CMS is excited to announce that researchers may now request access to monthly data updates for research studies conducted using the Chronic Conditions Warehouse (CCW) Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC).
This enhancement reflects CMS's commitment to supporting timely, high-quality research. The agency recently gathered feedback from the research community through a Request for Information, receiving valuable input from nearly 400 respondents. This feedback provided important insights into opportunities to strengthen data access and enhance the CCW VRDC.
Effective immediately, researchers may request access to monthly data updates in the CCW VRDC for the following data files:
- Original Medicare claims (Part A and Part B)
- Part D Prescription Drug Events
- Medicare enrollment data
- Post-acute care assessments (MDS, Swing Bed, IRF-PAI, OASIS, and LCDS)
Important Details:
- Monthly data access is available exclusively through the CCW VRDC and is not available for physical data shipments. To learn more about the availability of monthly data, please visit: https://resdac.org/file-availability.
- To amend an existing Data Use Agreement (DUA) or initiate a new request for monthly data, please visit: https://resdac.org/research-identifiable-files-rif-requests.
- To learn more about the maturity of monthly data, please visit: https://resdac.org/articles/understanding-cms-data-maturity.