Description

For persons covered by a private insurance plan, this variable is a recoded variable that indicates the type of plan(s) the person had. Information was collected on up to five plans. For each plan, respondents were asked if the person was covered by a plan that paid any part of hospital, doctor's or surgeon's bills. Interviewers then asked for the name of the plan; the plan name was used to recode the variable into the categories available in PRITYPE.

In 1980 and 1982, private health insurance excluded plans which pay only for accidents, though it in included plans which pay extra cash while hospitalized.
The 1980 Field Representative's Manual indicated that private health insurance is specifically designed to pay all or part of the hospital, doctor, surgeon, or other medical expenses of the insured individual.

Users are strongly encouraged to review the user notes Insurance Data Collection and Private Insurance Definitions.

Comparability

There are no comparability issues.

Universe

Availability

• 1980, 1982

Weights

• 1980, 1982 : PERWEIGHT