This public use data file contains the second point-in-time public use data files to be released from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS HC). Released as an ASCII file with SAS, SPSS, and STATA programming statements and in SAS transport format, it provides information collected on a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States during the first part of 1997. This file consists of 1997 data obtained in Panel 1 Round 3 and Panel 2 Round 1 of the survey and contains variables pertaining to survey administration, demographics, employment, health status, and health insurance.