Codes and Frequencies
Description
For persons in families with at least one private insurance plan, this variable indicates if the first plan reported paid for hospital expenses.
Data Collection Process
Details about the characteristics of insurance plans (such as HI1HOSP) reflect plans for any family member in the household. In order to determine if the person (rather than someone else in the family) was covered by this plan, analysts should use the variable HI1PCOV (Health Insurance Plan 1: Person's Coverage Status), which indicates whether the person was covered by the plan.
Information was collected on up to five plans per family (six plans in 1983).
Users may also want to use the variables HI2HOSP, HI3HOSP, HI4HOSP, and HI5HOSP (and HI6HOSP for 1983). Likewise, the variables HI2PCOV, HI3PCOV, HI4PCOV, and HI5PCOV indicate coverage status for each plan.
For 1980 to 1989, single service plans were not considered a form of health insurance, but plans which paid extra cash for hospitalizations were a form of health insurance. Users are strongly encouraged to review the user notes Insurance Data Collection and Private Insurance Definitions.
Comparability
HI1HOSP is comparable over time for years prior to 1989. There were changes in the survey quarters in which this question was asked in 1983, but using the prescribed IPUMS NHIS weights eliminates comparability issues related to survey design.
A key difference is that in 1989, respondents were instructed to exclude plans that pay for only one type of service. Prior to 1989, respondents were only told to exclude plans that pay only for accidents. Thus, the survey in 1989 includes more explicit instructions on the exclusion of single service plans. The Field Representative's Manual for 1989 noted that such plans were a new and relatively rare form of insurance at the time.
Universe
- 1980: Persons covered by private health insurance, or whose coverage status was unknown.
- 1982; 1984;: Persons who were covered by private health insurance that pays any part of a hospital, doctor's or surgeon's bill.
- 1983: Persons in quarters 3 and 4 who were covered by private health insurance that pays any part of a hospital, doctor's, or surgeon's bill.
- 1986; 1989: Persons who were covered by private health insurance that pays any part of a hospital, doctor's, dentist's or surgeon's bill.
Availability
- 1980, 1982-1984, 1986, 1989
Weights
- 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1989 : PERWEIGHT
- 1983 : SAMPWEIGHT
