Topic/focus: Cost and Utilization, Healthcare Facilities and Services Year(s): 1996 - 2011 Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Study and sample characteristics: Survey data Universe: Households, employers, and medical providers Variables: Over 200 Access: Publically available (restricted use data only at AHRQ Data Center) Cost: Free Key web links: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Primary Institutional Contact: EDRC Coordinator (tchelius@mcw.edu)
Summary: The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which began in 1996, is a set of large-scale surveys of families and individuals, their medical providers (doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, etc.), and employers across the United States. MEPS collects data on the specific health services that Americans use, how frequently they use them, the cost of these services, and how they are paid for, as well as data on the cost, scope, and breadth of health insurance held by and available to U.S. workers.