Description

HIPMDLISR is a recoded variable created by the IPUMS NHIS staff. For persons with at least one comprehensive private health insurance plan for which they can choose any doctor (HIPMDPICR), HIPMDLISR indicates whether their plan provides the option of choosing a doctor from a preferred or select list at lower cost.

Data Collection Process

While information was consistently collected on up to four private plans per family, data are publicly available only for plans one and two beginning in 2004. Changes in the number of plans considered should have little effect on the results for HIPMDLISR.

For 1997 forward, interviewers first asked whether the person was covered by any kind of health insurance or some other kind of health care plan, before asking about the details of private insurance coverage.

In all years, the relevant survey question asked for each private plan was the following:

• Do [you/the family member(s) with this plan] have the option of choosing a doctor from a preferred or select list at lower cost to you?

While the definition of private insurance changed over time, these changes did not affect the detailed questions about the characteristics of private comprehensive insurance plans (in variables like HIPMDLISR). For a description of general changes in the definition of private health insurance during this period, see the variable description for HIPMDOPR and the User Note about "Changes in the Definition of Private Insurance."

Comparability

HIPMDLISR is largely comparable over time. The variable universe and question wording were consistent, and changes in the number of private plans covered would have little effect, given the rarity of people with more than two private plans.

The back-editing of insurance data to correct respondents' misreporting of insurance type reduces the comparability of HIPMDLISR's data from before and after 1997.

For 1997 forward, details on private plan coverage, such as HIPMDLISR, reflect responses for which the coverage type was back-edited. Prior to 1997, respondents may have misreported what type of insurance they had, and these errors were not corrected. Users should thus exercise caution in comparing results for HIPMDLISR from before and after 1997.

Universe

Availability

• 1993-1996, 1998-2018

Weights

• 1994-1996, 1998-2018 : PERWEIGHT
• 1993 : SAMPWEIGHT