# Zip Counties

Creating a bulk export with a `type` of *zip\_counties* generates a file containing all national zip-counties and their associated metadata. The zip-counties returned reflect the current, valid zip-counties supported by Ideon's API and datasets. All national zip-counties will always be included; `filters` parameters are ignored for zip-county exports. 

{% code title="POST /bulk\_exports" %}

```json
{ 
    "type": "zip_counties"
}
```

{% endcode %}

Each zip-county is represented as its own line in the zip-counties export file. The `rating_area_individual` and `rating_area_small_group` keys represent the medical rating areas for each market, as defined by [CMS](https://www.cms.gov/cciio/programs-and-initiatives/health-insurance-market-reforms/state-gra). Typically these will be the same for both markets; in some edge cases, they can differ.

{% code title="Sample Zip-County JSON Line" %}

```json
{
    "id": 260333,
    "state_code": "AK",
    "zip_code": "99553",
    "county_fips_code": "02013",
    "county_canonical_name": "Aleutians East Borough",
    "rating_area_individual": "1",
    "rating_area_small_group": "1"
}
```

{% endcode %}

## Caching Zip Counties

The bulk export always returns the complete set of available plans given the filter parameters. Given this, processes to generate bulk exports to cache zip-counties should always fully replace data for any plans returned in previous files.

Zip-counties are typically updated on a quarterly basis; processes to cache zip-county data should follow the same cadence.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://ideonapi.gitbook.io/quote-and-select/additional-information-and-workflows/bulk-exports-in-the-api/zip-counties.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.