MEPS-HC Overview

The purpose of the overview is to provide important information on the basic structure of the MEPS survey. The session will provide important information on MEPS data collection, as well as analytical aspects of the survey. This overview will also provide information on different ways MEPS data can be used to answer health care research questions. The discussion will include the following topics: MEPS variables, questionnaires, methodology of data collection, demographic data – age, sex, area of residence, race/ethnicity, marital and education status; health insurance data including Information on the different types of health insurance estimates which can be produced using MEPS; The appropriate use of weights, and how the use of weights, are mandatory for generating nationally representative estimates with MEPS data will be presented. Paper questionnaires will be distributed (Self-Administered Questionnaire, Diabetes Care Supplement, and the Cancer Self-Administered Questionnaire). Capabilities and processes of the AHRQ Data Center will be discussed. MEPS publications on the MEPS website will be shown and discussed. This session will facilitate further understanding of the household data collected by MEPS and how to use this data to answer questions related to health policy.