Updated research request forms and data security approval required beginning 4/24/23
Data File Search
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
Service date
Product Service ID (NDC code)
Quantity dispensed
Days supply
Cost
Payment
Linkage variables:
Plan Contract ID, Plan Benefit Package ID for linkage to Plan Characteristics file
Product ID (NDC code) used by the CCW to link to the Drug Characteristics data
Beneficiary Id for linkage to MTM and Plan Election characteristics files, CMS utilization, enrollment and assessment data for Medicare and Medicaid
Formulary drug identifier for…
Program:
Medicare
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
Product ID (NDC) used to link Drug Characteristics to PDE file
Brand name
Generic name
Strength
Form of the drug
Why do researchers request this file?
Researchers who do not have access to a proprietary NDC database use this file to identify specific drugs, strengths and formulation
Studies assessing pharmaceutical treatment that compare strengths and/or formulations of prescription drugs
Studies evaluating drug utilization under the Medicare Part D…
Program:
Medicare
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
CCW Formulary Drug Identifier
Tier ID
Step Therapy Indicator
Quantity Limit
Prior authorization
Linking variables to the PDE file record:
Formulary Identification Number (in each sub-file)
Why do researchers request this file?
To examine differences in utilization based on formulary inclusion or restrictions
To examine plan differences in formularies
Special considerations
Linking variables provide information for each Part D Drug Event (PDE)…
Program:
Medicare
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
Pharmacy type
Pharmacy dispenser type code
Pharmacy primary taxonomy code
DME service
Walk-in service
Linking variable to the PDE file:
CCW Pharmacy ID
Why do researchers request this file?
Evaluate medication possession rates by pharmacy type
Assess the effect of pharmacy type on clinical outcomes
Special considerations
Beginning with the CY 2014 file, it is possible to request an unencrypted pharmacy identifier.
Researchers who request and are approved by…
Program:
Medicare
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
Primary Taxonomy Code
Practice location (state)
Academic or Professional Credential for the prescriber
Linkage variables to the PDE file:
CCW Prescriber Identifier
Why do researchers request this file?
Studies describing prescribing patterns based on prescriber specialty
Evaluation of clinical outcome based on prescriber characteristics
Special considerations
Prior to CY2014 data, the prescriber ID is the encrypted CCW Prescriber ID, which cannot be linked…
Program:
Medicare
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
Initial and gap coverage limits
Plan premium amount
Plan service area description
Crosswalk of current plan ID to previous years
Demonstration type
Special needs plan type
Linkage variables to the PDE and to each of the Plan Characteristic File sub-files:
Plan Contract ID, Plan Benefit Package ID (use in combination to link to specific plan)
Why do researchers request this file?
Studies that compare medication usage and clinical outcomes by plan benefits…
Program:
Medicare
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
Whether beneficiary met target criteria
Long term care residence
Number of drug-therapy recommendations made
Number of drug-therapy problems resolved
Linking variable
CCW Beneficiary IDs
Why do researchers request this file?
Assess the effect of medication management on prescribing patterns and clinical outcome
Identify cost of illness impact of the Part D MTM program
Special considerations
All beneficiaries in the file were enrolled in MTM at some…
Program:
Medicare
What does this file include? (variable highlights)
Part D Plan enrollment and disenrollment dates
Enrollment type, eg: auto, facilitated, passive, point of sale
Months of LIS subsidy
Beneficiary self-selector indicator
Contract ID
Plan ID
Linking variables:
CCW Beneficiary ID: linkage to the PDE and all other CMS Medicare or Medicaid data files
Contract ID and Plan ID: linkage to the Part D Plan Characteristics file
Why do researchers request this file?
Conduct research that identifies LIS…
Program:
Medicare