The MCBS is a continuous, multipurpose survey of a representative sample of the Medicare population, both aged and disabled. The MCBS focuses on economic issues, including health care use and expenditures and factors that affect use of care and the beneficiary's ability to pay. Sample individuals are interviewed three times a year over several years to form a continuous profile of their health care experience. Interviews are conducted regardless of whether the sample person resides at home or in a long-term care facility, using the questionnaire version appropriate to the setting. The MCBS also collects a variety of information about demographic characteristics(date of birth, sex, race, education, military service, and marital status), health status and functioning, access to care, insurance coverage, financial resources, and family support.
Years Available: 1991-present
Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria: Medicare population, age groups: <45, 45-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85+
Methods: Interview questionnaire every four months
Sampling Design: Longitudinal panel survey of sample representative of Medicare population
Sample Size: 12,000
Unit of Observation: Individual
Limitations:
Data Format:
Publisher: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
URL:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/mcbs/default.asp
Variables: Website (above) contains codebooks for Access to Care and Cost and Use files