Medical Panel Expenditure Survey

AHRQ released new Medical Panel Expenditure Survey (MEPS) data.

MEPS HC-114: MEPS Panel 11 Longitudinal Data File
Release date: December 2009

This file is a two-year longitudinal file derived from the respondents to the MEPS Panel 11 sample. The persons on this data set represent those who were in the MEPS population (U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized) for all or part of the 2006-2007 period.

 I took an hour or so and downloaded the file. I was able to quickly demonstrate that patients with diabetes spent $2643 per year more than others on prescription meds, that diabetes is more common in rural areas (even correcting for age, sex, race and ethnicity), that diabetes is LESS common in Hispanic subjects than non-Hispanics, but is MORE common in Puerto Ricans than either non-Hispanics or non-Puerto Rican Hispanics, and that rural subjects spent $118 per year more on prescriptions even controlling for age, sex, race, ethnicity and the presence of diabetes.

If you want to learn data analysis, this is a good place to start.