MEPS 2017 data to Stata 2015 issue

[Caterina Priz]

Hello,

I am new to the software and trying to open a MEPS data from 2017 which downloads in a .ssp format. I have downloaded similar files and opened them Stata with no problem by using the following process: Import --> SAS XPORT --> Options, All files --> Open .ssp file. However, with the 2017 data from this one specific MEPS data file (Full Year Consolidated) I am getting the error message "h201.ssp not .xpt format". Because my process has worked for other 2017 files, and also for the 2016 Full Year Consolidated file I'm assuming that there is an issue with this specific file.
Does anyone have a suggestion for opening or converting this file into a usable form by a different means? I don't have the funds to buy a separate converting software, and I need to be able to analyze the 2017 data so I can't just skip it.

Thank you for your help!

[Leonardo Guizzetti]

Assuming that MEPS is the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey produced by the AHRQ, then your best bet is to go back to download the data in ASCII format and use the provided Stata load do-files that create proper Stata .dta files.

I tried downloading a random dataset from 2014 and that worked by simply importing as SAS XPORT5 format, however the data for 2017 appears to be compressed, and Stata evidently cannot open compressed SAS XPORT file formats. Really it's just better to start with the raw ASCII and import it using the provided method than try to import from a non-native format.

[Caterina Priz]

Leonardo Guizzetti that was helpful! Yes I was referring to the Medical Expedniture Panel Survey, and I was able to do it with the way you suggested. The way it had been taught to me was the convoluted way I described, but your way was much simpler once I was able to edit the do-file to find the document on my Mac. Thanks for breaking it down for a novice!