SPMMEDXPNS is a 10-digit floating point variable.
99999999.0 = NIU (Not in universe)

Description

SPMMEDXPNS records the value of family medical out-of-pocket expenses (MOOP) used in the construction of the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). Medical expenditures are reported by CPS respondents and are adjusted to reflect the cost of Medicare Part B premiums for Medicare recipients. Medical expenditures are calculated at the level of SPM family units.

In 2014, the Census Bureau updated SPMFEDTAXAC values for CPS ASEC 2010. The old values are available here: Old SPM and Weights Values.

SPM variables prior to 2010 are created by Columbia University's Center on Poverty and Social Research. Details about the methodology used by CPSP to construct the Historical SPM are described in the Historical SPM user note.

For more information on the calculation of medical expenditure and impact medical expenditures on poverty rates, see the Census Bureau's "Medical Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Poverty, and the Uninsured" report.

Comparability

Prior to 2010, SPM variables are constructed by CPSP using data from the CPS ASEC and other sources to calculate household resources and poverty thresholds. These variables are created using the best possible data available, but some must be imputed due to incomplete data coverage (particularly in the earliest years of the Historical SPM). Users are encouraged to read the Historical SPM documentation for information about CPSP's methodology and use caution when comparing pre- and post-2010 values.

Aside from the effects of inflation, SPMMEDXPNS is comparable across years from 2010 to 2018.

In 2019, the Census Bureau implemented a new processing system to accommodate survey changes. These changes affect income and relationship variables, making poverty measurements before and after 2019 incomparable. For more information on this overhaul, see our guide to the 2019 ASEC updates.

Universe

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Unharmonized Variables