACT42=2), PLYLIM42, CANTPL42, and SPCPRO42 were each coded -1 (Inapplicable). If a person's age (as measured by the Panel 4 Round 4/Panel 5 Round 2 age variable) was greater than 4, PLYLIM42, CANTPL42, and SPCPRO42 were coded -1.

Immunization Variables (Children ages 0 through 6). Immunization information was collected at the person-level for children ages 0 through 6 by questions HE45 to HE49A. If the age of the child, as measured by the Panel 4 Round 4/Panel 5 Round 2 age variable, was greater than 6, all immunization variables were coded "Inapplicable" (-1). For questions about diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus (DPT) or polio immunization (DPTSHT42, POLSHT42), there were follow up questions that asked about the frequency of the immunization shots or drops (NUMDPT42, NUMPOL42). If the answer to DPTSHT42 or POLSHT42 was "No" (2), "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), the respective follow-up variables NUMDPT42 and NUMPOL42 were coded "Inapplicable" (-1). For questions about immunization for measles/mumps/rubella (MMRSHT42) and for hepatitis (HEPSHT42), there were no follow-up questions.

Behavioral Problem Variables (Children ages 5 to 17). The series of questions HE50_01 to HE50_13 inquired about possible child behavioral problems. Variables in this set include:

MOMPRO42:
problem getting along with mother

DADPRO42:
problem getting along with father

UNHAP42: feeling unhappy or sad

SCHLBH42: problem with behavior at school

HAVFUN42: problem having fun

ADUPRO42: problem getting along with adults

NERVAF42: problem with child feeling nervous or afraid

SIBPRO42: problem getting along with siblings

KIDPRO42:
problem getting along with other kids

SPRPRO42: problem engaging in sports or hobbies

SCHPRO42: problem doing schoolwork

HOMEBH42: problem with behavior at home

TRBLE42: problem staying out of trouble.

If the age of the child (as measured by the Panel 4 Round 4/Panel 5 Round 2 age variable) was less than 5 or greater than 17, the variables MOMPRO42 to TRBLE42 were coded "Inapplicable" (-1).

Certain questions in this series could be Inapplicable for a specific child. For example, if a child's mother was deceased, a question about how a child gets along with his/her mother is Inapplicable. Similarly, the question about problems getting along with siblings would be Inapplicable for only children. In such instances, the relevant variable was coded "99" to indicate that it was Inapplicable.

Special Education and Special Services (Children ages 5-17). A series of questions asked about participation in special education programs or receipt of therapy or special services. If the respondent was not in the age range of 5-17 years of age (as measured by the Panel 4 Round 4/Panel 5 Round 2 age variable), or if the respondent was deceased, these questions were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1).

SPCSCH42 is based on question HE51, which asked whether the child had an impairment or a physical or mental health problem that limited school attendance or required a special school program. This question served as a filter for subsequent questions. If the response to this question was "No" (2), "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), then SPECED42 through CANTSC42 were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1).

If the response to SPCSCH42 was "Yes" (1), then question HE52 (SPECED42) was asked. SPECED42 asked whether the child was enrolled in any type of special education or received related services. Possible responses to this question were "Yes, Enrolled in Special Education" (1); "Yes, Enrolled in Related Services" (2); "Yes, Both Special Education and Special Services" (3); "No" (4); and "Other" (91).

If responses to SPECED42 were coded as 2 or 3, then respondents were presented with a list of other related services and asked to indicate which one(s) the child had received. Respondents could indicate more than one type of service. These questions constitute variables SPCHTH42 to OTHSVC42.

SPCHTH42:
Received speech therapy

PSYCNS42: Received psychological counseling

OCUPTH42: Received occupational therapy

VOCSVC42:
Received vocational services

TUTOR42: Received tutoring

READIN42: Uses a reader or interpreter

PHYTHR42: Received physical therapy

LIFSKL42: Received life skills training

FAMCNS42:
Received family counseling

RECTH4R2: Received recreational therapy

OTHSVC42: Received other school services

Responses to these questions were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) if the response to SPECED42 was "enrolled in special education only" (1), "Refused (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9).

If the response to "Need Special Program" (SPCSCH42) was "Yes" (1), then question HE53 (CANTSC42) was asked. This question asked whether the child was limited in attendance or unable to attend school due to an impairment or a physical or mental health problem. Responses of "Limited in Attendance" were coded 1, "Unable to Attend" as 2, and "Neither" as 3.

Question HE54 (LMOACT42) was asked of all children ages 5-17. This question ascertained whether the child was limited in any way in activities other than school because of an impairment or a physical or mental health problem.

Children's Health Status: General Questions (ages 0 - 17). Several questions were asked about all children ages 0 through 17. Respondents who were older than 17 or who were deceased were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) for these variables. Three questions asked for ratings of the child's health on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from "Definitely False" (1) to "Definitely True" (4). These questions were:

HLTHY42: Child resists illness

NTHLTH42: Child seems to be less healthy than other children

GETSIC42: Child seems to catch diseases that are going around

In addition, information was provided on each child's height in feet (HGTFT42) and inches (HGTIN42), as well as each child's weight in pounds (WGTLB42) and in ounces (WGTOZ42). For purposes of confidentiality, the variables HGTFT42 and HGTIN42 were top-coded at 6 feet 2 inches and the variables WGTLB42 and WGTOZ42 were top-coded at 250 pounds 0 ounces.

Finally, CHLIM42 was constructed to reflect each child's inability to perform age-appropriate social roles. For children aged 0 to 4, this variable was based on responses to LIMACT42, PLYLIM42, and CANTPL42; for children aged 5-17, it was based on responses to SPCSCH42, CANTSC42, and LMOACT42. If any one of these variables had a "Yes" response (i.e., codes of 1 for LIMACT42, PLYLIM42, CANTPL42, SPCSCH42, or LMOACT42, or codes of 1 or 2 for CANTSC42), then CHLIM42 was coded as "Yes" (1). If the relevant variables were all "No", then CHLIM42 was coded as "No" (2). CHLIM42 was coded as "Not Ascertained" (-9) if the relevant variables were combinations of "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9).

Preventive Care Variables

For each person, excluding decedents, a series of questions was asked primarily about the receipt of preventive care or screening examinations. Questions varied in the applicable age or gender subgroups to which they pertained. The list of variables in this series, along with their applicable subgroup is as follows:

DENTCK53

on average, frequency of dental check-up
All ages; both genders

CHOLCK53

about how long since last blood cholesterol check by doctor or health professional
Age >17; both genders

CHECK53

how long since last routine check-up by doctor or other health professional for assessing overall health
Age >17; both genders

FLUSHT53

how long since last flu shot
Age >17; both genders

LSTETH53
has person lost all natural (permanent) teeth
Age >17; both genders

PSA53

how long since last prostate specific antigen (PSA) test
Age >39; males only

HYSTER53

had a hysterectomy
Age >17; females only

PAPSMR53

how long since last pap smear test
Age >17; females only

BRSTEX53

how long since last breast exam
Age >17; females only

MAMOGR53

how long since last mammogram
Age >29; females only

STOOL53

ever had a blood stool test performed at home that was provided by doctor or other health professional to determine whether stool contains blood
Age >17; both genders

WHENST53

when was last time had blood stool test using home kit
Age >17; STOOL53=1 (yes, person had a blood stool test performed at home that was provided by doctor or other health professional to determine whether stool contains blood)

BOWEL53

ever had sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy
Age >17; both genders

WHNBWL53

when was last sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy
Age >17; BOWEL53=1 (yes, person had sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy)

PHYACT53

currently spends half hour or more in moderate to vigorous physical activity at least three times a week
Age>17; both genders

HGHTFT53

height (without shoes) in feet
Age >17; both genders

HGHTIN53

height (without shoes) in inches
Age >17; both genders; HGHTFT53 between 0 and 6

WEIGHT53

weight (without shoes)
Age >17; both genders

WGTEST53

weight estimate (without shoes)
Age >17; both genders; WEIGHT53=-8 (person does not know person's weight)

SEATBE53

wears seat belt when drives or rides in a car
Age >15; both genders

For each of the variables above, a code of "Inapplicable" (-1) was assigned if the person was deceased or if the person did not belong to the applicable subgroups. For purposes of confidentiality, the variables HGHTFT53 and HGHTIN53 were top-coded at 6 feet 5 inches, and the variable WEIGHT53 was top-coded at 350 lbs. WGTEST53 was top-coded at "320 or more" pounds to match the WEIGHT53 top-coding.

Quality Priority Conditions

Beginning in calendar year 2000, a new series of questions was included in the MEPS interview. This set of questions focused on several specific medical conditions:

Diabetes

Asthma

High blood pressure

Heart disease (including coronary heart disease, angina, myocardial infarction)

Stroke

Emphysema

Joint pain

These conditions were selected because (1) they are relatively prevalent and (2) generally accepted standards for appropriate clinical care have been developed. As part of AHRQ's focus on the quality of health care, this series of questions obtained information on the receipt of tests or procedures appropriate for each condition. This information thus supplements other information on medical conditions that is gathered in other parts of the interview.

Editing of these variables focused on checking that skip patterns were consistent.

Diabetes. DIABDX53 asked whether each person had ever been diagnosed with diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes). Each person who said they had received a diagnosis of diabetes was asked to complete a special self-administered questionnaire. The documentation for this questionnaire appears in the Diabetes Care Survey (DCS) section of the documentation.

Asthma. ASTHDX53 asked whether the respondent had ever been diagnosed with asthma. Those who said "Yes" were asked additional questions. ASATAK53 asked whether the person had experienced an episode of asthma in the past 12 months. ASFLOW53 asked whether the person with asthma had a peak flow meter at home. ASMED53 asked if the person with asthma took any prescription medications. For those who said "Yes" to ASMED53, a follow-up question, ASSTER53, asked if the person used steroid inhalers. Those who said "No" (or "Refused" or "Don't Know") to ASTHDX53 were not asked ASATAK53, ASFLOW53, ASMED53, and ASSTER53; these respondents have been assigned a code of "Inapplicable" (-1) for these variables.

High Blood Pressure. Questions about high blood pressure (hypertension) were asked only of respondents aged 18 or older. Consequently, persons aged 17 or younger were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) on these variables. HIBPDX53 ascertained whether the person had ever been diagnosed as having high blood pressure (other than during pregnancy). Those who had received this diagnosis were also asked if they had been told on two or more different visits that they had high blood pressure (BPMLDX53).

All respondents older than 17 (regardless of hypertension diagnosis) were also asked how long it had been since they had their blood pressure checked by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional (BPCHEK53). If the response was within the past year or two years, the number of months since the last blood pressure check was ascertained (BPMONT53). If the response to BPCHEK53 was longer than 2 years, BPMONT53 was not asked and was coded as "Inapplicable" (-1).

Heart Disease. The next series of questions concerned ischemic heart disease. The questions were asked only of respondents aged 18 or older. Consequently, persons aged 17 or younger were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) on all the variables in this set.

CHDDX53
asked if the person had ever been diagnosed as having coronary heart disease;

ANGIDX53
asked if the person had ever been diagnosed as having angina, or angina pectoris.

MIDX53
asked if the person had ever been diagnosed as having a heart attack, or myocardial infarction.

OHRTDX53
asked if the person had ever been diagnosed with any other kind of heart disease or condition.

STRKDX53
asked if the person had ever been diagnosed as having had a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA or ministroke).

If a person said "Yes" to any of the five conditions above, follow-up questions asked if a doctor or other health professional had ever advised the person to eat fewer high fat or high cholesterol foods (NOFAT53), and if a doctor had advised the person to exercise more (EXRCIS53). A third question (ASPRIN53) asked if the person with a heart-related condition took aspirin frequently. If the person said "No", or if the response was "Refused" (-7), "Don't Know" (-8), or "Not Ascertained" (-9), a follow-up question asked if the person had a health problem that made taking aspirin unsafe (NOASPR53). If the answer to NOASPR53 was "Yes", the person was asked if this problem was stomach-related or something else (STOMCH53).

Those who answered "No" to NOASPR53 were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) for STOMCH53. Those who answered "Yes" to ASPRIN53 were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) on NOASPR53 and on STOMCH53. Finally, those who had none of the five heart-related conditions listed above (or who had missing data for all five of these questions) were coded as "Inapplicable" (-1) for ASPRIN53, NOASPR53, and STOMCH53.

Emphysema. EMPHDX53 asked if the person (aged 18 or older) had ever been diagnosed with emphysema.

Joint Pain. JTPAIN53 asked if the person (aged 18 or older) had experienced pain, swelling, or stiffness around a joint in the last 12 months. This question is not intended to be used as an indicator of a diagnosis of arthritis.

2000 Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ)

The 2000 Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ), a paper-and-pencil questionnaire, was fielded during Panel 4 Round 4 and Panel 5 Round 2 of the 2000 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The survey was designed to collect a variety of health status and health care quality measures of adults. All adults age 18 and older as of July 1, 2000 in MEPS households were asked to complete a SAQ. The SAQ was administered in both English and Spanish. The variable SVERLANG can be used to identify which version of the questionnaire was administered. The questionnaires were administered in late 2000 and early 2001. The variable AGEJUL01 indicates age as of July 1, 2000. This age variable should be used to define age in all analysis utilizing SAQ data. If a respondent was unable to respond to the SAQ, the questionnaire was completed by a proxy (ADPRX42>0). For the SAQ variables, a code of -1 (inapplicable) was assigned if a person was deceased, was not 18 years of age as of July 1, 2001, was not eligible for the SAQ, or was not in applicable subgroups defined below. When a gate question answer was = 2 (no), follow-up variables based on the gate question were coded as -1 (inapplicable). When a gate question answer was -7 (refused), -8 (don't know), or -9 (not ascertained), follow-up variable answers were left as reported. A special weight variable (SQPQW00F) has been designed to be used with the SAQ for persons whose July 1, 2000 age is age 18 and older. This weight adjusts for SAQ non-response and weights to the US civilian noninstitutionalized population (see Section 3.0 of the documentation for details). The variables created from the SAQ begin with 'AD'.

Health Care Quality

CAHPS®

The health care quality measures in the SAQ were taken from the health plan version of CAHPS, an AHRQ sponsored family of survey instruments designed to measure quality of care from the consumer's perspective. All of the variables refer to events experienced in the last 12 months and were asked of adults age 18 and older. The variables included from the CAHPS are:

ADRTCR42

Any appointment was made to see a doctor or other health provider for regular or routine health care

ADRTWW42
If ADRTCR42=1 (yes), how often got an appointment for regular or routine health care as soon as wanted

ADILCR42
Had an illness or injury needing care right away from doctor's office, clinic or emergency room

ADILWW42
If ADILCR42=1 (yes), how often got appointment for an illness or injury as soon as wanted

ADAPPT42 Number of times went to doctor's office or clinic to get care

ADNECR42
If ADAPPT42>0, how much of a problem it was to get care you or a doctor believed necessary

ADLIST42 If ADAPPT42>0, how often health providers listened carefully to you

ADEXPL42
If ADAPPT42>0, how often health providers explained things so you understood

ADRESP42
If ADAPPT42>0, how often providers showed respect for what you had to say

ADPRTM42 If ADAPPT42>0, how often health providers spent enough time with you

ADHECR42
If ADAPPT42>0, rating of healthcare from all doctors and other health providers, from 0 (worst health care possible) to 10 (best health care possible)

General Health

ADDRBP42
Blood pressure has been checked by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional

ADSMOK42
Currently smoke

ADDSMK42 If ADSMOK42=1 (yes), doctor advised you to quit smoking

ADSPEC42 Needed to see a specialist

ADPRRE42 If ADSPEC42=1 (yes), how much of a problem it was to see a specialist

Health Status

The SAQ contained two measures of health status, the Short-Form 12 (SF-12 (r), a registered trademark) and the EuroQol 5-D (EQ-5D). These are two of the more widely used measures of health status. Key references for these two measures are:

1. Ware, J.E., Kosinski, M., and Keller, S.D. (1996). A 12-item short-form health survey: Construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity. Medical Care 34:220.
2. Brooks, R.. (1996). EuroQol: The current state of play. Health Policy 37:53-72.
3. Dolan, P. (1997). Modeling variations for EuroQol health states. Medical Care 35:1095-1108.

Short-Form 12 (SF-12). Version 1 of the SF-12 ® was used in the 2000 SAQ. (SF-12 ® Health Survey © 1994, 2000 QualityMetric Incorporated - All rights reserved. SF-12 ® is a registered trademark of the Medical Outcomes Trust.) The SF-12 questions are as follows:

ADGENH42
General health today

ADDAYA42 During a typical day, limitations in moderate activities

ADCLIM42 During a typical day, limitations in climbing several flights of stairs

ADPACC42
During past 4 weeks, as result of physical health, accomplished less than would like

ADPLMT42
During past 4 weeks, as result of physical health, limited in kind of work or other activities

ADMACC42
During past 4 weeks, as result of mental problems, accomplished less than you would like

ADMLMT42
During past 4 weeks, as result of mental problems, limited in kind of work or other activities

ADPAIN42
During past 4 weeks, pain interfered with normal work outside the home and housework

ADCALM42 During the past 4 weeks, felt calm and peaceful

ADPEP42 During the past 4 weeks, had a lot of energy

ADBLUE42 During the past 4 weeks, felt downhearted and blue

ADSOCA42
During the past 4 weeks, physical health or emotional problems interfered with social activities

In analyzing data from the SF-12, the standard approach is to form two summary scores, based on responses to these questions. The underlying conception is that overall health is composed of a physical and a mental component. The Physical Component Summary (PCS) weights more heavily responses to SF-12 items 2-6 above. The Mental Component Summary (MCS) weights more heavily responses to SF-12 items 7-10 above. The other items have roughly equal weights for physical and mental components. The algorithm for computing the PCS and the MCS summary scores is described in the manual for the SF-12:

Ware, Jr., J.E., Kosinski, M., and Keller, S. How to Score the SF-12 (r) Physical and Mental Health Summary Scales (Third Edition). (September 1998). QualityMetric, Inc., Lincoln, RI.

This manual can be purchased from QualityMetric, Inc. (http://www.qualitymetric.com).

This file contains the PCS-12 and MCS-12 summary scores for the SF-12, computed in accordance with the algorithm outlined in the manual. The PCS-12 score is PCS42, and the MCS-12 score is MCS42.

The PCS and MCS cannot be computed directly if a person has missing data for any of the twelve items. QualityMetric has developed a proprietary method for imputing the PCS and MCS scores if some data are missing. QualityMetric conducted imputations of the PCS-12 and MCS-12 scores for respondents with missing data on one or more SF-12 items. The variables PCS42 and MCS42 include cases in which the scores were imputed. SFFLAG42 indicates whether the physical component summary, PCS42, and the mental component, MCS42, were imputed for a respondent.

EuroQol (EQ-5D).

The EQ-5D contains five questions, asking about the extent of problems in mobility (ADMOBI42), self-care (ADSELF42), daily activities (ADACTI42), pain (ADPAYN42), and anxiety/depression (ADDEPR42). Each question has three possible responses: no problem, mild problem, or severe problem.

ADMOBI42
Problems with mobility

ADSELF42 Problems with self-care

ADACTI42 Problems with usual activities

ADPAYN42 Problems with pain/discomfort

ADDEPR42 Problems with anxiety/depression

ADHLTH42 Health today versus the past 12 months (not an EQ-5D question)

ADSCAL42 Scale: Rating of your own health today

Prior research (Dolan, 1997) has developed a method for assigning a number to each health state that represents an average preference for one state versus another. The most highly-valued state (perfect health) has a score of 1.0; death has a score of 0.0; and all other health states have a score in between, with higher numbers indicating that a state is valued more highly. (Some health states actually receive a negative number, indicating that death is preferable to being in that state.) In addition, the EQ-5D includes a sixth question (ADSCAL42), which asks respondents to rate their current overall health on a scale that ranges from 0 through 100, where 0 means "worst possible health" and 100 means "best possible health." Thus, the EQ-5D produces two scores: the preference-based index and the rating scale.

Directions for computing the preference-based index from the five EuroQol items appear in Dolan (1997). The variable EQU42 is the preference-based index, computed according to the formula in Dolan (1997). Persons who were ineligible for the SAQ or who did not have a positive weight have been assigned scores of -1 for this variable; persons who had missing responses on any of the five component items were assigned scores of -9.

Attitudes about Health

The SAQ included four questions that ascertain certain health-related attitudes. Two items (ADINSA42 and ADINSB42) deal with attitudes toward health insurance. The other two questions (ADRISK42 and ADOVER42) deal with attitudes that might influence decisions to purchase health insurance or to use health services. These items were used in the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey. No editing has been performed for these items.

ADINSA42
Do not need health insurance

ADINSB42 Health insurance is not worth the money it costs

ADRISK42
Am more likely to take risks than the average person

ADOVER42 Can overcome illness without help from a medically trained person

Please note that the weighted frequencies displayed in the HC-050 codebook for the health status variables collected in the SAQ, PAQ, and DCS (as designated in the variable labels) are based on the full-year 2000 person weight PERWT00F. However, when using these variables in analysis, weights specific to each of these sets of questions should be used (SQPQW00F, DIABW00F). Please see section "3.0. Survey Sample Information" for details.

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2.5.11 2000 Parent Administered Questionnaire (PAQ)

The 2000 Parent Administered Questionnaire (PAQ), a paper-and-pencil questionnaire, was fielded during Panel 5 Round 2 and Panel 4 Round 4. It was added to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to collect a variety of health status and health care quality measures of children from CAHPS and from the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) screener. Parents of children in MEPS for Panel 4, Round 4 and Panel 5, Round 2 were asked to complete a PAQ for each child under 18 years age as of July 1, 2000. This age variable should be used to define age in all analysis utilizing PAQ data. The questionnaires were administered in late 2000 and early 2001. The variable CHPRX42 indicates whether a parent or some other person completed the PAQ. The variable AGEJUL01 indicates age as of July 1, 2000. A special weight variable (SQPQW00F) has been designed to be used with the PAQ for persons whose 'July 1, 2000 age' (AGEJUL01) is less than 18 (and for the SAQ for persons whose 'July 1, 2000' age is 18 or above). This weight adjusts for PAQ (and SAQ) nonresponse and weights to the US civilian noninstitutionalized population (see Section C-3.5 of the documentation for details). All variables created from the PAQ begin with "CH" and were coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when AGEJUL01 > 17 or when SQPQW00F=0

CAHPS®

TThe health care quality measures in the PAQ were taken from the health plan version of CAHPS®, an AHRQ sponsored family of survey instruments designed to measure quality of care from the consumer's perspective. All of the CAHPS variables refer to events experienced in the last 12 months. The CAHPS variables included are:

CHRTCR42

Whether any appointments were made to see a doctor or other health provider for regular or routine care

CHRTWW42

How often a person got an appointment for regular or routine health care as soon as was wanted (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHRTCR42=2)

CHILCR42
Whether a person had an illness or injury that needed care right away from a doctor's office, clinic, or emergency room

CHILWW42
How often a person got care as soon as was wanted for an illness or injury (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHILCR42=2)

CHAPPT42 How many times a person went to a doctor's office or clinic for care

CHNECR42

How much of a problem it was to get a person the care that the parent or a doctor believed necessary (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHAPPT42=0)

CHLIST42

How often a person's doctors or other health providers listened carefully to the parent (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHAPPT42=0)

CHEXPL42

How often a person's doctors or other health providers explained things in a way the parent could understand (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHAPPT42=0)

CHRESP42

How often a person's doctors or other health providers showed respect for what the parent had to say (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHAPPT42=0)

CHPRTM42
How often doctors or other health providers spent enough time with a person and parent (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHAPPT42=0)

CHHECR42

Rating of health care from 0 to 10 where 0 =Worst health care possible and 10=Best health care possible (coded as " -1 Inapplicable" when CHAPPT42=0)

CHSPEC42 Whether a person needed to see a specialist

CHPRRE42
How much of a problem it was to get a referral to a specialist (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHSPEC42=0)

CSHCN Screener

These questions were designed to yield populations of Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) and were from the parent survey based CSHCN Screener instrument.

The Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Screener instrument was developed through a national collaborative process as part of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) under the coordination by the Foundation for Accountability. A key reference for this screener instrument is:

Bethel CD, Read D, Stein REK, Blumberg SJ, Wells N, Newacheck PW. Identifying Children with Special Health Care Needs: Development and Evaluation of a Short Screening Instrument. Ambulatory Pediatrics Volume 2, No. 1, January-February 2002, pp 38-48.

The screener questions are asked about children ages 0 -17 and had been asked in the 2000 PAQ. In general, the CSHCN screener identifies children with activity limitation or need or use of more health care or other services than is usual for most children of the same age.

The variable CSHCN42 that identifies children with special health care needs was created using the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Screener instrument according to the specifications in the reference above. The CSHCN screener instrument consists of a series of question-sequences about the following five health consequences: the need or use of medicines prescribed by a doctor; the need or use of more medical care, mental health, or education services than is usual for most children; being limited or prevented in doing things most children can do; the need or use of special therapy such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy; and the need or use of treatment or counseling for emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems. Parents who responded "yes" to any of the "initial" questions in the 5 question sequences were then asked to respond to up to 2 follow-up questions about whether the health consequence was attributable to a medical, behavioral, or other health condition lasting or expected to last at least 12 months. Children with positive responses to at least one of the five health consequences along with all of the follow-up questions were identified as having a Special Health Care Need. Children with a "no" response for at least one question for each of the five question-sequences were considered NOT to have a Special Health Care Need. Those children whose "special health care need" status could not be determined (due to missing data for some of the questions) were coded as having the Special Health Care Need Status missing. More information about the CSHCN screener questions can be obtained from (http://www.markle.org/resources/facct/).

The following variables were created from the questions in the CSHCN Screener:

CHPMED42
Whether a person currently needs or uses prescribed medicines

CHPMHB42

Whether a person needs prescribed medicines because of a medical, behavioral, or other health condition (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHPMED42=2)

CHPMCN42

Whether the health condition that causes a person to need prescribed medicines has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHPMED42=2 or when CHPMCH42=2)

CHSERV42

Whether a person needs or uses more medical care, mental health, or education services than is usual for most children of the same age

CHSRHB42

Whether a person needs or uses more medical care, mental health, or educational services than is usual for other children of the same age because of a medical, behavioral, or other health condition (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHSERV42=2)

CHSRCN42

Whether the health condition that causes a person to need or use more medical care, mental health, or educational services than is usual for most children of the same age has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHSERV42=2 or when CHSRHB42=2)

CHLIMI42
Whether a person is limited in any way in his or her ability to do the things most children of the same age can do

CHLIHB42

Whether a person is limited in any way in the ability to do the things most children of the same age can do because of a medical, behavioral, or other health condition (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHLIMI42=2)

CHLICO42

Whether the health condition that causes a person to be limited in the ability to do the things most children of the same age can do has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHLIMI42=2 or when CHLIHB42=2)

CHTHER42 Whether a person needs or gets special therapy

CHTHHB42

Whether a person needs or gets special therapy because of a medical, behavioral, or other health condition (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHTHER42=2)

CHTHCO42

Whether the health condition that causes a person to need or get special therapy has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHTHER42=2 or when CHTHHB42=2)

CHCOUN42
Whether a person has an emotional, developmental, or behavioral problem for which he or she needs or gets counseling.

CHEMPB42

Whether the problem for which a person needs or gets counseling has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months (coded as "-1 Inapplicable" when CHCOUN42=2)

Please note that the weighted frequencies displayed in the HC-050 codebook for the health status variables collected in the SAQ, PAQ, and DCS (as designated in the variable labels) are based on the full-year 2000 person weight PERWT00F. However, when using these variables in analysis, weights specific to each of these sets of questions should be used (SQPQW00F, DIABW00F). Please see section "3.0. Survey Sample Information" for details.

Diabetes Care Survey (DSDIA53- DSPRX53)

The Diabetes Care Survey (DCS), a self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaire, was fielded during Panel 4, Round 5 and Panel 5, Round 3. Household respondents received a DCS based on their response to DIABDX53 in the Priority Condition Section of the CAPI instrument, which asks whether or not the respondent was ever told by a doctor or health professional that he/she had diabetes. DSDIA53 confirms that the respondent has ever been told by a health professional that he/she had diabetes or sugar diabetes. For a small number of cases DIABDX53 =YES (1) but DSDIA53 = NO (2). The DCS data are unedited, and, therefore, these and other data inconsistencies remain in the data. These people do not have a positive DCS weight. DSA1C53 and DSCKFT53 indicate the number of times the respondent reported having a hemoglobin A-one-C test and his/her feet checked for sores or irritations in 2000, respectively. DSEYE53 indicates the last time respondents reported having an eye exam. DSKIDN53 and DSEYPR53 ascertain whether or not the diabetes has caused kidney or eye problems, respectively. DSDIET53, DSMED53 and DSINSU53 indicate if the respondent reported being treated for his/her diabetes by the following methods: diet, oral medications or insulin, respectively. If a respondent was unable to respond to the DCS, the questionnaire was completed by a proxy (DSPRX53 = 1). A special weight variable (DIABW00F) has been designed to be used with DCS data. This weight adjusts for DCS nonresponse and weights to the number of diabetics in the US civilian noninstitutionalized population in 2000 (see Section C-3.3 for details).

Please note that the weighted frequencies displayed in the HC-050 codebook for the health status variables collected in the SAQ, PAQ, and DCS (as designated in the variable labels) are based on the full-year 2000 person weight PERWT00F. However, when using these variables in analysis, weights specific to each of these sets of questions should be used (SQPQW00F, DIABW00F). Please see section "3.0. Survey Sample Information" for details.

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2.5.12 Utilization, Expenditures and Source of Payment Variables (TOTTCH00-RXOSR00)

The MEPS Household Component (HC) collects data in each round on use and expenditures for office and hospital-based care, home health care, dental services, vision aids, and prescribed medicines. Data were collected for each sample person at the event level (e.g. doctor visit, hospital stay) and summed across rounds 3-5 for Panel 4 and rounds 1-3 for Panel 5 (excluding 1999 events covered in Panel 4 Round 3 and excluding 2001 events covered in Panel 5 round 3) to produce the annual utilization and expenditure data for 2000 in this file. In addition, the MEPS Medical Provider Component (MPC) is a follow-back survey that collected data from a sample of medical providers and pharmacies that were used by sample persons in 2000. Expenditure data collected in the MPC are generally regarded as more accurate than information collected in the HC and were used to improve the overall quality of MEPS expenditure data in this file (see below for description of methodology used to develop expenditure data).

This file contains utilization and expenditure variables for several categories of health care services. In general, there is one utilization variable (based on HC responses only), 13 expenditure variables (derived from both HC and MPC responses), and 1 charge variable for each category of health care service. The utilization variable is typically a count of the number of medical events reported for the category. The 13 expenditure variables consist of an aggregate total payments variable, 10 main component source of payment category variables, and 2 additional source of payment category variables (see below for description of source of payment categories). Expenditure variables for all categories of health care combined are also provided.

The table in Appendix 1 provides an overview of the utilization and expenditure variables included in this file. For each health service category, the table lists the corresponding utilization variable(s) and provides a general key to the expenditure variable names (13 per service category). The first 3 characters of the expenditure variable names reflect the service category (except only 2 characters for prescription medicines) while the subsequent 3 characters (*** in table) reflect the naming convention for the source of payment categories described below (except only 2 characters for Veterans Administration). The last 2 positions of all utilization and expenditure variable names reflect the survey year (i.e., 00). More details are provided on the utilization and expenditure variables in sections 2.5.9.1 and 2.5.9.2 below.

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2.5.12.1 Expenditures Definition

Expenditures on this file refer to what is paid for health care services. More specifically, expenditures in MEPS are defined as the sum of direct payments for care provided during the year, including out-of-pocket payments and payments by private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and other sources. Payments for over the counter drugs and for alternative care services are not included in MEPS total expenditures. Indirect payments not related to specific medical events, such as Medicaid Disproportionate Share and Medicare Direct Medical Education subsidies, are also not included.

The definition of expenditures used in MEPS is somewhat different from the 1987 NMES and 1987 NMCES surveys where charges rather than sum of payments were used to measure expenditures. This change was adopted because charges became a less appropriate proxy for medical expenditures during the 1990's due to the increasingly common practice of discounting charges. Another change from the two prior surveys is that charges associated with uncollected liability, bad debt, and charitable care (unless provided by a public clinic or hospital) are not counted as expenditures because there are no payments associated with those classifications.

While the concept of expenditures in MEPS has been operationalized as payments for health care services, variables reflecting charges for services received are also provided on the file (see below). Analysts should use caution when working with the charge variables because they do not typically represent actual dollars exchanged for services or the resource costs of those services.

Data Sources on Expenditures

The expenditure data included on this file were derived from the MEPS Household and Medical Provider Components. Only HC data were collected for nonphysician visits, dental and vision services, other medical equipment and services, and home health care not provided by an agency while data on expenditures for care provided by home health agencies were only collected in the MPC. In addition to HC data, MPC data were collected for some office-based visits to physicians (or medical providers supervised by physicians), hospital-based events (e.g., inpatient stays, emergency room visits, and outpatient department visits), and prescribed medicines. For these types of events, MPC data were used if complete; otherwise HC data were used if complete. Missing data for events where HC data were not complete and MPC data were not collected or complete were derived through an imputation process (see below).

A series of logical edits were applied to both the HC and MPC data to correct for several problems including, but not limited to, outliers, copayments or charges reported as total payments, and reimbursed amounts that were reported as out of pocket payments. In addition, edits were implemented to correct for misclassifications between Medicare and Medicaid and between Medicare HMO's and private HMO's as payment sources. Data were not edited to insure complete consistency between the health insurance and source of payment variables on the file.

Imputation for Missing Expenditures and Data Adjustments

Expenditure data were imputed to 1) replace missing data, 2) provide estimates for care delivered under capitated reimbursement arrangements, and 3) to adjust household reported insurance payments because respondents were often unaware that their insurer paid a discounted amount to the provider. This section contains a general description of the approaches used for these three situations. A more detailed description of the editing and imputation procedures is provided in the documentation for the MEPS event level files.

Missing data on expenditures were imputed using a weighted sequential hot-deck procedure for most medical visits and services. In general, this procedure imputes data from events with complete information to events with missing information but similar characteristics. For each event type, selected predictor variables with known values (e.g., total charge, demographic characteristics, region, provider type, and characteristics of the event of care, such as whether it involved surgery) were used to form groups of donor events with known data on expenditures, as well as identical groups of recipient events with missing data. Within such groups, data were assigned from donors to recipients, taking into account the weights associated with the MEPS complex survey design. Only MPC data were used as donors for hospital-based events while data from both the HC and MPC were used as donors for office-based physician visits. The general approach that was used to impute missing expenditure data on prescribed medicines is described in section 2.5.11.2 below.

Because payments for medical care provided under capitated reimbursement arrangements and through public clinics and Veterans' Hospitals are not tied to particular medical events, expenditures for events covered under those types of arrangements and settings were also imputed. Events covered under capitated arrangements were imputed from events covered under managed care arrangements that were paid based on a discounted fee-for-service method, while imputations for visits to public clinics and Veterans' Hospitals were based on similar events that were paid on a fee-for-service basis. As for other events, selected predictor variables were used to form groups of donor and recipient events for the imputations.

An adjustment was also applied to some HC reported expenditure data because an evaluation of matched HC/MPC data showed that respondents who reported that charges and payments were equal were often unaware that insurance payments for the care had been based on a discounted charge. To compensate for this systematic reporting error, a weighted sequential hot-deck imputation procedure was implemented to determine an adjustment factor for HC reported insurance payments when charges and payments were reported to be equal. As for the other imputations, selected predictor variables were used to form groups of donor and recipient events for the imputation process.

Methodology for Flat Fee Expenditures

Most of the expenditures for medical care reported by MEPS participants are associated with single medical events. However, in some situations there is one charge that covers multiple contacts between a medical provider and patient (e.g. obstetrician services, orthodontia). In these situations (generally called flat or global fees), total payments for the flat or global fee were included if the initial service was provided in 2000. For example, all payments for an orthodontist's fee that covered multiple visits over three years were included if the initial visit occurred in 2000. However, if a visit in 2000 to an orthodontist was part of a flat fee in which the initial visit occurred in 1999, then none of the payments for the flat fee were included.

The approach used to count expenditures for flat fees may create what appear to be inconsistencies between utilization and expenditure variables. For example, if several visits under a flat fee arrangement occurred in 2000 but the first visit occurred in 1999, then none of the expenditures were included, resulting in low expenditures relative to utilization for that person. Conversely, the flat fee methodology may result in high expenditures for some persons relative to their utilization. For example, all of the expenditures for an expensive flat fee were included even if only the first visit covered by the fee had occurred in 2000. On average, the methodology used for flat fees should result in a balance between overestimation and underestimation of expenditures in a particular year.

Zero Expenditures

There are some medical events reported by respondents where the payments were zero. This could occur for several reasons including (1) free care was provided, (2) bad debt was incurred, (3) care was covered under a flat fee arrangement beginning in an earlier year, or (4) follow-up visits were provided without a separate charge (e.g. after a surgical procedure). In summary, these types of events have no impact on the person level expenditure variables contained in this file.

Source of Payment Categories

In addition to total expenditures, variables are provided which itemize expenditures according to the major source of payment categories. These categories are:

1. Out of pocket by user or family (SLF);
2. Medicare (MCR);
3. Medicaid (MCD);
4. Private Insurance (PRV);
5. Veterans' Administration, excluding CHAMPVA (VA);
6. Tricare (TRI);
7. Other Federal Sources--includes Indian Health Service, Military Treatment Facilities, and other care provided by the Federal government (OFD);
8. Other State and Local Source--includes community and neighborhood clinics, State and local health departments, and State programs other than Medicaid (STL);
9. Worker's Compensation (WCP);
10. Other Unclassified Sources--includes sources such as automobile, homeowner's, liability, and other miscellaneous or unknown sources (OSR).

Two additional source of payment variables were created to classify payments for particular persons that appear inconsistent due to differences between the survey questions on health insurance coverage and sources of payment for medical events. These variables include:

11. Other Private (OPR) - any type of private insurance payments reported for persons not reported to have any private health insurance coverage during the year as defined in MEPS (i.e. for hospital and physician services); and

12. Other Public (OPU) - Medicaid payments reported for persons who were not reported to be enrolled in the Medicaid program at any time during the year.

Though relatively small in magnitude, users should exercise caution when interpreting the expenditures associated with the OPR and OPU categories. While these payments stem from apparent inconsistent responses to the health insurance and source of payment questions in the survey, some of these inconsistencies may have logical explanations. For example, private insurance coverage in MEPS is defined as having a major medical plan covering hospital and physician services. If a MEPS sample person did not have such coverage but had a single service type insurance plan (e.g. dental insurance) that paid for a particular episode of care, those payments may be classified as "other private". Some of the "other public" payments may stem from confusion between Medicaid and other state and local programs or may be for persons who were not enrolled in Medicaid, but were presumed eligible by a provider who ultimately received payments from the program.

Please note, unlike the other events, the prescribed medicine events do have some remaining inconsistent responses between the insurance section of the HC and sources of payment from the PC (more specifically, discrepancies between Medicare only Household insurance responses and Medicaid sources of payment provided by pharmacy providers). These inconsistencies remain unedited because there was strong evidence from the PC that these were indeed Medicaid payments. All of these types of HC events were exact matches to events in the PC, and in addition, all of these types of events were purchases by persons with positive weights.

The naming conventions used for the source of payment expenditure variables are shown in parentheses in the list of categories above and in the key to the attached table in Appendix 1. In addition, total expenditure variables (EXP in key) based on the sum of the 12 source of payment variables above are provided.

Charge Variables

In addition to the expenditure variables described above, a variable reflecting total charges is provided for each type of service category (except prescribed medicines). This variable represents the sum of all fully established charges for care received and usually does not reflect actual payments made for services, which can be substantially lower due to factors such as negotiated discounts, bad debt, and free care (see above). The naming convention used for the charge variables (TCH) is also included in the key to the attached table in Appendix 1. The total charge variable across services (TOTTCH00) excludes prescribed medicines.

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2.5.12.2 Utilization and Expenditure Variables by Type of Medical Service

The following sections summarize definitional, conceptual and analytic considerations when using the utilization and expenditure variables in this file. Separate discussions are provided for each MEPS medical service category.

Medical Provider Visits (i.e., Office-Based Visits)

Medical provider visits consist of encounters that took place primarily in office-based settings and clinics. Care provided in other settings such as a hospital, nursing home, or a person's home are not included in this category.

The total number of office based visits reported for 2000 (OBTOTV00) as well as the number of such visits to physicians (OBDRV00) and nonphysician providers (OBOTHV00) are contained in this file. For a small proportion of sample persons, the sum of the physician and nonphysician visit variables (OBDRV00+OBOTHV00) is less than the total number of office-based visits variable (OBTOTV00) because OBTOTV00 contains reported visits where the respondent did not know the type of provider.

Non-physician visits (OBOTHV00) include visits to the following types of providers: chiropractors, midwives, nurses and nurse practitioners, optometrists, podiatrists, physician's assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, technicians, receptionists/clerks/secretaries, or other medical providers. Separate utilization variables are included for selected types of more commonly seen non-physician providers including chiropractors (OBCHIR00), nurses/nurse practitioners (OBNURS00), optometrists (OBOPTO00), physician assistants (OBASST00), and physical or occupational therapists (OBTHER00).

Expenditure variables associated with all medical provider visits, physician visits, and non-physician visits in office-based settings can be identified using the attached table in Appendix 1. As for the corresponding utilization variables, the sum of the physician and non-physician visit expenditure variables (e.g. OBDEXP00+OBOEXP00) is less than the total office-based expenditure variable (OBVEXP00) for a small proportion of sample persons. This can occur because OBVEXP00 includes visits where the respondent did not know the type of provider seen.

Hospital Events

Separate utilization variables for hospital care are provided for each type of setting (inpatient, outpatient department, and emergency room) along with two expense variables per setting; one for basic hospital facility expenses and another for payments to physicians who billed separately for services provided at the hospital. These payments are referred to as "separately billing doctor" or SBD expenses.

Hospital facility expenses include all expenses for direct hospital care, including room and board, diagnostic and laboratory work, x-rays, and similar charges, as well as any physician services included in the hospital charge. Separately billing doctor (SBD) expenses typically cover services provided to patients in hospital settings by providers like radiologists, anesthesiologists, and pathologists, whose charges are often not included in hospital bills.

Hospital Outpatient Visits

Variables for the total number of reported visits to hospital outpatient departments in 2000 (OPTOTV00) as well as the number of outpatient department visits to physicians (OPDRV00) and non-physician providers (OPOTHV00) are contained in this file. For a small proportion of sample persons, the sum of the physician and non-physician visit variables (OPDRV00+OPOTHV00) is less than the total number of outpatient visits variable (OPTOTV00) because OPTOTV00 contains reported visits where the respondent did not provide information on the type of provider seen.

Expenditure variables (both facility and SBD) associated with all medical provider visits, physician visits, and non-physician visits in outpatient departments can be identified using the attached table in Appendix 1. As for the corresponding utilization variables, the sum of the physician and non-physician expenditure variables (e.g., OPVEXP00+OPOEXP00 for facility expenses) is less than the variable for total outpatient department expenditures (OPFEXP00) for a small proportion of sample persons. This can occur because OPFEXP00 includes visits where the respondent did not know the type of provider seen. No expenditure variables are provided for health care consultations that occurred over the telephone.

Hospital Emergency Room Visits

The variable ERTOT00 represents a count of all emergency room visits reported for the survey year. Expenditure variables associated with ERTOT00 are identified in the attached table in Appendix 1. It should be noted that hospitals usually include expenses associated with emergency room visits that immediately result in an inpatient stay with the charges and payments for the inpatient stay. Therefore, to avoid the potential for double counting when imputing missing expenses, separately reported facility expenditures for emergency room visits that were identified in the MPC as directly linked to an inpatient stay were included as part of the inpatient stay only (see below). This strategy to avoid double counting resulted in $0 facility expenditures for these emergency room visits. However, these $0 emergency room visits are still counted as separate visits in the utilization variable ERTOT00.

Hospital Inpatient Stays

Two measures of total inpatient utilization are provided on the file: (1) total number of hospital discharges (IPDIS00) and (2) the total number of nights associated with these discharges (IPNGTD00). IPDIS00 includes hospital stays where the dates of admission and discharge were reported as identical. These "zero night stays" can be included or excluded from inpatient analyses at the user's discretion (see last paragraph of this section). If the number of nights in the hospital could not be computed for any reported stay for a person, then IPNGTD00 was assigned a missing value.

Expenditure variables associated with hospital inpatient stays are identified in the attached table in Appendix 1. To the extent possible, payments associated with emergency room visits that immediately preceded an inpatient stay are included with the inpatient expenditures (see above) and payments associated with healthy newborns are included with expenditures for the mother (see next paragraph for more detail).

Data used to construct the inpatient utilization and expenditure variables for newborns were edited to exclude stays where the newborn left the hospital on the same day as the mother. This edit was applied because discharges for infants without complications after birth were not consistently reported in the survey and charges for newborns without complications are typically included in the mother's hospital bill. However, if the newborn was discharged at a later date than the mother was discharged, then the discharge was considered a separate stay for the newborn when constructing the utilization and expenditure variables.

Some analysts may prefer to exclude zero night stays from inpatient analyses and/or count these stays as ambulatory visits. Therefore, a separate use variable is provided which contains a count of the number of inpatient events where the reported dates of admission and discharge were the same (IPZERO00). This variable can be subtracted from IPDIS00 to exclude zero night stays from inpatient utilization estimates. In addition, separate expenditure variables are provided for zero night facility expenses (ZIFEXP00) and for separately billing doctor expenses (ZIDEXP00). Analysts who choose to exclude zero-night stays from inpatient expenditure analyses need to subtract the zero-night expenditure variable from the corresponding expenditure variable for total inpatient stays (e.g. IPFEXP00-ZIFEXP00 for facility expenses, IPDEXP00-ZIDEXP00 for separately billing doctor expenses).

Dental Visits

The total number of dental visits variable (DVTOT00) includes those to any person(s) for dental care including general dentists, dental hygienists, dental technicians, dental surgeons, orthodontists, endodontists, and periodontists. Additional variables are provided for the numbers of dental visits to general dentists (DVGEN00) and to orthodontists (DVORTH00). For a small proportion of sample persons, the sum of the general dentist and orthodontist visit variables (DVGEN00+DVORTH00) is greater than the total number of dental visits (DVTOT00). This result can only occur for persons who were reported to have seen both a general dentist and orthodontist in the same visit(s). When this occurred, expenditures for the visit were included as orthodontist expenses but not as general dentist expenses. Expenditure variables for all three categories of dental providers can be identified using the attached table in Appendix 1.

Home Health Care

In contrast to other types of medical events where data were collected on a per visit basis, information on home health care utilization is collected in MEPS on a per month basis. Variables are provided which indicate the total number of days in 2000 where home health care was received by the following: from any type of paid or unpaid caregiver (HHTOTD00), from agencies, hospitals, or nursing homes (HHAGD00), from self-employed persons (HHINDD00), and from unpaid informal caregivers not living with the sample person (HHINFD00). The number of provider days represents the sum across months of the number of days on which home health care was received, with days summed across all providers seen. For example, if a person received care in one month from one provider on 2 different days, then the number of provider days would equal 2. The number of provider days would also equal 2 if a person received care from 2 different providers on the same day. However, if a person received care from 1 provider 2 times in the same day, then the provider days would equal 1. These variables were assigned missing values if the number of provider days could not be computed for any month in which the specific type of home health care was received.

Separate expenditure variables are provided for agency-sponsored home health care (includes care provided by home health agencies, hospitals, and nursing homes) and care provided by self-employed persons. The attached table in Appendix 1 identifies the home health care utilization and expenditure variables contained in the file.

Vision Aids

Expenditure variables for the purchase of glasses and/or contact lenses are identified in the attached table in Appendix 1. Due to the data collection methodology, it was not possible to determine whether vision items that were reported in round 3 had been purchased in 1999 or 2000. Therefore, expenses reported in round 3 were only included if more than half of the person's reference period for the round was in 2000.

Other Medical Equipment and Services

This category includes expenditures for ambulance services, orthopedic items, hearing devices, prostheses, bathroom aids, medical equipment, disposable supplies, alterations/modifications, and other miscellaneous items or services that were obtained, purchased or rented during the year. On this file diabetic supplies and insulin are not considered to be medical equipment. All use and expenditure information for these items are included in the prescribed medicine variables. Respondents were only asked once (in round 3) about their total annual expenditures and were not asked about their frequency of use of these services. Expenditure variables representing the combined expenses for these supplies and services are identified in the Appendix 1 table.

Prescribed Medicines

There is one total utilization variable (RXTOT00) and 13 expenditure variables included on the 2000 full-year file relating to prescribed medicines. These 13 expenditure variables include an annual total expenditure variable (RXEXP00) and 12 corresponding annual source of payment variables (RXSLF00, RXMCR00, RXMCD00, RXPRV00, RXVA00, RXTRI00, RXOFD00, RXSTL00, RXWCP00, RXOSR00, RXOPR00, and RXOPU00). The total utilization variable is a count of all prescribed medications initially purchased or otherwise obtained during 2000, as well as any additional acquisitions of the medication. The total expenditure variable sums all amounts paid out-of-pocket and by third party payers for each prescription purchased in 2000. No variables reflecting charges for prescription medicines are included because a large proportion of respondents to the pharmacy component survey did not provide charge data (see below).

Prescribed Medicines Data Collected

Data regarding prescription drugs were obtained through the household questionnaire and a pharmacy component survey. During each round of the MEPS HC, all respondents were asked to supply the name of any prescribed medication they or their family members purchased or otherwise obtained during that round. For each medication and in each round, the following information was collected: whether any free samples of the medication were received; the name(s) of any health problems the medication was prescribed for; the number of times the prescription drug was obtained or purchased; the year, month, and day on which the person first used the medication; and a list of the names, addresses, and types of pharmacies that filled the household's prescriptions. Also, during the Household Component, respondents were asked if they send in claim forms for their prescriptions (self-filers) or if their pharmacy providers do this automatically for them at the point of purchase (non-self-filers). For non-self-filers, charge and payment information was collected in the pharmacy component survey, unless the purchase was an insulin or diabetic supply/equipment event. However, charge and payment information was collected for self-filers in the household questionnaire, because payments by private third party payers for self-filers' purchases would not be available from the pharmacy component. Uninsured persons were treated as those whose pharmacies filed their prescription claims at the point of purchase. Persons who said they did not know if they sent in their own prescription claim forms were treated as those who did send in their own prescription claim forms.

Pharmacy providers identified by the household were contacted by telephone for the pharmacy component if permission was obtained in writing from the person with the prescription to release their pharmacy records. The signed permission forms were provided to the various establishments prior to making any requests for information. Each establishment was informed of all persons participating in the survey that had prescriptions filled there in 2000 and a computerized printout containing information about these prescriptions was sought. For each medication listed, the following information was requested: date filled; national drug code (NDC); medication name; strength of medicine (amount and unit); quantity (package size and amount dispensed); total charge; and payments by source.

When diabetic supplies, such as syringes and insulin, were reported in the other medical supply section of the MEPS HC questionnaire as having been obtained during the round, the interviewer was directed to collect information on these items in the prescription drug section of MEPS. Charge and payment information was asked for these events.

Prescribed Medicines Data Editing and Imputation

The general approach to preparing the household prescription data for this file was to utilize the pharmacy component prescription data to assign expenditure values to the household drug mentions. For events that charge and payment data were collected from the household in the HC, information on payment sources was retained to the extent that these data were reported. A matching program was adopted to link pharmacy component drugs and the corresponding drug information to household drug mentions. To improve the quality of these matches, all drugs on the household and pharmacy files were coded based on the medication names provided by the household and pharmacy, and when available, the national drug code (NDC) provided in the pharmacy survey. Considerable editing was done prior to the matching to correct data inconsistencies in both data sets and fill in missing data and correct outliers on the pharmacy file.

Drug price per unit outliers were analyzed on the pharmacy file by first identifying the average wholesale unit price (AWUP) of the drug by linkage through the NDC to a proprietary data base. In general, prescription drug unit prices were deemed to be outliers by comparing unit prices reported in the pharmacy data base to the AWUP and were edited, as necessary.

For those rounds that spanned two years, drugs mentioned in that round were allocated between the years based on the number of times the respondent said the drug was purchased in the respective year, the year the person started taking the drug, the length of the person's round, the dates of the person's round, and the number of drugs for that person in the round. In addition, a "folded" version of the PC on an event level, as opposed to an acquisition level, was used for these types of events to assist in determining how many acquisitions of the drug should be allocated between the years.

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3.0 Survey Sample Information

3.1 Sample Design and Response Rates

The MEPS is designed to produce estimates at the national and regional level over time for the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States and some subpopulations of interest. The data in this public use set pertain to calendar year 2000. The data were collected in Rounds 1, 2, and 3 for MEPS Panel 5 and Rounds 3, 4, and 5 for MEPS Panel 4. (Note that Round 3 for a MEPS panel is designed to overlap two calendar years.) Variables convey the same information for this full year file that has been provided for the full year files associated with years 1996 - 1999 of MEPS. The only utilization data that appear on the file are those associated with health care events occurring in calendar year 2000. All such utilization data reported by MEPS respondents for 2000 have been included in this database, regardless of panel and round.

The households in this 2000 MEPS data base are selected from households participating in the National Health Interview Survey. Detailed information on the MEPS sample design for Panels 1 and 2 have been previously published. For Panel 1, see Cohen, S. Sample Design of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component. Rockville (MD): Agency for Health Care Policy and Research; 1997. MEPS Methodology Report, No. 2. AHCPR Pub. No. 97-0027. For detailed information on the MEPS sample design for Panel 2, see Cohen, S., Sample Design of the 1997 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2000. MEPS Methodology Report, No. 11. AHRQ Pub No. 01-0001.

MEPS-Linked to the National Health Interview Survey

There were 6,900 households (occupied dwelling units) selected for inclusion in MEPS Panel 4. They were selected as a nationally representative subsample of the households responding to the 1998 NHIS. A subsample of 5,380 households was selected for MEPS Panel 5 from among households responding to the 1999 NHIS.

The NHIS sample design is multi-stage probability sample design. A brief and simplified description of the NHIS design follows. The first stage of sample selection is an area sample of PSUs, where PSUs generally consist of one or more counties. Within PSUs, density strata are formed, generally reflecting the density of minority populations for single or groups of blocks or block equivalents that are assigned to the strata. Within each such density stratum "supersegments" are formed, consisting of clusters of housing units. Samples of supersegments are selected for use over a 10-year data collection period for the NHIS. Households within supersegments are selected for each calendar year the NHIS is carried out. Households with minorities, those containing Hispanics and blacks are oversampled at rates of approximately 2 and 1.5 times, respectively, the rate of remaining households. These same rates of oversampling are reflected in the MEPS sample of households. The only major difference in eligibility status for housing units between NHIS and MEPS is that college dorms represent ineligible housing units for MEPS. College aged students living away from home during the school year were interviewed at their place of residence for the NHIS but were identified by and linked to their parents' household for the MEPS. (There is also a person-level stage of sampling for the NHIS but that does not have a direct impact on the MEPS sample design.)

Sample Weights and Variance Estimation

In the data base "MEPS HC-050: 2000 Full Year Population Characteristics," weight variables are provided for estimation purposes. Procedures and considerations associated with the construction and interpretation of person and family-level estimates using these and other variables are discussed below.

Response Rates

In order to produce annual health care estimates for calendar year 2000 based on the full MEPS sample, data are pooled across the Panels 4 and 5 of the MEPS. More specifically, full calendar year 2000 data collected in Rounds 3 through 5 for the MEPS Panel 4 sample are pooled with data from the first three rounds of data collection for the MEPS Panel 5 sample (the general approach is illustrated below). Overall, the full 2000 MEPS sample consists of 9,515 participating reporting units (where student RUs are linked to parent RUs for this count). These include 23,839 responding individuals that completed the full series of MEPS interviews for their entire period of eligibility, providing the necessary information to produce national use estimates for calendar year 2000.
301 Moved Permanently
301 Moved Permanently

Panel 4

The overall response rate through the MEPS Round 3 (reflecting response to the 1998 NHIS and Rounds 1-3 for the MEPS Panel 4) was 66.1 percent (.9217 x .8033 x .9371 x .9531 x 100). The conditional Round 4 and 5 response rates were 97.3 and 99.0 percent, respectively. Thus, the overall response rate for Panel 4 through Round 5, accounting for NHIS nonresponse, was 63.7 percent (.6613 x .9730 x .9900 x 100). Of the 13,170 Panel 4 full year respondents with person-level weights for calendar year 2000, 13,036 were inscope on December 31, 2000.

Panel 5

The overall response rate through the MEPS Round 1 (reflecting response to the 1999 NHIS and Round 1 of MEPS Panel 5) was 74.9 percent (.9219 x .8122 x 100). The conditional Round 2 and 3 response rates were 94.5 and 96.5 percent, respectively. Thus, the overall response rate for Panel 5 through Round 3, accounting for NHIS nonresponse, was 68.3 percent (.7487 x .9447 x .9652 x 100). Of the 10,669 Panel 5 full year MEPS respondents with person-level weights for calendar year 2000, 10,555 were inscope on December 31, 2000.

Combined the MEPS Panels: Response Rate for Annual 2000 Estimates

A pooled response rate for the survey respondents in this data set can be obtained by taking a weighted average of the panel-specific response rates. These weights were the relative proportion of persons with sample weights associated with each panel, about 55 percent associated with Panel 4, the remaining 45 percent with Panel 5. This pooled response rate for the combined panels is 65.8 percent (63.7 x .55 plus 68.3 x .45). There were 23,839 person-level survey participants, 23,591 were inscope on December 31, 2000.

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3.2 Person-level Estimation using this MEPS Public Use Release

Overview

There is a single person-level weight variable called PERWT00F. However, care should be taken in its application as it permits both "point-in-time" and "range of time" estimates, depending on the variables used to define the set of persons of interest for analysis. A person-level weight was assigned to each key, inscope person who responded to MEPS for the full period of time that he or she was inscope during the MEPS. For Panel 5 this requirement pertained only to 2000, but for Panel 4 it pertained to both 1999 and 2000. (Recall that a person is inscope whenever he or she is a member of the civilian, noninstitutionalized portion of the U.S. population.)

Developing Person-level MEPS Estimates

The data in this file can be used to develop estimates on persons in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population on December 31, 2000 and for the slightly larger population of persons in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population at any time during 2000. To obtain a cross-sectional (point-in-time) estimate for all inscope persons living in the country on December 31, 2000, include cases with both PERWT00F>0 (a positive person-level weight) and INSC1231=1 (the person is inscope on December 31, 2000). To obtain an estimate for all persons who were inscope at some time in 2000, include all cases with PERWT00F>0. After selecting the appropriate cases, apply the weight variable PERWT00F to the analytic variable(s) of interest to obtain national estimates. The following table contains a summary of cases to include and sample sizes for these two populations.

Population of Interest

Cases to Include

Sample Size

Civilian, Noninstitutionalized Population on December 31, 2000

PERWT00F>0 and INSC1231=1

23,591

Civilian, Noninstitutionalized Population over the course of 2000

PERWT00F>0

23,839

Details on Person-Level Weights Construction

Overview

The person-level weight PERWT00F was developed in three stages. A person-level weight for Panel 5 was created, including both an adjustment for nonresponse over time and poststratification, controlling to Current Population Survey (CPS) population estimates based on six different variables. Then a person-level weight for Panel 4 was created, again including an adjustment for nonresponse over time and poststratification, controlling to CPS population estimates based on the same six variables. A composite weight was formed from the Panel 4 and Panel 5 weights by multiplying the Panel weights by factors corresponding to the relative sample size of the two panels. Then a final poststratification was done on this composite weight variable, again based on the same five poststratification variables used previously.

MEPS Panel 4

The person-level weight for MEPS Panel 4 was developed using the 1999 full year weight for an individual as a "base" weight for survey participants present in 1999. For key, inscope respondents who joined an RU some time in 2000 after being out-of-scope in 1999, the "base" weight was taken to be the 1999 family weight associated with the family the person joined. The weighting process included an adjustment for nonresponse over Rounds 4 and 5 as well as poststratification to population control totals for December, 2000 for key, responding persons inscope on December 31, 2000. These control totals were derived by scaling back the population distribution obtained from the March 2001 CPS to reflect the December, 2000 estimated population distribution, employing age and sex data available from the December, 2000 CPS. Variables used in the establishment of person-level poststratification control figures included: poverty status, census region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West); MSA status (MSA, non-MSA); race/ethnicity (Hispanic, black but non-Hispanic, and other); sex, and age. Key responding persons not inscope on December 31, 2000 but inscope earlier in the year retained, as their final Panel 4 weight, the weight after the nonresponse adjustment.

MEPS Panel 5

The person-level weight for MEPS Panel 5 was developed using the MEPS Round 1 person-level weight as a "base" weight. For key, inscope respondents who joined an RU after Round 1, the Round 1 family weight served as a "base" weight. The weighting process included an adjustment for nonresponse over the remaining data collection rounds in 2000 as well as poststratification to the same population control figures for December 2000 used for the MEPS Panel 4 weights for key, responding persons inscope on December 31, 2000. The same six variables employed for Panel 4 poststratification (poverty status, census region, MSA status, race/ethnicity, sex, and age) were used for Panel 5 poststratification. As with Panel 4, Panel 5 key, responding persons not inscope on December 31, 2000 but inscope earlier in the year retained the weight after nonresponse adjustment as their final Panel 5 weight.

Note that the MEPS Round 1 weights for both panels incorporated the following components: the original household probability of selection for the NHIS; ratio-adjustment to NHIS-based national population estimates at the household (occupied dwelling unit) level; adjustment for nonresponse at the dwelling unit level for Round 1; and poststratification to figures at the family and person level obtained from the corresponding March CPS data bases.

The Final Weight for 2000

Variables used in the establishment of person-level poststratification to control totals derived from CPS data included: census region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West); MSA status (MSA, non-MSA); race/ethnicity (Hispanic, black but non-Hispanic, and other); sex, and age. Persons included in this poststratification were those inscope on December 31, 2000. In addition, the weights of some persons out-of-scope on December 31, 2000 were also poststratified. Specifically, the weights of persons out-of-scope on December 31, 2000 who were inscope some time during the year and also entered a nursing home during the year were poststratified to a corresponding control total obtained from the 1996 MEPS Nursing Home Component. The weights of persons who died while inscope during 2000 were poststratified to corresponding estimates derived using data obtained from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and Vital Statistics information provided by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Separate control totals were developed for the "65 and older" and "under 65" civilian, noninstitutionalized populations.

Overall, the weighted population estimate for the civilian, noninstitutionalized population for December 31, 2000 is 275,158,755 (PERWT00F>0 and INSC1231=1). The inclusion of key, inscope persons who were not inscope on December 31, 2000 brings the estimated total number of persons represented by the MEPS respondents over the course of the year to 278,405,516 (PERWT00F>0).

Coverage

The target population associated with this MEPS data base is the 2000 U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population. However, the MEPS sampled households are a subsample of the NHIS households interviewed in 1998 (Panel 4) and 1999 (Panel 5). New households created after the NHIS interviews for the respective Panels and consisting exclusively of persons who entered the target population after 1998 (Panel 4) or after 1999 (Panel 5) are not covered by MEPS. Neither are previously out of scope persons who join an existing household but are unrelated to the current household residents. Persons not covered by a given MEPS panel thus include some members of the following groups: immigrants; persons leaving the military; U.S. citizens returning from residence in another country; and persons leaving institutions. The set of uncovered persons constitutes only a small proportion of the MEPS target population.

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3.3 Family-level Estimation Using this MEPS Public Use Release

There is a single family weight variable called FAMWT00F provided in this release. FAMWT00F can be used to make estimates for the cross-section of families in the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population on December 31, 2000 where families are identified based on the MEPS definition of a family unit. Estimates can include MEPS families that existed at some time during 2000 but whose members became out-of-scope prior to the end of the year (e.g., all family members moved out of the country, died, etc.) as well as MEPS families in existence on December 31, 2000.

Definition of "Family" for Estimation Purposes

A family in MEPS generally consists of two or more persons living together in the same household who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption, as well as foster children. (Foster children are not included as members under the CPS definition of a family.) However, MEPS also defines as a family unmarried persons living together who consider themselves a family unit (these are not families under the CPS definition.) Single persons living with neither a relative nor a person identified as a "significant other" have also been assigned a family ID value and a family-level weight, and thus can be included or excluded from family-level estimates, as desired. Relatives identified as usual residents of the household who were not present at the time of the interview, such as college students living away from their parents' home during the school year, were considered as members of the family that identified them.

To make estimates at the family-level, it is necessary to prepare a family-level file containing one record per family (see instructions below), family-level summary characteristics, and the family-level weight variable (FAMWT00F). Each MEPS family unit is uniquely identified by the combination of the variables DUID and FAMIDYR. The number of persons in a MEPS sample family ranges from 1 to 14 (the positive values for the variable FAMSZEYR). Only persons with positive nonzero family weight values (FAMWT00F>0) are candidates for inclusion in family estimates.

Two sets of families for whom estimates can be obtained are defined in the table below (along with respective sample sizes). Persons with FMRS1231=1 were inscope for the survey on 12/31/00 and therefore part of a MEPS family on 12/31/00. The more expansive definition of families (second row in table) includes families and members of families who were not inscope at the end of the year. While MEPS includes individual persons as family units (about one-third of all units) to cover the entire civilian, noninstitutionalized population, analysts may restrict their analyses to families with two or more members using the family size variables shown in the table (for example, to limit consideration to the cross-section of families with two or more members in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population on December 31, 2000, consider only families where FAMS1231 is at least 2.)

Population of Interest

Cases to Include

Sample Size

(Includes single person units)

Family Size Variable

Cross-section of Families in the Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population on 12/31/00

FAMWT00F>0 & FMRS1231=1

9,433

FAMS1231

Families in the Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population on 12/31/00 plus families and members of families in existence earlier in 2000 who were not part of the civilian noninstitutionalized population on 12/31/00

FAMWT00F>0

9,515

FAMSZEYR

Instructions to Create Family Estimates

The following is a summary of the steps and the variables to be used for family-level estimation based on the MEPS type definition of families.

1. Concatenate the variables DUID and FAMIDYR into a new variable (e.g. DUIDFAMY).

2. To create a family-level file, sort by DUIDFAMY and then subset to one record per DUIDFAMY value by retaining only the reference person record (FAMRFPYR=1) for each value of DUIDFAMY. Some family-level measures needed for analytic purposes (e.g., means or totals) can be obtained after aggregating person-level information across all members of a family. For other types of measures, analysts frequently use the characteristics of the reference person to characterize his or her family unit (e.g., the race/ethnicity, marital status, or age of the reference person).

3. Apply the weight FAMWT00F to the analytic variable(s) of interest to obtain national family estimates.

Details on Family Weight Construction and Estimated Number of Families

To develop the family-level weight (FAMWT00F), the person-level weight (PERWT00F) of the family reference person (FAMRFPYR=1) was used as the "base" weight for all responding full year families. Then, for responding families eligible for weighting and in existence at the end of 2000, these "base" weights were poststratified to population control figures derived from CPS estimates for December 2000 (these figures were derived by scaling the population totals obtained from the March 2001 CPS to reflect family estimates as of December, 2000). The family-level poststratification incorporated the following variables: census region; MSA status; race/ethnicity of reference person (Hispanic, black but non Hispanic, and other); family type (reference person married, living with spouse; male reference person, unmarried or spouse not present; female reference person, unmarried or spouse not present); age of reference person; and family size as of December 31, 2000.

Overall, the weighted population estimate for the 9,433 MEPS family units containing at least one member of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population on December 31, 2000 (those families whose members have FAMWT00F>0 and FMRS1231=1) is 118,083,441. The inclusion of families whose members left the inscope population prior to December 31, 2000 brought the estimated total number of families represented by the 9,515 MEPS responding families (those families whose members have FAMWT00F>0) to 119,291,079.

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3.4 Analysis Using HIEUs

To construct a weight for use in analysis using Health Insurance Eligibility Units as identified by the variable HIEUIDX:

1. Identify the HIEU head by your analytic intent, i.e. if only studying heath insurance unit with female heads of households, choose the female adult as head of household.

2. If the weight of the HIEU head is non-zero, use the weight of the HIEU head for all members of that HIEU; or

3. If the weight of the HIEU head is zero, delete the case.

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3.5 Weights and Response Rates for the Self Administered/Parent Administered Questionnaire

For analytic purposes, a single person-level weight variable, SQPQW00F, has been provided for use with the data obtained from the Self Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) and the Parent Administered Questionnaire (PAQ). Both of these questionnaires were administered in Panel 5, Round 2 and Panel 4, Round 4. The SAQ was to be completed by each adult (person aged 18 or older) in the family while the PAQ was to be completed by the parent or guardian for each child (person under the age of 18). Thus, the target populations for the two questionnaires are adults and children, respectively, in the civilian, non-institutionalized population at the time data were collected for Rounds 2/4.

The weight variable was developed by first adjusting for questionnaire non-response for each questionnaire type separately. Variables included in the undertaking of the nonresponse adjustment for both adults and children were region, MSA status, family size, marital status, level of education, health status, health insurance status, and age. Then the weights were poststratified to Current Population Survey (CPS) estimates corresponding to December 2000 (the same source of control figures used for the full year person weights). The poststratification variables were region, MSA status, age, sex, and race/ethnicity, as were used in the poststratification of the full year person weights. The only difference is that the age group 15-19 used for the full year weights was partitioned into two cells, 15-17 and 18-19, because of the two target populations for the SAQ and PAQ. To distinguish between the two target populations the analyst should use the variable AGEJUL01 (age as of July 1). Persons with SQPQW00F>0 and AGEJUL0118 are weighted adult respondents to the SAQ. Persons with SQPQW00F>0 and AGEJUL01<18 are children with PAQ weights, their parents having responded to the PAQ.

In all, there were 22,019 persons assigned either a SAQ or a PAQ weight with the sum of all SAQ and PAQ weights being 275,158,755 (an estimate of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population on December 31, 2000). The sum of the weights for the 15,438 adults with positive SAQ weights is 202,737,848. The sum of the weights for the 6,581 children with positive PAQ weights is 72,420,907.

The Panel 4, Round 4 response rate for the SAQ was 93.96 percent, and for the PAQ it was 96.32 percent. The Panel 5, Round 2 response rate for the SAQ was 92.92 percent, and for the PAQ it was 96.18 percent. Pooled response rates for the survey respondents have been computed by taking a weighted average of the panel-specific response rates, where the weights were the relative proportion of persons with sample weights associated with each panel (about 55 percent associated with Panel 4, the remaining 45 percent with Panel 5). The pooled response rate for the combined panels for the SAQ is 93.49 percent while for the PAQ it is 96.26 percent.

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3.6 Weights and Response Rates for the Diabetes Care Survey

A person-level weight, DIABW00F, was developed for use with the data obtained from the Diabetes Care Survey (DCS). This weight was assigned to each person with either a SAQ or PAQ weight who also was established as having diabetes through the following process.

First a knowledgeable adult family member sharing the same residence was asked to identify any family member in the residence having diabetes. Then, those identified with diabetes were asked if a doctor had ever indicated that the person had diabetes. Those who responded affirmatively to that question (an adult respondent was needed for children) and who also had a SAQ or PAQ weight were assigned a DCS weight.

In all, 1,036 people were assigned a DCS weight (DIABW00F>0). The sum of the DCS weight is 12,761,043, an estimate of the population with diabetes as identified by the two step proves described above.

The Panel 4, Round 5 response rate for the DCS was 90.66 percent. The Panel 5, Round 5 response rate for the DCS was 92.36 percent. The pooled response rate for the combined panels for the DCS is 91.43 percent. The pooled response rate is a weighted average for the two panels, reflecting their relative sample sizes (roughly 55 percent of the respondents are from Panel 4, the remaining 45 percent from Panel 5).

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3.7 Variance Estimation

To obtain estimates of variability (such as the standard error of sample estimates or corresponding confidence intervals) for estimates based on MEPS survey data, the complex sample design of MEPS for both person and family-level analyses must be taken into account. Various approaches can be used to develop such estimates of variance including use of the Taylor series or replication methodologies. Replicate weights have not been developed for the MEPS 2000 data.

Using a Taylor Series approach, variance estimation strata and the variance estimation PSUs within these strata must be specified. The corresponding variables on the 2000 MEPS full year utilization data base are VARSTR00 and VARPSU00, respectively. Specifying a "with replacement" design in a computer software package, such as SUDAAN, should provide standard errors appropriate for assessing the variability of MEPS survey estimates. It should be noted that the number of degrees of freedom associated with estimates of variability indicated by such a package may not appropriately reflect the actual number available. For MEPS sample estimates for characteristics generally distributed throughout the country (and thus the sample PSUs), one can expect at least 60 degrees of freedom for the 2000 full year data associated with the corresponding estimates of variance.

Return To Table Of Contents

3.8 Guidelines for which weight to use for analysis involving data/variables from multiple sources and supplements: MEPS 2000 full-year use file

In general, the appropriate analytic weight is the one that incorporates all potential levels of nonresponse.

For analysis involving variables from the SAQ or PAQ, the SQPQW00F should be used. For example, if examining access to care or quality of care variables by sociodemographics, health status, or health insurance, SQPQW00F is the appropriate weight even though person level sociodemographic variables, health status, and health insurance are part of the core person level questionnaire. The exception is for analysis involving access to care or quality of care variables from the SAQ or PAQ and variables from the Diabetes Care Survey where DIABW00F should be used.

For analysis of the Diabetes Care Survey variables by sociodemographic variables, health status, or health insurance (for example), DIABW00F should be used.

For all other person level analysis, not involving variables from the SAQ, PAQ, or DCS, PERWT00F should be used.

For all family level analysis, FAMWT00F should be used.

Return To Table Of Contents

D. Variable-Source Crosswalk
SURVEY ADMINISTRATION VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

DUID

Dwelling Unit ID

Assigned in Sampling

PID

Person Number

Assigned in Sampling or by CAPI

DUPERSID

Person ID (DUID+PID)

Assigned in Sampling

PANEL00

Panel Number

Constructed

FAMID31

Family ID (Student Merged In) - R3/1

CAPI Derived

FAMID42

Family ID (Student Merged In) - R4/2

CAPI Derived

FAMID53

Family ID (Student Merged In) - R5/3

CAPI Derived

FAMID00

Fam ID (Student Merged In) - 12/31/00

CAPI Derived

FAMIDYR

Annual Family Identifier

Constructed

CPSFAMID

CPS-Like Family Identifier

Constructed

HIEUIDX

HIEU Identifier

Constructed

FCSZ1231

Family Size Responding 12/31 CPS Family

Constructed

FCRP1231

Ref Person of 12/31 CPS Family

Constructed

RULETR31

RU Letter - R3/1

CAPI Derived

RULETR42

RU Letter - R4/2

CAPI Derived

RULETR53

RU Letter - R5/3

CAPI Derived

RULETR00

RU Letter As of 12/31/00

CAPI Derived

RUSIZE31

RU Size - R3/1

CAPI Derived

RUSIZE42

RU Size - R4/2

CAPI Derived

RUSIZE53

RU Size - R5/3

CAPI Derived

RUSIZE00

RU Size As of 12/31/00

CAPI Derived

RUCLAS31

RU fielded as: Standard/New/Student - R3/1

CAPI Derived

RUCLAS42

RU fielded as: Standard/New/Student - R4/2

CAPI Derived

RUCLAS53

RU fielded as: Standard/New/Student - R5/3

CAPI Derived

RUCLAS00

RU fielded as: Standard/New/Stud-12/31/00

CAPI Derived

FAMSZE31

RU Size Including Students - R3/1

CAPI Derived

FAMSZE42

RU Size Including Students - R4/2

CAPI Derived

FAMSZE53

RU Size Including Students - R5/3

CAPI Derived

FAMSZE00

RU Size Including Students As of 12/31/00

CAPI Derived

FMRS1231

Member of Responding 12/31 Family

Constructed

FAMS1231

Family Size of Responding 12/31 Family

Constructed

FAMSZEYR

Size of Responding Annualized Family

Constructed

FAMRFPYR

Reference Person of Annualized Family

Constructed

REGION31

Census Region - R3/1

Assigned in Sampling

REGION42

Census Region - R4/2

Assigned in Sampling

REGION53

Census Region - R5/3

Assigned in Sampling

REGION00

Census Region As Of 12/31/00

Assigned in Sampling

MSA31

MSA Status - R3/1

Assigned in Sampling

MSA42

MSA Status - R4/2

Assigned in Sampling

MSA53

MSA Status - R5/3

Assigned in Sampling

MSA00

MSA Status As Of 12/31/00

Assigned in Sampling

REFPRS31

Reference Person At - R3/1

RE 42-45

REFPRS42

Reference Person At - R4/2

RE 42-45

REFPRS53

Reference Person At - R5/3

RE 42-45

REFPRS00

Reference Person As Of 12/31/00

RE 42-45

RESP31

1st Respondent Indicator For R3/1

RE 6, 8

RESP42

1st Respondent Indicator For R4/2

RE 6, 8

RESP53

1st Respondent Indicator For R5/3

RE 6, 8

RESP00

1st Respondent Indicator As Of 12/31/00

RE 6, 8

PROXY31

Was Respondent A Proxy In R3/1

RE 2

PROXY42

Was Respondent A Proxy In R4/2

RE 2

PROXY53

Was Respondent A Proxy In R5/3

RE 2

PROXY00

Was Respondent A Proxy As Of 12/31/00

RE 2

INTVLANG

Language in which Interview was Completed

Constructed

BEGRFD31

R3/1 Reference Period Begin Date: Day

CAPI Derived

BEGRFM31

R3/1 Reference Period Begin Date: Month

CAPI Derived

BEGRFY31

R3/1 Reference Period Begin Date: Year

CAPI Derived

ENDRFD31

R3/1 Reference Period End Date: Day

CAPI Derived

ENDRFM31

R3/1 Reference Period End Date: Month

CAPI Derived

ENDRFY31

R3/1 Reference Period End Date: Year

CAPI Derived

BEGRFD42

R4/2 Reference Period Begin Date: Day

CAPI Derived

BEGRFM42

R4/2 Reference Period Begin Date: Month

CAPI Derived

BEGRFY42

R4/2 Reference Period Begin Date: Year

CAPI Derived

ENDRFD42

R4/2 Reference Period End Date: Day

CAPI Derived

ENDRFM42

R4/2 Reference Period End Date: Month

CAPI Derived

ENDRFY42

R4/2 Reference Period End Date: Year

CAPI Derived

BEGRFD53

R5/3 Reference Period Begin Date: Day

CAPI Derived

BEGRFM53

R5/3 Reference Period Begin Date: Month

CAPI Derived

BEGRFY53

R5/3 Reference Period Begin Date: Year

CAPI Derived

ENDRFD53

R5/3 Reference Period End Date: Day

CAPI Derived

ENDRFM53

R5/3 Reference Period End Date: Month

CAPI Derived

ENDRFY53

R5/3 Reference Period End Date: Year

CAPI Derived

ENDRFD00

2000 Reference Period End Date: Day

RE Section

ENDRFM00

2000 Reference Period End Date: Month

RE Section

ENDRFY00

2000 Reference Period End Date: Year

RE Section

KEYNESS

Person Key Status

RE Section

INSCOP31

Inscope - R3/1

RE Section

INSCOP42

Inscope - R4/2

RE Section

INSCOP53

Inscope - R5/3

RE Section

INSCOP00

Inscope - R5/3 Start Through 12/31/00

RE Section

INSC1231

Inscope Status on 12/31/00

Constructed

INSCOPE

Was Person Ever Inscope In 2000

RE Section

ELGRND31

Eligibility - R3/1

RE Section

ELGRND42

Eligibility - R4/2

RE Section

ELGRND53

Eligibility - R5/3

RE Section

ELGRND00

Eligibility Status as of 12/31/00

RE Section

ELIGIBLE

Was Person Ever Eligible In 2000

RE Section

PSTATS31

Person Disposition Status - R3/1

RE Section

PSTATS42

Person Disposition Status - R4/2

RE Section

PSTATS53

Person Disposition Status - R5/3

RE Section

RURSLT31

RU Result - R3/1

Assigned by CAPI

RURSLT42

RU Result - R4/2

Assigned by CAPI

RURSLT53

RU Result - R5/3

Assigned by CAPI

DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

AGE31X

Age - R3/1 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 12, 57-66

AGE42X

Age - R4/2 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 12, 57-66

AGE53X

Age - R5/3 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 12, 57-66

AGE00X

Age as of 12/31/00 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 12, 57-66

DOBMM

Date of Birth: Month

RE 12, 57-66

DOBYY

Date of Birth: Year

RE 12, 57-66

SEX

Sex

RE 12, 57, 61

RACEX

Race (Edited/Imputed)

RE 101, 102

RACETHNX

Race/Ethnicity (Edited/Imputed)

RE 98-102

HISPANX

Hispanic Ethnicity (Edited/Imputed)

RE 98-100

HISPCAT

Specific Hispanic Ethnicity Group

RE 98-100

MARRY31X

Marital Status - R3/1 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 13, 97

MARRY42X

Marital Status - R4/2 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 13, 97

MARRY53X

Marital Status - R5/3 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 13, 97

MARRY00X

Marital Status-12/31/00 (Edited/Imputed)

RE 13, 97

SPOUID31

Spouse ID - R3/1

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

SPOUID42

Spouse ID - R4/2

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

SPOUID53

Spouse ID - R5/3

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

SPOUID00

Spouse ID - 12/31/00

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

SPOUIN31

Marital Status W/ Spouse Present - R3/1

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

SPOUIN42

Marital Status W/ Spouse Present - R4/2

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

SPOUIN53

Marital Status W/ Spouse Present - R5/3

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

SPOUIN00

Marital Status W/Spouse Present-12/31/00

RE 13, 76, 77, 97

EDUCYEAR

Years of Educ When First Entered MEPS

RE 103-105

HIDEGYR

Highest Degree When First Entered MEPS

RE 103-105

FTSTU31X

Student Status If Ages 17-23 - R3/1

RE 11A, 106-108

FTSTU42X

Student Status If Ages 17-23 - R4/2

RE 11A, 106-108

FTSTU53X

Student Status If Ages 17-23 - R5/3

RE 11A, 106-108

FTSTU00X

Student Status If Ages 17-23 - 12/31/00

RE 11A, 106-108

ACTDTY31

Military Full-Time Active Duty - R3/1

RE14, 96A

ACTDTY42

Military Full-Time Active Duty - R4/2

RE 14, 96B1

ACTDTY53

Military Full-Time Active Duty - R5/3

RE 14, 96B1

DIDSERVE

Ever Served In Armed Forces

RE 18, 95

VETVIET

Served In Vietnam War Era

RE 35, 94, 94A, 95, 96

VETKOR

Served In Korean War Era

RE 35, 94, 94A, 95, 96

VETWW

Served In WWI Or WW2 Era

RE 35, 94, 94A, 95, 96

VETOTH

Served In Other Period

RE 35, 94, 94A, 95, 96

RFREL31X

Relation To Ref Pers - R3/1 (Edit/Imp)

RE 76-77

RFREL42X

Relation To Ref Pers - R4/2 (Edit/Imp)

RE 76-77

RFREL53X

Relation To Ref Pers - R5/3 (Edit/Imp)

RE 76-77

RFREL00X

Relation To Ref Pers - 12/31/00 (Edit/Imp)

RE 76-77

MOPID31X

PID of Person's Mom (Edited/Imputed)

RE 76-77

MOPID42X

PID of Person's Mom (Edited/Imputed)

RE 76-77

MOPID53X

PID of Person's Mom (Edited/Imputed)

RE 76-77

DAPID31X

PID of Person's Dad (Edited/Imputed)

RE 76-77

DAPID42X

PID of Person's Dad (Edited/Imputed)

RE 76-77

DAPID53X

PID of Person's Dad (Edited/Imputed)

RE 76-77

INCOME VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

SSIDIS00

SSI Receipt Due To Disability

IN 39

AFDC00

Did Person's Check Include Tanf

IN 44

FILEDR00

Has Person Filed A Fed Income Tax Return

IN 02

WILFIL00

Will Person File Fed Income Tax Return

IN 03

FLSTAT00

Person's Filing Status

IN 04

FILER00

Primary Or Secondary Filer

IN 04

JTINRU00

Joint Filer's Membership In RU

IN 05

JNTPID00

PID of Secondary Filer

IN 05

CLMDEP00

Did/Will Pers Claim Dependents On Return

IN 06

DEPDNT00

Person Is Flagged A Dependent

IN 07

DPINRU00

Dependents In/Out Of RU

IN 07

DPOTSD00

How Many Dependents Live Outside RU

IN 08

TAXFRM00

Tax Form Person Will File

IN 09

DEDUCT00

Itemize Or Standard Deduction

IN 10

ITMEXP00

Will Person Itemize Medical Expense

IN 11

MEXAMT00

Total Amount For Medical Expenses

IN 12

NTMDED00

Person's Net Medical Expense Deduction

IN 13

TOTDED00

Total Of All Itemized Deductions

IN 14

CLMHIP00

Did/Will Pers Deduct Health Insur Prem

IN 15

ELDISC00

Did/Will Pers Receive Elderly/Disab Cred

IN 16

EICRDT00

Did/Will Pers Receive Earned Inc Credit

IN 17

UNEMTX00

Taxable Percentage Of Unemployment

IN 30OV

INTRTX00

Taxable Percentage Of Interest

IN 19OV

SSECTX00

Taxable Percentage Of Social Security

IN 31OV

IRATAX00

Taxable Percentage Of Ira Income

IN 25OV

FOODST00

Did Anyone Purchase Food Stamps

IN 55

FOODMN00

Number Of Months Food Stamps Purchased

IN 56

FOODCT00

Monthly Amount Family Paid For Food Stamps

IN 57

FOODVL00

Monthly Value Of Food Stamps

IN 58

TTLP00X

Person's Total Income

Constructed

POVCAT00

Family Income As Percent Of Poverty Line

Constructed

WAGEP00X

Person's Wage Income

Constructed

WAGIMP00

Wage Imputation Flag

Constructed

BUSNP00X

Person's Business Income

Constructed

BUSIMP00

Business Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

FARMP00X

Person's Farm Income

Constructed

FARIMP00

Farm Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

UNEMP00X

Person's Unemployment Comp Income

Constructed

UNEIMP00

Unemployment Imputation Flag

Constructed

WCMPP00X

Person's Workers' Compensation

Constructed

WCPIMP00

Workers' Comp Imputation Flag

Constructed

INTRP00X

Person's Interest Income

Constructed

INTIMP00

Interest Imputation Flag

Constructed

DIVDP00X

Person's Dividend Income

Constructed

DIVIMP00

Dividend Imputation Flag

Constructed

SALEP00X

Person's Sales Income

Constructed

SALIMP00

Sales Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

PENSP00X

Person's Pension Income

Constructed

PENIMP00

Pension Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

SSECP00X

Person's Social Security Income

Constructed

SSCIMP00

Social Security Imputation Flag

Constructed

TRSTP00X

Person's Trust/Rent Income

Constructed

TRTIMP00

Trust Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

VETSP00X

Person's Veteran's Income

Constructed

VETIMP00

Veteran's Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

IRASP00X

Person's Ira Income

Constructed

IRAIMP00

Ira Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

REFDP00X

Person's Refund Income

Constructed

REFIMP00

Refund Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

ALIMP00X

Person's Alimony Income

Constructed

ALIIMP00

Alimony Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

CHLDP00X

Person's Child Support

Constructed

CHLIMP00

Child Support Imputation Flag

Constructed

CASHP00X

Person's Other Regular Cash Contrib

Constructed

CSHIMP00

Cash Contribution Imputation Flag

Constructed

SSIP00X

Person's SSI

Constructed

SSIIMP00

SSI Imputation Flag

Constructed

PUBP00X

Person's Public Assistance

Constructed

PUBIMP00

Public Assistance Imputation Flag

Constructed

OTHRP00X

Person's Other Income

Constructed

OTHIMP00

Other Income Imputation Flag

Constructed

EMPLOYMENT VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

EMPST31

Employment Status Rd 3/1

EM 1-3; RJ 1, 6

EMPST42

Employment Status Rd 4/2

EM 1-3; RJ 1, 6

EMPST53

Employment Status Rd 5/3

EM 1-3; RJ 1, 6

RNDFLG31

Data Collection Round for Rd 3/1 CMJ

Constructed

MORJOB31

Has More Than One Job Rd 3/1 Int Date

EM 1-4, 51; RJ 1, 6; Constructed

MORJOB42

Has More Than One Job Rd 4/2 Int Date

EM 1-4, 51; RJ 1, 6; Constructed

MORJOB53

Has More Than One Job Rd 5/3 Int Date

EM 1-4, 51; RJ 1, 6; Constructed

EVRWRK

Ever Worked For Pay in Life as of 12/31/00

EM 1-4, 51; RJ 1, 6; Constructed

HRWG31X

Hourly Wage Rd 3/1 CMJ (Imputed)

EW 5, 7, 11-13, 17-18, 24; EM 104, 111

HRWG42X

Hourly Wage Rd 4/2 CMJ (Imputed)

EW 5, 7, 11-13, 17-18, 24; EM 104, 111

HRWG53X

Hourly Wage Rd 5/3 CMJ (Imputed)

EW 5, 7, 11-13, 17-18, 24; EM 104, 111

HRWGIM31

HRWG31X Imputation Flag

Constructed

HRWGIM42

HRWG42X Imputation Flag

Constructed

HRWGIM53

HRWG53X Imputation Flag

Constructed

HRHOW31

How Hourly Wage Was Calculated R3/1

EM 2-3, 51, 104, 111; EW 2-24

HRHOW42

How Hourly Wage Was Calculated R4/2

EM 2-3, 51, 104, 111; EW 2-24

HRHOW53

How Hourly Wage Was Calculated R5/3

EM 2-3, 51, 104, 111; EW 2-24

HOUR31

Hours Per Week at RD 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 104-105, 111; EW 17

HOUR42

Hours Per Week at RD 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 104-105, 111; EW 17

HOUR53

Hours Per Week at RD 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 104-105, 111; EW 17

SELFCM31

Self-Employed at RD 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51; RJ 01

SELFCM42

Self-Employed at RD 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51; RJ 01

SELFCM53

Self-Employed at RD 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51; RJ 01

DISVW31X

Disavowed Health Insur at R3/1 CMJ (Ed)

EM113, 117; RJ07, 08, 08A; HX and OE Sections

DISVW42X

Disavowed Health Insur at R4/2 CMJ (Ed)

EM113, 117; RJ07, 08, 08A; HX and OE Sections

DISVW53X

Disavowed Health Insur at R5/3 CMJ (Ed)

EM113, 117; RJ07, 08, 08A; HX and OE Sections

CHOIC31

Choice of Health Plans at Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96, 113-115, 124; RJ08

CHOIC42

Choice of Health Plans at Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96, 113-115, 124; RJ08

CHOIC53

Choice of Health Plans at Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96, 113-115, 124; RJ08

CIND31

Condensed Industry Code Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 97-100; RJ01; Constructed

CIND42

Condensed Industry Code Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 97-100; RJ01; Constructed

CIND53

Condensed Industry Code Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 97-100; RJ01; Constructed

NUMEMP31

Number of Employees at Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 91-92, 124; RJ01

NUMEMP42

Number of Employees at Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 91-92, 124; RJ01

NUMEMP53

Number of Employees at Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 91-92, 124; RJ01

MORE31

Rd 3/1 CMJ Firm Has More Than One Location

EM 1-3, 51, 94; RJ01

MORE42

Rd 4/2 CMJ Firm Has More Than One Location

EM 1-3, 51, 94; RJ01

MORE53

Rd 5/3 CMJ Firm Has More Than One Location

EM 1-3, 51, 94; RJ01

UNION31

Union Status at Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96, 116; RJ01

UNION42

Union Status at Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96, 116; RJ01

UNION53

Union Status at Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96, 116; RJ01

NWK31

Reason Not Working During Rd 3/1

EM 1-3, 101-102, 126-127, 132-133, 138-139, 141, 141OV; RJ10

NWK42

Reason Not Working During Rd 4/2

EM 1-3, 101-102, 126-127, 132-133, 138-139, 141, 141OV; RJ10

NWK53

Reason Not Working During Rd 5/3

EM 1-3, 101-102, 126-127, 132-133, 138-139, 141, 141OV; RJ10

CHGJ3142

Changed Job Between Rd 3/1 and Rd 4/2

RJ01, 01A

CHGJ4253

Changed Job Between Rd 4/2 and Rd 5/3

RJ01, 01A

YCHJ3142

Why Chngd Job Between Rd 3/1 and Rd 4/2

RJ10, 10OV

YCHJ4253

Why Chngd Job Between Rd 4/2 and Rd 5/3

RJ10, 10OV

STJBMM31

Month Started Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBDD31

Day Started Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBYY31

Year Started Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBMM42

Month Started Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBDD42

Day Started Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBYY42

Year Started Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBMM53

Month Started Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBDD53

Day Started Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

STJBYY53

Year Started Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM10, 10OV, 10OV2; RJ01, 01A

EVRETIRE

Person Has Ever Retired

EM 1-3, 101-102, 126-127, 132-133, 138-139, 141, 141OV; RJ 01, 10

COCCP31

Condensed Occupation Code Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM99-100; RJ 01, 01A; Constructed

COCCP42

Condensed Occupation Code Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM99-100; RJ 01, 01A; Constructed

COCCP53

Condensed Occupation Code Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM99-100; RJ 01, 01A; Constructed

BGNWK31

Usual Start Time of Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 105, 105A, 105OV; RJ 01, 02

BGNWK42

Usual Start Time of Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 105, 105A, 105OV; RJ 01, 02

BGNWK53

Usual Start Time of Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 105, 105A, 105OV; RJ 01, 02

ENDWK31

Usual End Time of Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 105, 105A, 105OV; RJ 01, 02

ENDWK42

Usual End Time of Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 105, 105A, 105OV; RJ 01, 02

ENDWK53

Usual End Time of Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 105, 105A, 105OV; RJ 01, 02

PAYVAC31

Paid Vacation at Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 109; RJ 01, 02

PAYVAC42

Paid Vacation at Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 109; RJ 01, 02

PAYVAC53

Paid Vacation at Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 109; RJ 01, 02

SICPAY31

Paid Sick Leave at Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 107; RJ 01, 02

SICPAY42

Paid Sick Leave at Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 107; RJ 01, 02

SICPAY53

Paid Sick Leave at Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 107; RJ 01, 02

PAYDR31

Paid Leave to Visit Dr Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 107-108; RJ 01, 02

PAYDR42

Paid Leave to Visit Dr Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 107-108; RJ 01, 02

PAYDR53

Paid Leave to Visit Dr Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 107-108; RJ 01, 02

RETPLN31

Pension Plan at Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 110; RJ 01, 02

RETPLN42

Pension Plan at Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 110; RJ 01, 02

RETPLN53

Pension Plan at Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 110; RJ 01, 02

SHFTWK31

Irregular Work Shift Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 105; RJ 01, 02

SHFTWK42

Irregular Work Shift Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 105; RJ 01, 02

SHFTWK53

Irregular Work Shift Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 105; RJ 01, 02

BSNTY31

Sole Prop, Partner, Corp, Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 94-95; RJ 01, 02

BSNTY42

Sole Prop, Partner, Corp, Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 94-95; RJ 01, 02

BSNTY53

Sole Prop, Partner, Corp, Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 94-95; RJ 01, 02

JOBORG31

Priv (Profit/Nonprofit) Gov Rd 3/1 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96; RJ 01, 02

JOBORG42

Priv (Profit/Nonprofit) Gov Rd 4/2 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96; RJ 01, 02

JOBORG53

Priv (Profit/Nonprofit) Gov Rd 5/3 CMJ

EM 1-3, 51, 96; RJ 01, 02

HELD31X

Health Insur Held from Rd 3/1 CMJ (Ed)

EM117; HX, HP and OE Sections

HELD42X

Health Insur Held from Rd 4/2 CMJ (Ed)

EM117; HX, HP and OE Sections

HELD53X

Health Insur Held from Rd 5/3 CMJ (Ed)

EM117; HX, HP and OE Sections

OFFER31X

Health Insur Offered by Rd 3/1 CMJ (Ed)

EM113, 114, 117; RJ and HX Sections

OFFER42X

Health Insur Offered by Rd 4/2 CMJ (Ed)

EM113, 114, 117; RJ and HX Sections

OFFER53X

Health Insur Offered by Rd 5/3 CMJ (Ed)

EM113, 114, 117; RJ and HX Sections

MONTHLY HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE INDICATORS

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

TRImm00X

Covered By Tricare in mm 00 (Ed), where mm = JA-DE

HX12, 13, PR19-22, HQ Section, RE14, 96A, and age at interview date

MCRmm00

Covered By Medicare In mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX05-07, 27, 29, 29OV

MCRmm00X

Covered By Medicare In mm 00 (Ed), where mm = JA-DE

HX05-07, 27, 29, 29OV, see documentation, section 2.5.10 , for additional edit specifications

MCDmm00

Covered By Medicaid in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX10-11, PR07-10 and HQ Section

MCDmm00X

Covered By Medicaid in mm 00 (Ed), where mm = JA-DE

MCDmm00, HX14-16, 18-19, 41-43, 45, PR11-14, 23-32, 39-42

OPAmm00

Cov By Other Public A Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX14-15, 41-45, PR 23-32 and HQ Section

OPBmm00

Cov By Other Public B Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX14-15, 41-43, PR23-30 and HQ Section

STAmm00

Covered By Other State Prog in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX16-19, PR35-38 and HQ Section

PUBmm00X

Covr By Any Public Ins in mm 00 (Ed), where mm = JA-DE

TRmm00X, MCRmm00X,

MCDmm00X,

OPAmm00, OPBmm00

PEGmm00

Covered By Empl Union Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX2-4, 21-24, 48; HP, OE, HQ, EM, RJ Sections

PDKmm00

Covr By Priv Ins (Source Unknwn) mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX21-24, 48, HP, OE, and HQ Sections

PNGmm00

Covered By Nongroup Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX21-24, 48, HP, OE, and HQ Sections

POGmm00

Covered By Other Group Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX21-24, 48, HP, OE, and HQ Sections

PRSmm00

Covered By Self-Emp-1 Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX3, 4, 48, HQ, OE, RJ and EM sections

POUmm00

Covered By Holder Outside Of RU in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HX21-24, 48, HP, OE, and HQ Sections

PRImm00

Covered By Private Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

POGmm00, PDKmm00, PEGmm00, PRSmm00, POUmm00, PNGmm00

HPEmm00

Holder Of Empl Union Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

PEGmm00, HP9, 11

HPDmm00

Holder Of Priv Ins (Source Unknwn) mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

PDKmm00; HP11

HPNmm00

Holder Of Nongroup Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

PNGmm00; HP11

HPOmm00

Holder Of Other Group Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

POGmm00; HP11

HPSmm00

Holder Of Self-Emp-1 Ins in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

PRSmm00; HP9

HPRmm00

Holder Of Private Insurance in mm 00, where mm = JA-DE

HPEmm00, HPSmm00, HPOmm00, HPNmm00, HRDmm00

INSmm00X

Covr By Hosp/Med Ins in mm 00 (Ed) , where mm = JA-DE

PUBmm00X, PRImm00

Return To Table Of Contents

SUMMARY HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE INDICATORS

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

PRVEV00

Ever Have Private Insurance During 00

Constructed

TRIEV00

Ever Have Tricare During 00

Constructed

MCREV00

Ever Have Medicare During 00

Constructed

MCDEV00

Ever Have Medicaid During 00

Constructed

OPAEV00

Ever Have Other Public A During 00

Constructed

OPBEV00

Ever Have Other Public B During 00

Constructed

UNINS00

Uninsured All of 00

Constructed

INSCOV00

Health Insurance Coverage Indicator 00

Constructed

MANAGED CARE VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

MCDHMO31

Covered By Medicaid HMO - R3/1

HX10-11, HX14-16, HX18-19, HX41-43, HX45, PR07-10, PR11-14, PR23-32, PR39-42 and HQ Section

MCDHMO42

Covered By Medicaid HMO - R4/2

HX10-11, HX14-16, HX18-19, HX41-43, HX45, PR07-10, PR11-14, PR23-32, PR39-42 and HQ Section

MCDHMO00

Covered By Medicaid HMO - 12/31/00

HX10-11, HX14-16, HX18-19, HX41-43, HX45, PR07-10, PR11-14, PR23-32, PR39-42 and HQ Section

MCDMC31

Covered By Medicaid Gatekeeper Plan-R3/1

MCDHMO31, HX10-11, HX14-16, HX18-19, HX41-43, HX45, PR07-10, PR11-14, PR23-32, PR39-42 and HQ Section

MCDMC42

Covered By Medicaid Gatekeeper Plan-R4/2

MCDHMO42, HX10-11, HX14-16, HX18-19, HX41-43, HX45, PR07-10, PR11-14, PR23-32, PR39-42 and HQ Section

MCDMC00

Covered By Mcaid Gatekeeper Plan-12/31/00

MCDHMO00, HX10-11, HX14-16, HX18-19, HX41-43, HX45, PR07-10, PR11-14, PR23-32, PR39-42 and HQ Section

PRVHMO31

Covered By Private HMO - R3/1

MC01, HX2-4, 21-24,48; HP, OE, HQ, EM, and RJ Sections

PRVHMO42

Covered By Private HMO - R4/2

MC01, HX2-4, 21-24,48; HP, OE, HQ, EM, and RJ Sections

PRVHMO00

Covered By Private HMO -12/31/00

MC01, HX2-4, 21-24,48; HP, OE, HQ, EM, and RJ Sections

PRVMNC31

Covered By Private Gatekeeper Plan-R3/1

MC01-02, HX2-4, 21-24,48; HP, OE, HQ, EM, and RJ Sections

PRVMNC42

Covered By Private Gatekeeper Plan-R4/2

MC01-02, HX2-4, 21-24,48; HP, OE, HQ, EM, and RJ Sections

PRVMNC00

Covered By Priv Gatekeeper Plan-12/31/00

MC01-02, HX2-4, 21-24,48; HP, OE, HQ, EM, and RJ Sections

Return To Table Of Contents

DURATION OF HEALTH INSURANCE VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

PREVCOVR

Was Person Covered By Ins In Previous Two Years - Panel 5 Only

HX64

COVRMM

Month Most Recently Covered - Panel 5 Only

HX65

COVRYY

Year Most Recently Covered - Panel 5 Only

HX65

WASESTB

Was Prev Ins By Union Or Employer - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASMCARE

Was Prev Ins By Medicare - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASMCAID

Was Prev Ins By Medicaid/SCHIP - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASCHAMP

Was Prev Ins By Champus/Champva - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASVA

Was Prev Ins By VA/Military Care - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASPRIV

Was Prev Ins By Group/Assoc/Ins Co - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASOTGOV

Insurance That Ended Was Other Govt Prog - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASAFDC

Was Prev Ins By Public AFDC- Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASSSI

Was Prev Ins By SSI Program - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASSTAT1

Was Prev Ins By State Program 1 - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASSTAT2

Was Prev Ins By State Program 2 - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

WASOTHER

Was Prev Ins By Some Other Source - Panel 5 Only

HX66, HX78

NOINSBEF

Ever Without Health Insurance In Previous Year - Panel 5 Only

HX70

NOINSTM

Num Weeks/Months Without HI In Previous Year - Panel 5 Only

HX71

NOINUNIT

Unit For Time Without Health Insurance - Panel 5 Only

HX71OV

MORECOVR

Covered By More Comprehensive Plan In Previous Two Years - Panel 5 Only

HX76

INSENDMM

Month Most Recently Covered - Panel 5 Only

HX77

INSENDYY

Year Most Recently Covered - Panel 5 Only

HX77

Return To Table Of Contents

PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS EXCLUSIONS/DENIAL OF INSURANCE

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

DENYINSR

Person Ever Denied Insurance - Panel 5 Only

HX67,HX74,HX79

DNYCANC

Cancer Caused Insurance Denial - Panel 5 Only

HX68,HX75,HX80

DNYHYPER

Hypertension Caused Insurance Denial - Panel 5 Only

HX68,HX75,HX80

DNYDIAB

Diabetes Caused Insurance Denial - Panel 5 Only

HX68,HX75,HX80

DNYCORON

Coronary Artery Disease Caused Insurance Denial - Panel 5 Only

HX68,HX75,HX80

DENYOTH

Other Reason Caused Insurance Denial - Panel 5 Only

HX68,HX75,HX80

INSLOOK

Person Ever Looked For Insurance? - Panel 5 Only

HX69

INSLIMIT

Any Limit/Restrictions On Insurance - Panel 5 Only

HX72

LMTBACK

Condition Caused Limit: Back Problems - Panel 5 Only

HX73

LIMITOT

Condition Caused Limit: Other - Panel 5 Only

HX73

OTHER HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

TRICR31X

PID Cov By Tricare - Rd 31 Int (Ed)

Constructed

TRICR42X

PID Cov By Tricare - Rd 42 Int (Ed)

Constructed

TRICR53X

PID Cov By Tricare - Rd 53 Int (Ed)

Constructed

TRICR00X

PID Cov By Tricare - 12/31/00 (Ed)

Constructed

TRIAT31X

At Any Time Coverage By Tricare - Rd 31

Constructed

TRIAT42X

At Any Time Coverage By Tricare- Rd 42

Constructed

TRIAT53X

At Any Time Coverage By Tricare- Rd 53

Constructed

TRIAT00X

At Any Time Cov By Tricare - 12/31/00

Constructed

MCARE31

PID Cov By Medicare - Rd 31 Int Date

Constructed

MCARE42

PID Cov By Medicare - Rd 42 Int Date

Constructed

MCARE53

PID Cov By Medicare - Rd 53 Int Date

Constructed

MCARE00

PID Cov By Medicare - 12/31/00

Constructed

MCARE31X

PID Cov By Medicare - Rd 31 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

MCARE42X

PID Cov By Medicare - Rd 42 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

MCARE53X

PID Cov By Medicare - Rd 53 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

MCARE00X

PID Cov By Medicare - 12/31/00 (Ed)

Constructed

MCAID31

Cov By Medicaid of SCHIP - Rd 31 Int

Constructed

MCAID42

Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 42 Int

Constructed

MCAID53

Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 53 Int Date

Constructed

MCAID00

PID Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - 12/31/00

Constructed

MCAID31X

PID Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 31 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

MCAID42X

PID Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 42 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

MCAID53X

PID Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 53 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

MCAID00X

PID Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - 12/31/00 (Ed)

Constructed

MCDAT31X

At Any Time Coverage By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 31

Constructed

MCDAT42X

At Any Time Coverage By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 42

Constructed

MCDAT53X

At Any Time Coverage By Medicaid Or SCHIP - Rd 53

Constructed

MCDAT00X

At Any Time Cov By Medicaid Or SCHIP - 12/31/00

Constructed

OTPUBA31

Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - Rd 31 Int

Constructed

OTPUBA42

Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - Rd 42 Int

Constructed

OTPUBA53

Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - Rd 53 Int

Constructed

OTPUBA00

Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - 12/31/00

Constructed

OTPAAT31

Any Time Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - Rd 31

Constructed

OTPAAT42

Any Time Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - Rd 42

Constructed

OTPAAT53

Any Time Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - Rd 53

Constructed

OTPAAT00

Any Time Cov By/Pays Oth Gov Mcaid HMO - 12/31/00

Constructed

OTPUBB31

Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO - Rd 31 Int

Constructed

OTPUBB42

Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO - Rd 42 Int

Constructed

OTPUBB53

Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO - Rd 53 Int

Constructed

OTPUBB00

Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO - 12/31/00

Constructed

OTPBAT31

Any Time Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO -Rd 31

Constructed

OTPBAT42

Any Time Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO -Rd 42

Constructed

OTPBAT53

Any Time Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO -Rd 53

Constructed

OTPBAT00

Any Time Cov By Oth Gov Not Mcaid HMO -12/31/00

Constructed

PUB31X

PID Cov By Public Ins-Rd 31 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

PUB42X

PID Cov By Public Ins-Rd 42 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

PUB53X

PID Cov By Public Ins-Rd 53 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

PUB00X

PID Cov By Public Ins - 12/31/00 (Ed)

Constructed

PUBAT31X

At Any Time Cov By Public - Rd 31

Constructed

PUBAT42X

At Any Time Cov By Public - Rd 42

Constructed

PUBAT53X

At Any Time Cov By Public - Rd 53

Constructed

PUBAT00X

At Any Time Cov By Public - 12/31/00

Constructed

STAPR31

PID Cov By State-Specific Prog-Rd 31 Int

Constructed

STAPR42

PID Cov By State-Specific Prog-Rd 42 Int

Constructed

STAPR53

PID Cov By State-Specific Prog-Rd 53 Int

Constructed

STAPR00

PID Cov By State-Specific Prog-12/31/00

Constructed

STPRAT31

At Any Time Coverage By State Ins - Rd 31

Constructed

STPRAT42

At Any Time Coverage By State Ins - Rd 42

Constructed

STPRAT53

At Any Time Coverage By State Ins - Rd 53

Constructed

STPRAT00

At Any Time Cov By State Ins - 12/31/00

Constructed

PRIEU31

PID Cov By Empl/Union Grp Ins- Rd 31 Int

Constructed

PRIEU42

PID Cov By Empl/Union Grp Ins- Rd 42 Int

Constructed

PRIEU53

PID Cov By Empl/Union Grp Ins- Rd 53 Int

Constructed

PRIEU00

PID Cov By Empl/Union Grp Ins - 12/31/00

Constructed

PRING31

PID Cov By Non-Group Ins - Rd 31 Int Dt

Constructed

PRING42

PID Cov By Non-Group Ins - Rd 42 Int Dt

Constructed

PRING53

PID Cov By Non-Group Ins - Rd 53 Int Dt

Constructed

PRING00

PID Cov By Non-Group Ins - 12/31/00

Constructed

PRIOG31

PID Cov By Other Group Ins - Rd 31 Int Dt

Constructed

PRIOG42

PID Cov By Other Group Ins- Rd 42 Int Dt

Constructed

PRIOG53

PID Cov By Other Group Ins - Rd 53 Int Dt

Constructed

PRIOG00

PID Cov By Other Group Ins - 12/31/00

Constructed

PRIDK31

PID Cov By Priv Ins (Dk Plan)- Rd 31 Int

Constructed

PRIDK42

PID Cov By Priv Ins (Dk Plan) -Rd 42 Int

Constructed

PRIDK53

PID Cov By Priv Ins (Dk Plan) -Rd 53 Int

Constructed

PRIDK00

PID Cov By Priv Ins (Dk Plan) - 12/31/00

Constructed

PRIS31

PID Cov By Self-Emp-1 Ins - Rd 31 Int Dt

Constructed

PRIS42

PID Cov By Self-Emp-1 Ins - Rd 42 Int Dt

Constructed

PRIS53

PID Cov By Self-Emp-1 Ins - Rd 53 Int Dt

Constructed

PRIS00

PID Cov By Self-Emp-1 Ins - 12/31/00

Constructed

PROUT31

PID Cov By Someone Out Of RU - Rd 31 Int

Constructed

PROUT42

PID Cov By Someone Out Of RU - Rd 42 Int

Constructed

PROUT53

PID Cov By Someone Out Of RU - Rd 53 Int

Constructed

PROUT00

PID Cov By Someone Out Of RU - 12/31/00

Constructed

PRIV31

PID Has Private Hlth Ins - Rd 31 Int Date

Constructed

PRIV42

PID Has Private Hlth Ins- Rd 42 Int Date

Constructed

PRIV53

PID Has Private Hlth Ins - Rd 53 Int Date

Constructed

PRIV00

PID Has Private Hlth Ins - 12/31/00

Constructed

PRIVAT31

Any Time Cov By Private - Rd 31

Constructed

PRIVAT42

Any Time Cov By Private - Rd 42

Constructed

PRIVAT53

Any Time Cov By Private - Rd 53

Constructed

PRIVAT00

Any Time Cov By Private - 12/31/00

Constructed

INS31X

PID Is Insured - Rd 31 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

INS42X

PID Is Insured - Rd 42 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

INS53X

PID Is Insured - Rd 53 Int Date (Ed)

Constructed

INS00X

PID Is Insured - 12/31/00 (Ed)

Constructed

INSAT31X

Insured Any Time In Rd31

Constructed

INSAT42X

Insured Any Time In Rd42

Constructed

INSAT53X

Insured Any Time In Rd53

Constructed

INSAT00X

Insured Any Time In Rd3 Until 12/31/00 /Rd 5

Constructed

Return To Table Of Contents

DENTAL AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRIVATE INSURANCE VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

DENTIN31

Dental insurance coverage - R3/1

HX 48, OE 10, OE 24, OE 37

DENTIN42

Dental insurance coverage - R4/2

HX 48, OE 10, OE 24, OE 37

DENTIN53

Dental insurance coverage - R5/3

HX 48, OE 10, OE 24, OE 37

PMEDIN31

Prescription drug insurance - R3/1

HX 48, OE 10, OE 24, OE 37

PMEDIN42

Prescription drug insurance - R4/2

HX 48, OE 10, OE 24, OE 37

PMEDIN53

Prescription drug insurance - R5/3

HX 48, OE 10, OE 24, OE 37

Return To Table Of Contents

DISABILITY DAYS VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

DDNWRK31

Health Problem Causes Work Loss (R31)

DD 02

DDNWRK42

Health Problem Causes Work Loss (R42)

DD 02

DDNWRK53

Health Problem Causes Work Loss (R53)

DD 02

WKINBD31

½ Or More Of Workloss Day Spent In Bed (R31)

DD 04

WKINBD42

½ Or More Of Workloss Day Spent In Bed (R42)

DD 04

WKINBD53

½ Or More Of Workloss Day Spent In Bed (R53)

DD 04

DDNSCL31

Health Problem Causes School Loss Day (R31)

DD 05

DDNSCL42

Health Problem Causes School Loss Day (R42)

DD 05

DDNSCL53

Health Problem Causes School Loss Day (R53)

DD 05

SCLNBD31

½ Or More Of School Loss Day Spent In Bed (R31)

DD 07

SCLNBD42

½ Or More Of School Loss Day Spent In Bed (R42)

DD 07

SCLNBD53

½ Or More Of School Loss Day Spent In Bed (R53)

DD 07

DDBDYS31

Bed Days Other Than Work Or School Loss Days (R31)

DD 08

DDBDYS42

Bed Days Other Than Work Or School Loss Days (R42)

DD 08

DDBDYS53

Bed Days Other Than Work Or School Loss Days (R53)

DD 08

OTHDYS31

Work Loss Days Because Of Other's Health (R31)

DD 10

OTHDYS42

Work Loss Days Because Of Other's Health (R42)

DD 10

OTHDYS53

Work Loss Days Because Of Other's Health (R53)

DD 10

OTHNDD31

Number Work Loss Days For Other's Health (R31)

DD 11

OTHNDD42

Number Work Loss Days For Other's Health (R42)

DD 11

OTHNDD53

Number Work Loss Days For Other's Health (R53)

DD 11

Return To Table Of Contents

ACCESS TO CARE VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

ACCELI42

Pers Eligible For Access Supplement

Constructed

HAVEUS42

AC 01 Does Person Have A USC Provider?

AC01

YNOUSC42

AC 03 Main Reason Pers Doesn't Have A USC

AC03

NOREAS42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: No Other Reasons

AC04

SELDSI42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Seldom Or Nev Sick

AC04

NEWARE42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Recently Moved

AC04

DKWHRU42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Dk Where To Go

AC04

USCNOT42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: USC Not Available

AC04

PERSLA42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Language

AC04

DIFFPLA42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Different Places

AC04

INSRPL42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Just Changed Insur

AC04

MYSELF42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: No Docs/Treat Self

AC04

CARECO42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Cost Of Med Care

AC04

OTHINS42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Ins Related Reason

AC04

OTHREA42

AC 04 Oth Reas No USC: Other Reason

AC04

TYPEPL42

USC Type Of Place

AC06, AC07

PROVTY42

Provider Type

PV01, PV03, PV05, PV10

YGOTOU42

AC 08 Main Reason Pers Goes To Hosp USC

AC08

NOREA942

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: No Other Reasons

AC09

LIKESU42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Prefers/Likes

AC09

DKELSE42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Dk Wh Else To Go

AC09

AFFORD42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Can't Afford Oth

AC09

OFFICE42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Dr Office At OPD

AC09

AVAILT42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Avail When Time

AC09

CONVEN42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Convenience

AC09

BSTPLA42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Best For Cond

AC09

INSREA42

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Insurance-Related

AC09

OTHRE942

AC 09 Oth Reas Go To USC: Other Reason

AC09

GETTOU42

AC 09a How Does Persn Get To USC Provider

AC09A

TYPEPE42

USC Type Of Provider

AC10, AC11, AC110V, AC12, AC12OV

LOCATI42

USC Location

Constructed

MINORP42

AC 14 Go To USC For New Health Problem

AC14

PREVEN42

AC 14 Go To USC For Preventive Health Care

AC14

REFFRL42

AC 14 Go To USC For Referrals

AC14

OFFHOU42

AC 15 USC Has Office Hrs Nights/Weekends

AC15

APPTWL42

AC 16 When See USC, Have Appt Or Walk In

AC16

APPDIF42

AC 17 How Difficult To Get Appt With USC

AC17

WAITTI42

AC 18 With Appt, How Long Til Seen By USC

AC18

PHONED42

AC 19 How Difficult Contact USC By Phone

AC19

PRLIST42

AC 19a Does USC Prov Listen?

AC19A

TREATM42

AC 19b Prov Ask About Other Treatments

AC19B

CONFID42

AC 19c Confident In USC Prov's Ability?

AC19C

PROVST42

AC 19d How Satisfied With USC Staff

AC19D

USCQUA42

AC 19e Satisfied With Quality Of Care

AC19E

CHNGUS42

AC 20 Has Anyone Changed USC In Last Year

AC20

YCHNGU42

AC 21 Why Did Person(S) Change USC

AC21

ANYUSC42

AC 22 Has Anyone Had A USC In Last Year

AC22

YNOMOR42

AC 23 Why Don't They Have A USC Anymore?

AC23

NOCARE42

AC 24 Did Anyone Go W/Out Health Care?

AC24

HCNEED42

AC 24a Satisfied Family Can Get Care

AC24A

OBTAIN42

AC 25 Anyone Have Difficlty Obtain Care

AC25

MAINPR42

AC 25a Main Reason Experienced Difficulty

AC25A

NOOTHP42

AC 26 Difficulty: No Other Problems

AC26

NOAFFO42

AC 26 Difficulty: Couldn't Afford Care

AC26

INSNOP42

AC 26 Difficulty: Ins Company Won't Pay

AC26

PREEXC42

AC 26 Difficulty: Pre-Existing Condition

AC26

INSRQR42

AC 26 Difficulty: Ins Required Referral

AC26

REFUSI42

AC 26 Difficulty: Dr Refused Ins Plan

AC26

DISTAN42

AC 26 Difficulty: Distance

AC26

PUBTRA42

AC 26 Difficulty: Public Transportation

AC26

EXPENS42

AC 26 Difficulty: Too Expen To Get There

AC26

HEARPR42

AC 26 Difficulty: Hearing Impair/ Loss

AC26

LANGBA42

AC 26 Difficulty: Language Barrier

AC26

INTOBL42

AC 26 Difficulty: Hard To Get Into Bldg

AC26

INSIDE42

AC 26 Difficulty: Hard To Get Around

AC26

EQUIPM42

AC 26 Difficulty: No Appropriate Equip

AC26

OFFWOR42

AC 26 Difficulty: Couldn't Get Time Off

AC26

DKWHER42

AC 26 Difficulty: Dk Where To Go

AC26

REFUSE42

AC 26 Difficulty: Was Refused Services

AC26

CHLDCA42

AC 26 Difficulty: Couldn't Get Child Care

AC26

NOTIME42

AC 26 Difficulty: No Time/Took Too Long

AC26

OTHRPR42

AC 26 Difficulty: Other

AC26

Return To Table Of Contents

HEALTH STATUS VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

RTHLTH31

Perceived Health Status - RD 3/1

CE 1

RTHLTH42

Perceived Health Status - RD 4/2

CE 1

RTHLTH53

Perceived Health Status - RD 5/3

CE 1

RTPROX31

Self/Proxy Rating Of Health - RD 3/1

CE 1OV

RTPROX42

Self/Proxy Rating Of Health - RD 4/2

CE 1OV

RTPROX53

Self/Proxy Rating Of Health - RD 5/3

CE 1OV

MNHLTH31

Perceived Mental Health Status - RD 3/1

CE 2

MNHLTH42

Perceived Mental Health Status - RD 4/2

CE 2

MNHLTH53

Perceived Mental Health Status - RD 5/3

CE 2

MNPROX31

Self/Proxy Rating Of Mental Health - RD 3/1

CE 2OV

MNPROX42

Self/Proxy Rating Of Mental Health - RD 4/2

CE 2OV

MNPROX53

Self/Proxy Rating Of Mental Health - RD 5/3

CE 2OV

IADLHP31

IADL Screener - RD 3/1

HE 2-4

IADLHP42

IADL Screener - RD 4/2

HE 2-4

IADLHP53

IADL Screener - RD 5/3

HE 2-4

ADLHLP31

ADL Screener - RD 3/1

HE 5-6

ADLHLP42

ADL Screener - RD 4/2

HE 5-6

ADLHLP53

ADL Screener - RD 5/3

HE 5-6

AIDHLP31

Used Assistive Devices - RD 3/1

HE 7-8

AIDHLP53

Used Assistive Devices - RD 5/3

HE 7-8

WLKLIM31

Limitation In Physical Functioning - RD 3/1

HE 9-18

WLKLIM53

Limitation In Physical Functioning - RD 5/3

HE 9-18

LFTDIF31

Difficulty Lifting 10 Pounds - RD 3/1

HE 11

LFTDIF53

Difficulty Lifting 10 Pounds - RD 5/3

HE 11

STPDIF31

Difficulty Walking Up 10 Steps - RD 3/1

HE 12

STPDIF53

Difficulty Walking Up 10 Steps - RD 5/3

HE 12

WLKDIF31

Difficulty Walking 3 Blocks - RD 3/1

HE 13

WLKDIF53

Difficulty Walking 3 Blocks - RD 5/3

HE 13

MILDIF31

Difficulty Walking A Mile - RD 3/1

HE 14

MILDIF53

Difficulty Walking A Mile - RD 5/3

HE 14

STNDIF31

Difficulty Standing 20 Minutes - RD 3/1

HE 15

STNDIF53

Difficulty Standing 20 Minutes - RD 5/3

HE 15

BENDIF31

Difficulty Bending/Stooping - RD 3/1

HE 16

BENDIF53

Difficulty Bending/Stooping - RD 5/3

HE 16

RCHDIF31

Difficulty Reaching Overhead - RD 3/1

HE 17

RCHDIF53

Difficulty Reaching Overhead - RD 5/3

HE 17

FNGRDF31

Difficulty Using Fingers To Grasp - RD 3/1

HE 18

FNGRDF53

Difficulty Using Fingers To Grasp - RD 5/3

HE 18

ACTLIM31

Any Limitation Work/Housewrk/Schl - RD 3/1

HE 19-20

ACTLIM53

Any Limitation Work/Housewrk/Schl - RD 5/3

HE 19-20

WRKLIM31

Work Limitation - RD 3/1

HE 20A

WRKLIM53

Work Limitation - RD 5/3

HE 20A

HSELIM31

Housework Limitation - RD 3/1

HE 20A

HSELIM53

Housework Limitation - RD 5/3

HE 20A

SCHLIM31

School Limitation - RD 3/1

HE 20A

SCHLIM53

School Limitation - RD 5/3

HE 20A

UNABLE31

Completely Unable To Do Activity - RD 3/1

HE 21

UNABLE53

Completely Unable To Do Activity - RD 5/3

HE 21

SOCLIM31

Social Limitations - RD 3/1

HE 22-23

SOCLIM53

Social Limitations - RD 5/3

HE 22-23

COGLIM31

Cognitive Limitations - RD 3/1

HE 24-25

COGLIM53

Cognitive Limitations - RD 5/3

HE 24-25

WRGLAS42

Wears Glasses or Contact Lenses - RD 4/2

HE 26-27

SEEDIF42

Diffclty Seeing W/Glasses/Cntcts-RD 4/2

HE 28-29

BLIND42

Person Is Blind - RD 4/2

HE 30

READNW42

Can Read Newsprnt W/Glasses/Cntcts-RD4/2

HE 31

RECPEP42

Can Recgnze People W/Glasses/Cntcts-RD4/2

HE 32

VISION42

Vision Impairment (Summary) - RD 4/2

Constructed

HEARAD42

Person Wears Hearing Aid - RD 4/2

HE 33-34

HEARDI42

Any Difficlty Hearing W/Hearing Aid-RD4/2

HE 35-36

DEAF42

Person Is Deaf - RD 4/2

HE 37

HEARMO42

Can Hear Most Conversation - RD 4/2

HE 38

HEARSM42

Can Hear Some Conversation - RD 4/2

HE 39

HEARNG42

Hearing Impairment (Summary) - RD 4/2

Constructed

ANYLIM00

Any Limitation in P4R3,4,5/P5R1,2,3

Constructed

LIMACT42

Limited In Any Activities (<5 YR)-RD 4/2

HE 40-41

PLYLIM42

Limited In Play Activity (<5 YRS)-RD 4/2

HE 42

CANTPL42

Can't Participate Usual Play (<5 YR)-R4/2

HE 43

SPCPRO42

In Special Program (<5 YRS) - RD 4/2

HE 44

DPTSHT42

Immunization For Dpt (<7 YRS) - RD 4/2

HE 45

NUMDPT42

One Or Several Dpt Shots (<7 YRS)-RD 4/2

HE 46

POLSHT42

Immunization For Polio (<7 YRS)-RD 4/2

HE 47

NUMPOL42

One Or Several Polio Shots (<7 YR)-RD4/2

HE 48

MMRSHT42

Immunization Measles/Mumps/Rubella-R4/2

HE 49

HEPSHT42

Immunization For Hepatitis (<7 YR)-RD4/2

HE 49A

MOMPRO42

Problem Getting Along W/Mom (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 50

DADPRO42

Problem Getting Along W/Dad (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 50

UNHAP42

Problem Feeling Unhappy/Sad (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 50

SCHLBH42

Problem Behavior At School (5-17)-RD 4/2

HE 50

HAVFUN42

Problem Having Fun (5-17) - RD 4/2

HE 50

ADUPRO42

Prblm Getting Along W/Adults (5-17)-R4/2

HE 50

NERVAF42

Prblm Feeling Nervous/Afraid (5-17)-R4/2

HE 50

SIBPRO42

Problem Getting Along W/Sib (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 50

KIDPRO42

Prblm Getting Along W/Kids (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 50

SPRPRO42

Problem W/Sports/Hobbies (5-17) - RD 4/2

HE 50

SCHPRO42

Problem With Schoolwork (5-17)-RD 4/2

HE 50

HOMEBH42

Problem W/Behavior At Home (5-17)-RD 4/2

HE 50

TRBLE42

Prblm Stay Out Of Trouble (5-17)-RD 4/2

HE 50

SPCSCH42

Need Special School Program (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 51

SPECED42

In Special Education (5-17) - RD 4/2

HE 52

SPCHTH42

Received Speech Therapy (5-17) - RD 4/2

HE 52B

PSYCNS42

Psychological Counseling (5-17) - RD 4/2

HE 52B

OCUPTH42

Received Occupational Thrpy (5-17)-R4/2

HE 52B

VOCSVC42

Received Vocational Services (5-17) R4/2

HE 52B

TUTOR42

Received Tutoring (5-17) - RD 4/2

HE 52B

READIN42

Use Reader Or Interpreter (5-17)-RD 4/2

HE 52B

PHYTHR42

Received Physical Therapy (5-17)-RD 4/2

HE 52B

LIFSKL42

Received Life Skills Training(5-17)-R4/2

HE 52B

FAMCNS42

Received Family Counseling (5-17)-RD 4/2

HE 52B

RECTHR42

Received Recreational Thrpy (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 52B

OTHSVC42

Received Oth School Service (5-17)-RD4/2

HE 52B

CANTSC42

Lmted/Unable To Go To School (5-17)-R4/2

HE 53

LMOACT42

Lmted In Non-School Activity (5-17)-R4/2

HE 54

HLTHY42

Child Resists Illness Well (0-17)-RD 4/2

HE 55

NTHLTH42

Less Hlthy Than Same Age Kids(0-17)-R4/2

HE 55

GETSIC42

Child Catches What's Around (0-17)-RD4/2

HE 55

HGTFT42

Child's Height - Feet (0-17) - RD 4/2

HE 56

HGTIN42

Child's Height - Inches (0-17) - RD 4/2

HE 56

WGTLB42

Child's Weight - Pounds (0-17) - RD 4/2

HE 57

WGTOZ42

Child's Weight - Ounces (0-17) - RD 4/2

HE 57

CHLIM42

Child Has Any Limitation (0-17) - RD 4/2

Constructed

WHRCAR00

Where was Child Care Provided in 2000

HE25C

WHOCAR00

Who Provided Child Care in 2000

HE25B

DAYCAR00

Child Care Arrangements Required in 2000

HE25A

DENTCK53

How Often Dental Check-up - RD 5/3

AP 12

CHOLCK53

How Lng Cholest Lst Chck (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 16

CHECK53

How Lng Lst Routne Checkup (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 17

FLUSHT53

How Lng Last Flu Sht (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 18

LSTETH53

Lost All Uppr And Lowr Teeth (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 18B

PSA53

How Long Since Last PSA (>39) - RD 5/3

AP 19

HYSTER53

Had A Hysterectomy (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 20A

PAPSMR53

How Lng Lst Pap Smear Tst (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 20

BRSTEX53

How Lng Snce Lst Breast Exam (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 21

MAMOGR53

How Lng Snce Lst Mammogram (>29) - RD 5/3

AP 22

STOOL53

Bld Stool Tst Kit/Crds Home (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 23

WHENST53

Whn Lst Bld Stool Tst Hme Kit (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 24

BOWEL53

Sigmoidoscopy/Colonoscopy (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 25

WHNBWL53

Lst Sigmoidoscop/Colonoscop (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 26

PHYACT53

Mod/Vig Phys Activ 3X Wk (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 28

HGHTFT53

Person Hgt W/Out Shoes-Feet (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 29_01

HGHTIN53

Pers Hgt W/Out Shoes-Inch (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 29_02

WEIGHT53

Weight Without Shoes (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 30

WGTEST53

Weight Estimate (>17) - RD 5/3

AP 31

SEATBE53

Wears Seat Belt (>15) - RD 5/3

AP 32

DIABDX53

Diabetes Diagnosis - RD 5/3

PC 02

ASTHDX53

Asthma Diagnosis - RD 5/3

PC 04

ASATAK53

Asthma Attack Last 12 Mos- RD 5/3

PC 05

ASMED53

Take Meds For Asthma - RD 5/3

PC 06

ASSTER53

Take Inhaled Steroids Asthma - RD 5/3

PC 07

ASFLOW53

Have Peak Flow Meter At Home - RD 5/3

PC 08

HIBPDX53

High Blood Pressure Diag (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 09

BPMLDX53

Mult Diag High Blood Press (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 10

BPCHEK53

Time Snce Lst Blood Pres Chk (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 11

BPMONT53

# Mos Snce Lst Blood Pres Chk (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 11OV

CHDDX53

Coronary Hrt Disease Diag (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 12_01

ANGIDX53

Angina Diagnosis (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 12_02

MIDX53

Heart Attack (MI) Diag (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 12_03

OHRTDX53

Other Heart Disease Diag (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 12_04

STRKDX53

Stroke Diagnosis (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 12_05

EMPHDX53

Emphysema Diagnosis (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 12_06

NOFAT53

Restrict HGH Fat/Choles Food (>17)-RD 5/3

PC 13_01

EXRCIS53

Advised to Exercise More (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 13_02

ASPRIN53

Tke Aspirn Every (Othr) Day (>17)-RD 5/3

PC 15

NOASPR53

Taking Aspirin Unsafe (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 16

STOMCH53

Tke Asprn Unsafe B/C Stomch (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 17

JTPAIN53

Joint Pain Last 12 Months (>17) - RD 5/3

PC 18

SVERLANG SAQ: Language of Administration for SAQ CAPI derived

AGEJUL01

SAQ/PAQ: Age as Of July 1, 2000

Constructed

ADPRX42

SAQ: Relationship Of Proxy To Adult

Constructed

ADRTCR42

SAQ 12 Mos: Made Appt Routine Med Care

SAQ Q1

ADRTWW42

SAQ 12 Mos: Got Med Appt When Wanted

SAQ Q2

ADILCR42

SAQ 12Mos: Ill/Injury Needing Immed Care

SAQ Q3

ADILWW42

SAQ 12 Mos: Got Care When Needed Ill/Inj

SAQ Q4

ADAPPT42

SAQ 12 Mos:# Visits To Med Off For Care

SAQ Q5

ADNECR42

SAQ 12Mos: Probs Getting Needed Med Care

SAQ Q6

ADLIST42

SAQ 12 Mos: Doctor Listened To You

SAQ Q7

ADEXPL42

SAQ 12 Mos: Doc Explained So Understood

SAQ Q8

ADRESP42

SAQ 12 Mos: Dr Showed Respect

SAQ Q9

ADPRTM42

SAQ 12 Mos: Dr Spent Enuf Time With You

SAQ Q10

ADHECR42

SAQ 12 Mos: Rating Of Health care

SAQ Q11

ADDRBP42

SAQ 2 Yrs: Dr Checked Blood Pressure

SAQ Q12

ADSMOK42

SAQ: Currently Smoke

SAQ Q13

ADDSMK42

SAQ 12 Mos: Dr Advised Quit Smoking

SAQ Q14

ADSPEC42

SAQ 12 Mos: Needed To See Specialist

SAQ Q15

ADPRRE42

SAQ 12Mos: Problem Getting Spec Referral

SAQ Q16

ADGENH42

SAQ: Health In General SF-12

SAQ Q17

ADDAYA42

SAQ: Hlth Limits Mod Activities SF-12

SAQ Q18A

ADCLIM42

SAQ: Hlth Limits Climbing Stairs SF-12

SAQ Q18B

ADPACC42

SAQ 4 Wks: Did Less B/C Phys Probs SF-12

SAQ Q19A

ADPLMT42

SAQ 4 Wks: Limit Wk B/C Phys Probs SF-12

SAQ Q19B

PCS42

SAQ Physical Component Summary SF-12 Imputed

SAQ: Q17-33

ADMACC42

SAQ 4 Wks: Did Less B/C Ment Probs SF-12

SAQ Q20A

ADMLMT42

SAQ 4 Wks: Lim Wk B/C Ment Probs SF-12

SAQ Q20B

MCS42

SAQ Mental Component Summary SF-12 Imputed

SAQ Q17-33

SFFLAG42

SAQ PCS/MCS Imputation Flag SF-12

SAQ Q17-33

ADPAIN42

SAQ 4 Wks: Pain Limits Normal Work SF-12

SAQ Q21

ADCALM42

SAQ 4 Wks: Felt Calm/Peaceful SF-12

SAQ Q22A

ADPEP42

SAQ 4 Wks: Had A Lot Of Energy SF-12

SAQ Q22B

ADBLUE42

SAQ 4 Wks: Felt Downhearted/Blue SF-12

SAQ Q22C

ADSOCA42

SAQ 4 Wks: Hlth Stopped Soc Activ SF-12

SAQ Q23

ADINSA42

SAQ: Do Not Need Health Insurance

SAQ Q24A

ADINSB42

SAQ: Health Insurance Not Worth Cost

SAQ Q24B

ADRISK42

SAQ: More Likely To Take Risks

SAQ Q24C

ADOVER42

SAQ: Can Overcome Ills Without Med Help

SAQ Q24D

ADMOBI42

SAQ Health Today: Mobility EQ-5D

SAQ Q25A

ADSELF42

SAQ Health Today: Self-Care EQ-5D

SAQ Q25B

ADACTI42

SAQ Health Today: Usual Activity EQ-5D

SAQ Q25C

ADPAYN42

SAQ Health Today: Pain/Discomfort EQ-5D

SAQ Q25D

ADDEPR42

SAQ Hlth Today: Anxiety/Depression EQ-5D

SAQ Q25E

ADHLTH42

SAQ: Health Today Vs Past 12Mos

SAQ Q26

ADSCAL42

SAQ Scale: Health State Today EQ-5D

SAQ Q27

EQU42 SAQ Preference Based Index EQ-5D SAQ Q25a-Q25e

CHPRX42

PAQ: Relationship of Proxy To Child

Constructed

CHRTCR42

PAQ 12 Mos: Make Routine Care Appt-R42

PAQ Q1

CHRTWW42

PAQ 12 Mos: Rout Appt When Wanted-R42

PAQ Q2

CHILCR42

PAQ 12 Mos: Ill/Inj Needing Care-R42

PAQ Q3

CHILWW42

PAQ 12 Mos: Ill/Inj Care When Wanted-R42

PAQ Q4

CHAPPT42

PAQ 12Mos: How Many Off/Clinic Appts-R42

PAQ Q5

CHNECR42

PAQ 12 Mos: Probs Getting Neces Care-R42

PAQ Q6

CHLIST42

PAQ 12 Mos: Child's Dr Listen To You-R42

PAQ Q7

CHEXPL42

PAQ 12Mos: Child's Dr Explain Things-R42

PAQ Q8

CHRESP42

PAQ 12 Mos: Child's Dr Show Respect-R42

PAQ Q9

CHPRTM42

PAQ 12 Mos: Child's Dr Enough Time-R42

PAQ Q10

CHHECR42

PAQ 12 Mos: Rate Child's Health Care-R42

PAQ Q11

CHSPEC42

PAQ 12 Mos: Child Needed Specialist-R42

PAQ Q12

CHPRRE42

PAQ 12Mos: Prob To Get Refer To Spec-R42

PAQ Q13

CHPMED42

PAQ LWIM: Child Needs Prescrib Med-R42

PAQ Q14

CHPMHB42

PAQ LWIM:Pmed For Hlth Or Behav Cond-R42

PAQ Q14A

CHPMCN42

PAQ LWIM: Pmed Cond Last 12+ Mos-R42

PAQ Q14B

CHSERV42

PAQ LWIM: Child Needs Med&Oth Serv-R42

PAQ Q15

CHSRHB42

PAQ LWIM:Serv For Hlth Or Behav Cond-R42

PAQ Q15A

CHSRCN42

PAQ LWIM: Serv Cond Last 12+ Mos-R42

PAQ Q15B

CHLIMI42

PAQ LWIM: Limited In Any Way-R42

PAQ Q16

CHLIHB42

PAQ LWIM:Limit For Health/Behav Cond-R42

PAQ Q16A

CHLICO42

PAQ LWIM: Limit Cond Last 12+Mos-R42

PAQ Q16B

CHTHER42

PAQ LWIM:Child Needs Special Therapy-R42

PAQ Q17

CHTHHB42

PAQ LWIM:Spec Therapy For Hlth+ Cond-R42

PAQ Q17A

CHTHCO42

PAQ LWIM: Therapy Cond Last 12+ Mos-R42

PAQ Q17B

CHCOUN42

PAQ LWIM: Child Needs Counseling-R42

PAQ Q18

CHEMPB42

PAQ LWIM:Counselng Prob Last 12+ Mos-R42

PAQ Q18A

CSHCN42 PAQ Child with Special Health Care Needs Constructed

DSDIA53

DCS: Diabetes Diagnosis By Health Prof

DCS Q1

DSA1C53

DCS: Times Tested For A-One-C - 2000

DCS Q2

DSCKFT53

DCS: Times Feet Checked For Sores - 2000

DCS Q3

DSEYE53

DCS: Last Eye Exam With Pupils Dilated

DCS Q4

DSKIDN53

DCS: Has Diabetes Caused Kidney Problems

DCS Q5

DSEYPR53

DCS: Has Diabetes Caused Eye Probs

DCS Q6

DSDIET53

DCS: Treat Diabetes W/Diet Modification

DCS Q7

DSMED53

DCS: Treat Diabetes W/Meds By Mouth

DCS Q8

DSINSU53

DCS: Treat Diabetes W/Insulin Injections

DCS Q9

DSPRX53

DCS: Was Respondent A Proxy

Constructed

WEIGHTS VARIABLES

VARIABLE

DESCRIPTION

SOURCE

PERWT00F

Final Person Weight

Constructed

FAMWT00F

Final Family Weight

Constructed

FAMWT00C

Poverty Adj Family Weight-CPS Fam on 12/31/00

Constructed

SQPQW00F

Final SAQ-PAQ Person Weight

Constructed

DIABW00F

Final Diabetes Care Supplement Weight

Constructed

VARSTR00

Variance Estimation Stratum-2000

Constructed

VARPSU00

Variance Estimation Psu-2000

Constructed

Return To Table Of Contents

Appendix 1: Summary of Utilization and Expenditure Variables by Health Service Category

HEALTH SERVICE CATEGORY

UTILIZATION VARIABLE(S)

EXPENDITURE VARIABLE(S)

All Health Services

--

TOT***00

Office Based Visits

Total Office Based Visits (Physician + Non-physician + Unknown)

OBTOTV00

OBV***00

Office Based Visits to Physicians

OBDRV00

OBD***00

Office Based Visits to Non-Physicians

OBOTHV00

OBO***00

Office Based Visits to Chiropractors

OBCHIR00

OBC***00

Office Based Nurse or Nurse Practitioner Visits

OBNURS00

OBN***00

Office Based Visits to Optometrists

OBOPTO00

OBE***00

Office Based Physician Assistant Visits

OBASST00

OBA***00

Office Based Physical or Occupational Therapist Visits

OBTHER00

OBT***00

Hospital Outpatient Visits

Total Outpatient Visits (Physician + Non-physician + Unknown)

OPTOTV00

--

Facility Expense

--

OPF***00

SBD Expense

--

OPD***00

Outpatient Visits to Physicians

OPDRV00

--

Facility Expense

--

OPV***00

SBD Expense

--

OPS***00

Outpatient Visits to Non-Physicians

OPOTHV00

--

Facility Expense

--

OPO***00

SBD Expense

--

OPP***00

HEALTH SERVICE CATEGORY

UTILIZATION VARIABLE(S)

EXPENDITURE VARIABLE(S)

Emergency Room Visits

Total Emergency Room Visits

ERTOT00

--

Facility Expense

--

ERF***00

SBD Expense

--

ERD***00

Inpatient Hospital Stays (Including Zero Night Stays)

Total Inpatient Stays (Including Zero Night Stays)

IPDIS00, IPNGTD00

--

Facility Expense

--

IPF***00

SBD Expense

--

IPD***00

Zero night Hospital Stays

IPZERO00

--

Facility Expense

--

ZIF***00

SBD Expense

--

ZID***00

Dental Visits

Total Dental Visits

DVTOT00

DVT***00

General Dental Visits

DVGEN00

DVG***00

Orthodontist Visits

DVORTH00

DVO***00

Home Health Care

Total Home Health Care

HHTOTD00

--

Agency Sponsored

HHAGD00

HHA***00

Paid Independent Providers

HHINDD00

HHN***00

Informal

HHINFD00

--

Other

Vision Aids

--

VIS***00

Other Medical Supplies and Equipment

--

OTH***00

Prescription Medicines

RXTOT00

RX***00

KEY: To complete variable name, replace *** with a particular source of payment category as identified in the following table:

Source of Payment Category

***

Total payments (sum of all sources)

EXP

Out of Pocket

SLF

Medicare

MCR

Medicaid

MCD

Private Insurance

PRV

Veteran's Administration

VA

Tricare

TRI

Other Federal Sources

OFD

Other State and Local Sources

STL

Workers' Compensation

WCP

Other Private

OPR

Other Public

OPU

Other Unclassified Sources

OSR

Total charges

TCH

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