When a Medicare beneficiary with Part D coverage fills a prescription, the prescription drug plan submits a record to CMS. The PDE file includes all transactions covered by the Medicare prescription drug plan for both Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans (MA-PDs).
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 linkage to the Part D Formulary files
- CCW Pharmacy ID or the NCPDP_ID for linkage to the Pharmacy Characteristics file
- CCW-assigned Prescriber Identifier for linkage to the Prescriber Characteristics file
Why do researchers request this file?
- Studies that include prescription drugs as a treatment of interest
- Research comparing outcomes of treatment
Special considerations
- These files do not have information on drugs given during hospitalizations or which are paid under other auspices (e.g., hospice)
- If the Drug characteristics variables are selected during the request process, these are appended to the PDE.
