Change in Plan Name. The variable NAMECHNG indicates whether the name of the plan obtained through the establishment changed from the prior round. For Panel 20 Rounds 2 and 3 and Panel 19 Rounds 3, 4 and 5, NAMECHNG is set to “yes” if someone in the RU had coverage through the establishment in the prior round and still had coverage at the time of the interview, and the respondent answered yes to the following question (OE09, OE23, OE35): {Last time we recorded that (POLICYHOLDER) (were/was) covered by {INSURER OF ESTAB-PERS-INSURER TRIPLE ON PREV RD INT DT}.} {Since (START DATE), has there been/Between (START DATE) and (END DATE), was there} any change in the plan name of the health insurance (POLICYHOLDER) (have/has) through (ESTABLISHMENT)? If the respondent answered no, then NAMECHNG is coded “no.” If no one in the RU had coverage through the establishment in the prior round, no one had coverage at the time of the interview, or it is a Round 1 record, then NAMECHNG is set to “inapplicable.” When the respondent answered yes, then MEPS HC asked about types of benefits, which are updated on the PRPL file. There are two important caveats to this variable. First, changes in plan name do not necessarily imply the plan itself changed. For example, the plan may have merely changed its name for marketing purposes. Second, the variable NAMECHNG pertains only to changes in plan names at the same establishment; a policyholder may switch plans if she or he switches the establishment (including employer) through which she or he obtains insurance. Switches in EPRSIDs and ESTBIDs between rounds indicate those other types of changes.
