This technical brief describes how to access SHADAC-enhanced Current Population Survey (CPS) variables from the IPUMS web site maintained by the Minnesota Population Center.

Background:  SHADAC researchers have developed an enhanced time series to enable a harmonized view of health insurance coverage over time using the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS).  The estimates released by the Census Bureau do not account for some methodological changes that result in known consistency problems.  Research conducted by SHADAC since 2000 has proven that these and other problems impact health insurance coverage estimates.  As such, the enhanced estimates are useful for policy analysis.

For more information on the changes applied with this adjustment see SHADAC's technical brief, "SHADAC-Enhanced Current Population Survey Health Insurance Coverage Estimates:  A Summary of Historical Adjustments."

Download a PDF of the brief.