Medicare Identifiable Data File Descriptions
"What is the cost of Medicare RIF data?"
To receive a formal estimate, please submit a request for a written Cost Estimate to resdac@umn.edu. For a ballpark figure over the phone, please call the ResDAC help desk at 1-888-973-7322.
- Standard Analytical Files or Claims Files - [data dictionaries and sas input statements]
- Inpatient SAF [brief file description]
- Skilled Nursing Facility SAF [brief file description]
- Outpatient SAF [brief file description]
- Home Health Agency SAF [brief file description]
- Hospice SAF [brief file description]
- Carrier SAF [brief file description]
- Durable Medical Equipment [brief file description]
- Medicare Provider and Analysis Review File (MedPAR) Files
- Medicare Provider and Analysis Review File (MEDPAR) [data dictionary]
- Medicare enrollment and vital statistics files:
- Beneficiary Summary File [brief file description] [data dictionary]
Data Available:See the CMS Data Availability Table for details on available years.
- Denominator File [brief file description] [data dictionary]
Data Available: This file has been incorporated into the Beneficiary Summary File as of March 2010.
- Vital Status File [brief file description] [data dictionary]
Data Available: Vital Status File is a current file.
- Vital Status File with Names and Addresses [brief file description] [data dictionary]
Data Available: The Vital Status File with Names and Addresses is a current file.
The Standard Analytical Files (SAFs) or Claims Files contain information collected by Medicare to pay for health care services provided to a Medicare beneficiary. SAFs are available for each institutional (inpatient, outpatient, skilled nursing facility, hospice, or home health agency) and non-institutional (physician and durable medical equipment providers) claim type. The record unit of SAFs is the claim (some episodes of care may have more than one claim).
Data Available: SAFs are calendar year files. See the CMS Data Availability Table for details on available years.
The MedPAR File contains inpatient hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF) final action stay records. Each MedPAR record represents a stay in an inpatient hospital or SNF. An inpatient "stay" record summarizes all services rendered to a beneficiary from the time of admission to a facility through discharge. Each MedPAR record may represent one claim or multiple claims, depending on the length of a beneficiary's stay and the amount of inpatient services used throughout the stay.
Data Available: Annual MedPAR files are calendar year files. See the CMS Data Availability Table for details on available years.
- Beneficiary Annual Summary File (BASF) [brief file description] [data dictionary 1999-2006] [data dictionary 2007 and forward]
Data Available: See the CMS Data Availability Table for details on available years.
-
Part D Data
- Part D Event file [brief file description] [data dictionary]
- Part D Characteristics Files (Plan, Pharmacy, Prescriber, and Drug) [data dictionaries]
- CCW Part D User Manual
Data Available: See the CMS Data Availability Table for details on available years.
- CCW Part D User Manual
Last Modified January 24, 2012