Description

For sample adults and sample children (and, prior to 2019, all persons) without comprehensive health insurance coverage, HISTOP1 indicates if the reason they lost coverage was because they or the policyholder lost their job or changed employers.

Respondents were handed a card listing possible reasons for no insurance and were asked to specify up to five reason(s) or could specify 'other'. Beginning in 2019, interviewers read the possible reasons instead of handing the respondent a card. For all years, individuals with single service plans were asked for reasons for no insurance, because single service plans were not considered to be insurance plans.

Please see the Comparability tab for information about changes to the universe and response categories of this variable over time.

Comparability

For 1997 and 2019 forward, the question was asked of persons without health insurance coverage for less than 3 years. For 1998 and 1999, the question was asked of persons without health insurance coverage or for whom it is unknown whether they were without health insurance. For 2000-2018, the question was asked of persons without health insurance coverage or whose only health insurance coverage was a single service plan. For 1997-2018, the universe restriction is based on initial responses about insurance coverage and does not reflect any back-editing done by NCHS NHIS staff. Beginning in 2019, the universe restriction is based on the back-edited variables. Please see HIPRIVATEE for details on how back-editing is performed.

Changes to the list of reasons that persons could provide for not having insurance coverage may affect this variable over time. It is possible that persons would be less likely to select this option when the list of other possible reasons for lack of insurance changes. Please see the Survey Text and Codes tabs for more information on response categories available over time.

The NHIS questionnaire was substantially redesigned in 2019 to introduce a different data collection structure and new content. For more information on changes in terminology, universes, and data collection methods beginning in 2019, please see the user note.

Universe

Availability

• 1997-2023

Weights

• 1997-2018 : PERWEIGHT
• 2019-2023 : SAMPWEIGHT