Description

For persons in families with at least four private insurance plans, this variable indicates whether the fourth plan reported paid for hospital expenses.

Data Collection Process

Details about the characteristics of insurance plans (such as HI4HOSP) 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 HI4PCOV (Health Insurance Plan 4: Person's Coverage Status), which indicates whether the person was covered by the plan.

Related variables

Please use the IPUMS NHIS drop-down menus and search function for other related variables.

Information was collected on up to five plans per family (six plans in 1983).

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

HI4HOSP 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 IHIS 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

Availability

• 1980, 1982-1984, 1986, 1989

Weights

• 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1989 : PERWEIGHT
• 1983 : SAMPWEIGHT