The Medicare Fee-For-Service Inpatient (IP) Claim File contains fee-for-service (FFS) claims submitted by inpatient hospital providers for reimbursement of facility costs. These claim records represent covered stays (Medicare paid FFS bills).

This file is based on information from the CMS form 1450 (UB04).

The MedPAR file contains information about inpatient (IP) hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF) stays that were covered by Medicare.  MedPAR records are created by rolling up information for a single stay from individual IP and SNF claims. The data on these claims was originally submitted on the CMS 1450 or UB04.

The Outpatient file contains fee-for-service (FFS) claims submitted by institutional outpatient providers. Examples of institutional outpatient providers include hospital outpatient departments, rural health clinics, renal dialysis facilities, outpatient rehabilitation facilities, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, Federally Qualified Health Centers and community mental health centers. The file includes facility charge amounts.

This file is based on information from the CMS form 1450 (UB04).

The Carrier File includes fee-for-service claims submitted by professional providers, including physicians, physician assistants, clinical social workers, nurse practitioners.

Claims for some organizational providers, such as free-standing facilities are also found in the Carrier Claims File.  Examples include independent clinical laboratories, ambulance providers, free-standing ambulatory surgical centers and free-standing radiology centers.

Researchers rarely use this file alone.

This file is based on information from the CMS claim form 1500.

The Medicare Fee-for-Service  Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) claim file contains information from paid bills submitted by SNF institutional facility providers. Skilled nursing care is the only level of nursing home care that is covered by the Medicare program.

The information on the file records is based on the CMS form 1450 (UB04).

The Durable Medical Equipment (DME) file contains fee-for-service claims submitted by Durable Medical Equipment suppliers to the DME Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).

The Hospice file contains claims submitted by Medicare hospice providers. Records are included in the file regardless of whether the beneficiary is enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare or Medicare Advantage (Medicare managed care.) 

This file is based on information from the CMS form 1450 (UB04).