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SAS Name
CCW_PHARM_ID
This is the CCW-assigned pharmacy identification number used to uniquely identify pharmacy entities. The ID is specific to the CCW and not applicable to any other identification system or data source.
This field also enables linkage between pharmacies in the Part D Event file and the CCW Pharmacy Characteristics file.
Values: Null, or a 5-digit numeric value
Source: PDE and NCDPD DataQ™ (derived)
This variable is only available 2006-2013. Investigators who wish to obtain Pharmacy Characteristics files must choose between the pharmacy IDs on the PDE (variable called the service provider ID [SRVC_PRVDR_ID]), or the CCW_PHARM_ID (or, starting in 2014, the proprietary NCPDP_ID) that will allow linkage between the PDE and Pharmacy Characteristics files.
Beginning with 2014 data, the NCPDP_ID is used in place of the CCW_PHARM_ID. Researchers who received CCW data from 2006-2013 and wish to identify the NCPDP_ID associated with the CCW_PHARM_ID may request the "Pharmacy Bridge File", which is designed for this purpose.
This variable is populated by linking the service provider identification number (SRVC_PRVDR_ID) from the source PDE to the proprietary National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) Database. The variable is populated for every PDE that could be linked to the NCPDP pharmacy data for that year, and will occasionally be null if there was no conclusive link between the service provider identification number in the source PDE data and the provider identification numbers in the NCPDP pharmacy data.
This variable usually represents a unique pharmacy entity, which historically was a retail store. However, as the pharmacy industry has evolved, some retail stores have added other lines of business, such as filling prescriptions for long-term care facilities. In these cases, the pharmacy can ask NCPDP to issue them more than one identification number to keep the billing separate for their multiple lines of business.
Additional details regarding the NCPDP source data are available at: https://dataq.ncpdp.org/.