python slcsp.py -s slcsp.csv -p plans.csv -z zips.csv
You have been asked to determine the second lowest cost silver plan (SLCSP) for a group of ZIP Codes.
You have been given a CSV file, slcsp.csv, which contains the ZIP Codes in the
first column. Fill in the second column with the rate (see below) of the
corresponding SLCSP. Your answer is the modified CSV file, plus any source code
used.
Write your code in your best programming language.
The order of the rows in your answer file must stay the same as how they
appeared in the original slcsp.csv.
If no SLCSP can be determined for a ZIP Code, leave the cell blank (no quotes or zeroes or other text).
It may not be possible to determine a SLCSP for every ZIP Code given -- what reason or reasons are there? Fill in your explanation(s) below.
Reason:
1) Some zipcodes exist in different states with different rate_area. Readme doesn't provide guidance on how to handle these cases so i'm leaving them blank. Also an additional reason is `rate_area` description doesn't explain what is a correct (state, number) tuple, i couldn't tell if they were correct or not.
2) Zipcode doesn't have a rate_area/state in plans.csv
The SLCSP is the so-called "benchmark" health plan in a particular area. It is used to compute the tax credit that qualifying individuals and families receive on the marketplace. It is the second lowest unique rate in the rate area.
A plan has a "metal level", which can be either Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Catastrophic. The metal level is indicative of the level of coverage the plan provides.
A plan has a "rate", which is the amount that a consumer pays as a monthly premium, in dollars.
A plan has a "rate area", which is a geographic region in a state that determines the plan's rate. A rate area is a tuple of a state and a number, for example, NY 1, IL 14.
There are two additional CSV files in this directory besides slcsp.csv:
plans.csv-- all the health plans in the U.S. on the marketplacezips.csv-- a mapping of ZIP Code to county/counties & rate area(s)
A ZIP Code can potentially be in more than one county. If the county can not be determined definitively by the ZIP Code, it may still be possible to determine the rate area for that ZIP Code.