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HISTOP18
Why coverage stopped: Self-employed
Return to Reasons for No Coverage variables list

Codes and Frequencies



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Description

For persons without health insurance coverage, HISTOP18 indicates if a reason for not having coverage is the person is self-employed. Respondents were handed a card listing possible reasons for no insurance and were asked to specify up to five reason(s) or could specify 'other'. For all years, individuals with single service plans were asked for reasons for no insurance, because single service plans were not considered to be insurance plans.

For related variables, please use the IPUMS NHIS search function and drop-down menus.

Comparability

There are no comparability issues for 1998 forward. This variable is not comparable with variables on reasons for no insurance for 1997 and prior due to changes in the universe and response categories. Users who want to compare HISTOP18 with variables from before 1997 should see the recoded variable HINOEMPR.

 

For 1997, the universe includes only those without insurance for less than 3 years and the response categories are slightly different from all other years. For example, in 1997 the survey included several employment related reasons not available for 1998 forward, such as HISTOP5A, employer stopped offering coverage; HISTOP6A), cut back to part-time/became temp employee; and HISTOP7A), benefits from employer ran out. In addition, in 1997, the survey included variables related to unemployment: whether the individual (HISTOP1) or their parent/spouse (HISTOP2A) lost their job or changed employers as the reason for no insurance.

Prior to 1997, persons with no insurance may have been covered through other public programs or may have somehow misreported their coverage status. In addition, for 1997 forward, the NCHS began editing responses regarding insurance coverage status (based on the plan name given by the respondent) to improve accuracy. The variables from before 1997 have not undergone this editing to improve accuracy and are therefore less comparable with those after 1997.

Users who want to compare this variable with those from before 1997 should see the recoded variable HINOEMPR.

Universe

  • 1998-1999: Persons without health insurance coverage or for whom it is unknown whether they were without health insurance.
  • 2000-2018: Persons without health insurance coverage or whose only health insurance coverage is a single service plan.

Availability

  • 1998-2018

Weights