Mini MAX - Medicaid Sample

Description

Mini-MAX is a five percent cross-sectional national sample of the MAX files. The sample is stratified by 51 states and by basis of eligibility (aged, disabled, children, and adults) among full beneficiaries and separately for restricted beneficiaries. Smaller states and smaller subpopulations were oversampled to increase the precision of their estimates. Less commonly used, redundant, or unreliable variables were removed to reduce the file size.

Reports and Issue Briefs

• “Mini-MAX Feasibility Study (PDF)” - While MAX data are a critical Medicaid research tool that is widely used by the research community, the size and complexity of the MAX files have limited their use for some members of the research community, especially those with limited computing capacity. To facilitate wider use of MAX, CMS contracted with Mathematica to convene a technical expert panel (TEP) and determine the feasibility of creating a sample file for MAX. This report describes the feasibility analysis and recommends the development of a “Mini-MAX” sample.
• “Mini-MAX User Guide (PDF)” - Because Medicaid data can be challenging to understand and use, this user’s guide was created.  A primary goal of Mini-MAX wass to expand the community of researchers using Medicaid data and this user’s guide is intended to support this community’s needs by providing background information on the Medicaid program, highlighting important features of the Mini-MAX files, and providing guidance to researchers about issues to be considered when conducting research with Mini-MAX. The Appendices identify data elements in MAX that have been excluded from Mini-MAX, present references for supplemental resources, display summary statistics from MAX, and provide sample code for common tasks in a Mini-MAX analysis.
• “Utilization of Dental Services among Medicaid Enrolled Children (PDF).” This issue brief includes an estimate of current rates of utilization for dental services among Medicaid-enrolled children in nine states and then evaluates how a child’s personal and community characteristics impact the likelihood that they utilize dental services.  
• “Utilization of Well-Child Care among Medicaid Enrolled Children (PDF).” This issue brief includes an estimate of current rates of utilization for well-child care among Medicaid-enrolled children in nine states and then evaluates how a child’s personal and community characteristics impact the likelihood that they utilize well-child services.