The 2015-2017 Cohort 18 Baseline was conducted using version 3.0 of the HOS survey.
It is essential for mapping, identifying service areas, and adjusting for regional health differences within Medicare Advantage contracts. B18zip
The data is pulled from Medicare Advantage Organization (MAO) member records in the 2015 Cohort 18 Baseline RIF (Research Identifiable File) and LDS (Limited Data Set). Role in Medicare HOS The 2015-2017 Cohort 18 Baseline was conducted using
B18ZIP is part of the member-level data provided in the hos_dug_c18pmd.pdf - hosonline.org for analysts examining health outcomes. identifying service areas
It is classified as a "character" (text) field to preserve leading zeros in ZIP codes.