Table 3.
Variable Definitions
| Market characteristics: | ||
| Market penetration | HMO market share in the county in year t | |
| IPA plan available | At least one IPA-model plan serving the county in year t | |
| AAPCC rate | AAPCC rate in year t (deviation from the mean) | |
| Census region | Eight dummy variables for census region | |
| Rural/urban continuum code | Six dummy variables for rural/urban continuum code | |
| Health and functional status:† | ||
| Excellent health | Excellent or very good self-perceived health status in year t−1 | |
| Poor health | Poor self-perceived health status in year t−1 | |
| ADLs | Activities of Daily Living (of 6) performed in year t−1 | |
| IADLs | Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (of 6) performed in year t−1 | |
| Social limitations | Limitations on social life due to health problems in year t−1 | |
| History of arthritis | Past or present diagnosis of arthritis reported in year t−1 | |
| History of cancer | Past or present diagnosis of cancer reported in year t−1 | |
| History of stroke | Past or present diagnosis of stroke reported in year t−1 | |
| Number of other conditions | Number of other health conditions in year t−1 of 14: atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's Disease, high blood pressure, myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, other heart problem, skin cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson's Disease, osteoporosis, broken hip, emphysema, and partial paralysis | |
| Demographics: | ||
| Ages 75 to 84 | Age 75 to 84 in year t | |
| Ages 85+ | Age 85 or above in year t | |
| Male | Male | |
| Medicaid recipient | Medicaid recipient in year t | |
| Nursing home resident | Nursing home resident in year t | |
| Less than high school education | Less than high school education | |
| Some college | Some college or college graduate | |
| Medigap policy | Medigap policy in year t−1 | |
| Black | African American race | |
| Other nonwhite race | Nonwhite race other than African American | |
| Married | Married in year t | |
| Has a usual source of care | Had a usual source of health care in year t | |
| Income<$10,000 | Income less than $10,000 in year t | |
| Income $30,001–$50,000 | Income between $30,001 and $50,000 in year t | |
| Income>$50,000 | Income greater than $50,000 in year t | |
| Other control variables: | ||
| Missing income data | Missing income data for year t | |
| Missing education data | Missing education data for year t | |
| Missing Medigap data | Missing Medigap policy data for year t−1 | |
| Year | Three dummy variables representing year of data (year t) | |
| Interaction terms: | ||
| Market penetration×Excellent health | ||
| Market penetration×Poor health | ||
| Market penetration×ADLs | ||
| Market penetration×IADLs | ||
| Market penetration×Social limitations | ||
| Market penetration×History of arthritis | ||
| Market penetration×Number of other conditions | ||
†
Because the MCBS asks whether respondents have “ever had” various chronic conditions, the chronic conditions variables exhibit little intraperson variation over time. The general health and functional status indicators capture both transitory and permanent aspects of health status, though the amount of intraperson variation is still modest.