Data Description and Usage NCHS-Social Security Administration1 September 10, 2009 1 The majority of this text was excerpted from the Rand corporation’s SSA Program Data User’s Manual (Panis,Constantijn; Euller, Ronald; Grant, Cynthia; Bradley, Melissa; Peterson, Christin E.; Hirscher, Randall; and PaulSteinberg. 2000. SSA Program Data User’s Manual. Rand Corporation Contract PM-973- SSA). Table of Contents 1. Master Beneficiary Record 1.1 Description of Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) 1.01 1.2 File Layout of NCHS-MBR linked files 1.02 1.3 Description of Variables 1.08 2. Supplemental Security Record 2.1 Description of Supplemental Security Record (SSR) 2.01 2.2 File Layout of NCHS-SSR linked files 2.01 2.3 Description of Variables 2.04 3. Payment History Update System Record 3.1 Description of Payment History Update System (PHUS) 3.01 3.2 File Layout of NCHS_PHUS linked files 3.02 3.3 Description of Variables 3.03 4. 831 Disability Master File Record 4.1 Description of 831 Disability Master File (831 DMF) 4.01 4.2 File Layout of NCHS_831DMF linked files 4.02 4.3 Description of Variables 4.05 5. Quarters of Coverage File 5.1 Description of Quarters of Coverage File Extract (QOC) 5.01 5.2 File Layout of NCHS_QOC linked files 5.01 5.3 Description of Variables 5.02 6. Appendices A. State and County Geographic Codes A.02 B. District Office Codes A.34 C. Impairment Codes A.48 D. Data Usage Issues associated with NCHS Public Id A.72 E. Sample Counts for NCHS Surveys by SSA Record Type A.75 1. Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) File 1. Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) File 1.1 Source of Data and File Structure The Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) master file contains the data that generates Social Security benefit checks under the Social Security Administration (SSA) Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. The OASDI program provides income support to individuals who have made the transition from work to retirement, who are disabled, or the survivor of a spouse or parent who was entitled to benefits. An MBR record is created whenever an individual applies for benefits. However not everyone who applies receives benefits and the MBR record will reflect the final decision about the initial claim, including denials. The NCHS-MBR data file contains one record for each survey respondent who was linked to a MBR record from the SSA master file. Each MBR record can have up to three segments of OASDI benefit history data. The first record segment describes the benefit, if any, that the respondent applied for through December 2007 and payment history data for that entitlement. Individuals who receive benefits through a dual entitlement situation will have benefit data on a second and/or third record segment. In a dual entitlement situation, a person is entitled to benefits as a retired or disabled worker and is also entitled to benefits as the survivor of a spouse or parent who was entitled to benefits. Therefore, the second and/or third record segments describes the benefit, if any, that the respondent applied for through December 2007 and payment history data for that entitlement as an auxiliary beneficiary based on another person’s earnings. An individual may also have benefit data on the second and/or third record segments if denied benefits on one account but entitled on another, since denial information is also documented. This second and third benefit record segments have the same file layout as the first record segment with the variables identified by the extension _rp2 for the second and _rp3 for the third record segment. In addition, the variable OTBEN_CODE will have a value of “2” if an individual has a second record segment or “3” as indication that an individual has a third benefit record segment. The NCHS-MBR linked files extracted from SSA retrieve the most recent data, as well as, past values for certain data elements. Therefore, some historic information exists on the MBR files. Historic information on the MBR file was expanded after 06/04 and these files contain several occurrences of historical values for certain data groups. There are three main multiple occurrence entry fields in the MBR: The Primary Insurance History (PIH) entries, The Disability Data (DIB) entries, and The Historical Payment Data (HIST) entries. As the values of the fields change, new entries are added to the MBR account record. The Primary Insurance History (PIH) entry is part of the variable account data and records data about the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) for this account. The Disability Data (DIB) entry is the part of the variable benefits data that applies to 1.1 1. Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) File disability benefits for an individual. The History Payment Data (HIST) entry records the actual payments made on this account over time. As the values of the fields change new entries are added to the MBR account record. Multiple occurrences of entries can be used to track events of importance to the beneficiaries. The PIH entries record the earnings of the wage earner with the PIA and the family maximum dollar amount (FMAX). Changes in PIA are the result of new earnings data or corrections to old earnings data for active accounts. The PIH entries occur on an MBR record up to 50 times. If more than 50 entries are needed, the oldest will be dropped. This information shows changes in the basis of dollar benefit amounts over time. Changes in PIA are the result of cost of living increases, new earnings data, or corrections to old earnings data for active accounts. This information shows changes in the basis of dollar benefit amounts over time. Information relating to disabilities is recorded in the DIB entries. Specific data elements documented in this user’s manual are: DOED, DSD, DDO, DAC, and DAA. Most of these fields contain date information but DAC identifies the type of disability. Using the multiple occurrences of DIB, it is possible to analyze changes in types of disabilities and the duration of entitlements. The historical payment data (HIST) entries can have up to 552 occurrences (1/1962- 12/2007) for each beneficiary and records the benefit amounts actually paid or withheld for specific months. If there is a change in the benefit amount, the reason for the change is given. Changes can occur when earnings change or with a suspension or termination. Data elements in these entries that are further documented in this user’s manual are: O_MBA, O_LAF, O_MBP, and O_MBC. Information regarding sample counts of NCHS survey respondents by Social Security Administration record type is available in Table 1 in Appendix E. 1.2 Description of MBR Data Elements The following pages are a data dictionary for the NCHS-MBR linked files. The data elements are presented first according to their file layout and then defined alphabetically. Page headers show the data element that is being described on a given page. Acronym Definition Size Location Format Control Data PUBLICID NCHS Public Identifier 14 1 EXTRACT-DATE Date of Data Extract 6 15 MMCCYY OTBEN-CODE Other Benefit Indicator 1 21 1.2 1. Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) File Acronym Definition Size Location Format Benefit Data DOBP Primary Date of Birth 8 22 MMDDCCYY DODP Primary Date of Death 6 30 MMCCYY SEX Sex of Beneficiary 1 36 RACE Race of Beneficiary 1 37 DOEI-BIC Beneficiary Identification code at DOEI 2 38 DOEI-TOB Type of Benefit at DOEI 2 40 DOEC-BIC Beneficiary Identification Code at DOEC 2 42 DOEC-TOB Type of Benefit at DOEC 2 44 CIS1 Computation and Insured Status Code One 1 46 RCC Recomputation Code 1 47 ERC Earnings Recomputation Cycle 4 48 CCYY DDCO Direct Deposit Code 1 52 DOEI Earliest Date of Initial Entitlement to Benefits 6 53 MMCCYY DOEC Date of Current (Most Recent) Entitlement to Benefits 6 59 MMCCYY BDOB Beneficiary Date of Birth 8 65 MMDDCCYY BDOD Beneficiary Date of Death 8 73 MMDDCCYY DOST Date of Suspension or Termination Death 6 81 MMCCYY DOCA Effective date of Date of Suspension of Termination 6 87 MMCCYY TOC Type of Claim 1 93 SCC State/Country Code 5 94 ZIP Zip Code/Consular Office Code 5 99 ZIPADD Zip Code Add On 4 104 RED-FOR-AGE Beneficiary Reduced for Age 1 108 DQC Domestic Quarters of Coverage 3 109 Current Beneficiary Claim (BCLM) Data- 15 occurrences NBCLM Number of Current Beneficiary Claim Data entries 2 112 BCLM-DOE(1) Historical Date of Entitlement for Benefits 6 114 MMCCYY BCLM-DOE occurrences 2-15 84 120 BCLM-DOF(1) Historical Date of Filing for Benefits 8 204 MMDDCCYY BCLM-DOF occurrences 2-15 112 212 BCLM-APPRECPT (1) Date Beneficiary Filed for Benefits 8 324 MMDDCCYY BCLM-APPRECPT occurrences 2-15 112 332 BCLM-BIC(1) Historical Beneficiary Identification Code 2 444 BCLM-BIC occurrences 2-15 28 446 BCLM-CEC(1) Historical Current Entitlement Code 1 474 BCLM-CEC occurrences 2-15 14 475 BCLM-CERTELEC(1) Historical Current Entitlement Date 6 489 MMCCYY BCLM-CERTELEC occurrences 2-15 84 495 BCLM-MOE(1) Month Of Entitlement Code 1 579 BCLM-MOE occurrences 2-15 14 580 BCLM-LMETY(1) Last Monthly Earnings Test Year 4 594 CCYY BCLM-LMETY occurrences 2-15 56 598 BCLM-OTSID(1) Entitlement Outside the Max Indicator 1 654 BCLM-OTSID occurrences 2-15 14 655 BCLM-ORF(1) Original Reduction Factor Months 3 669 BCLM-ORF occurrences 2-15 42 672 BCLM-ARF60(1) Adjusted Retirement Factor Months age 50 - 60 3 714 BCLM-ARF60 occurrences 2-15 42 717 BCLM-ARF62(1) Adjusted Retirement Factor Months age 60 - 62 3 759 BCLM-ARF62 occurrences 2-15 42 762 BCLM-ARFFRA(1) Adjusted Retirement Factor Months age 62 - FRA 3 804 BCLM-ARFFRA occurrences 2-15 42 807 1.3 1.