Codes

This is a 5-digit numeric variable.

Description

FFNGCAID indicates the dollar amount of the family's fungible value of Medicaid. FFNGCAID uses Census-defined family units, which do not necessarily correspond to the IPUMS-derived family units as specified in FAMUNIT. See FTYPE and FAMREL for more on Census family units.

The fungible approach for valuing medical coverage assigns income to the extent that having the insurance would free up resources that would have been spent on medical care. The estimated fungible value depends on family income, the cost of food and housing needs, and the market value of the medical benefits. If family income is not sufficient to cover the family's basic food and housing requirements, the fungible value methodology treats Medicare and Medicaid as having no income value. If family income exceeds the cost of food and housing requirements, the fungible value of Medicare and Medicaid is equal to the amount which exceeds the value assigned for food and housing requirements (up to the amount of the market value of an equivalent insurance policy (total cost divided by the number of participants in each risk class)).

See Alternative Measures of Income Definitions for more information.

Amounts for FFNGCAID are expressed in dollars of the given year, rather than in constant dollars adjusted for inflation. Users can adjust for inflation using Consumer Price Index adjustment factors.

Comparability

Aside from inflation, this variable is comparable over time.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_FFCAID_A1
• UH_FFNGCAID_A1