Codes and Frequencies
Description
For persons in families with at least one private insurance plan, HI1WHO indicates the policy holder's name (or "whose name the plan is in") for the first plan mentioned, in categories of the respondent's own name, someone not in the household, or some other family member.
Data Collection Process
Details about the characteristics of insurance plans (such as HI1WHO) 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.
Details were collected on four plans per family for 1993 to 1996 and up to five plans per family for 1989.
Users may want to see the related variables HI2WHO through HI5WHO. Likewise, the variables HI2PCOV through HI5PCOV indicate coverage status for each plan.
Please use the IPUMS NHIS drop down menu and search functions for other related variables.
Definition of Private Insurance
For 1989, respondents with plans that paid only for accidents or for only one type of service (single service plans) were not considered to have private health insurance, but plans which paid "extra cash" for hospital stays were considered to be health insurance. For 1993 to 1996, single service plans were considered to be a form of health insurance.
The definition, order, and wording of private health insurance changed over time to reflect changes in the availability of different types of coverage and issues of interest. Users are strongly encouraged to review the user notes Insurance Data Collection and Private Insurance Definitions.
Universe
- 1989: All persons who were covered by a private insurance plan (excluding those that covered only one type of insurance) obtained through the employer or union
- 1993: All persons in quarters 3 or 4 who were covered by private insurance (which included those that paid for a variety or single service).
- 1994-1996: All persons who were covered by private insurance (which included those that paid for a variety or single service).
Availability
- 1989, 1993-1996
Weights
- 1989, 1994-1996 : PERWEIGHT
- 1993 : SAMPWEIGHT
