Creating Research Files from CMS Data for Integration with Survey Data

Acumen, Llc, Burlingame CA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This STTR proposal to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) requests funding to expand the capabilities of the Medicare Research Information Center (MedRIC) recently established by Acumen, LLC with support from NIA. The purpose of MedRIC is to facilitate the acquisition and linking of data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participants of surveys and registries sponsored by NIA and other related federal agencies, and to advance the use of these data for research and public policy. By expanding MedRIC's capabilities, Acumen will vastly reduce the financial and time costs that researchers must currently bear to acquire and use CMS administrative data. To date, MedRIC's activities have already linked Medicare enrollment and claims files to NIA surveys and registries. The aim of this STTR project is to expand the scope of the project to include the national assessment records for nursing home residents in the Long-term Care Minimum Data Set (MDS) and for home health patients in the Outcomes and Assessment Instrument Set (OASIS). By successfully expanding MedRIC's capabilities, this project will vastly relieve the burden that researchers and policy analysts currently face as they investigate health care utilization, quality, and expenditure patterns for nursing home and home health patients.