CMS Medicare

NCHS Linked Data

Key points

  • The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Data Linkage Program links NCHS survey data with data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
  • Linking NCHS data with CMS Medicare data files enables researchers to study changes in health and health care.
  • Find details about the linked data, linkage methods, and analysis considerations.
Image shows two swarms of dots, one purple and one green. Each swarm represents a data stream. They are converging.

Overview

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Data Linkage Program links NCHS survey data with data from other agencies. NCHS links data from its surveys with data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) including—

  • Medicare program enrollment
  • Healthcare use
  • Expenditure data

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older. It also insures certain younger people with disabilities and people with end-stage renal disease.

Linking survey participant data with the CMS Medicare data allows researchers to study health and healthcare changes. Such studies investigate changes in health status, healthcare use and costs, and prescription drug use among Medicare enrollees.

Linked Medicare data are available for participants who consented for linkage and agreed to provide personal identification data. Linked Medicare data are available only for participants for whom NCHS was able to match with Medicare administrative records.

2014–2018

NCHS links surveys to data that include information about—

  • Medicare enrollment (2014–2018)
  • Fee-for-service (FFS) claims
  • Prescription drug events
  • Patient assessments for patients residing in nursing homes or receiving home health care services
  • Medicare Advantage encounter data: 2016–2018

Surveys linked

The following surveys were linked to these data—

  • National Health Interview Survey (NHIS): 1994–2018
  • Continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES): 1999–2018
  • Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III)
  • National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS): 2004

1994–1998 NHIS and 2004 NNHS data available

Only the following data are available—2014–2018 Medicare beneficiary summary file; 2016–2018 FFS claims, prescription drug events, and patient assessments; and 2016 Medicare Advantage encounter.

1999–2013

NCHS previously linked surveys to—

  • CMS Medicare enrollment (1999–2013)
  • FFS claims
  • Prescription drug events

The surveys linked to this data include—

Surveys linked

The following surveys were linked to these data

  • NHIS (1994–2013)
  • Second Longitudinal Study on Aging
  • Continuous NHANES (1999–2012)
  • NHANES III
  • NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study
  • NNHS (2004)

1991–1998 linked NCHS-CMS Medicare data are available from a previous linkage for some of the surveys listed.

Print
Content Source: