MAX and NCHS Survey Linkage Description

Design Report

CMS is interested in linking MAX files with survey data, including four surveys conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA II), and the National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS).  In linking the MAX files to the NCHS survey data, CMS can combine the best source of data on Medicaid services with the best sources of data on health status and risk factors.  The combined files can be extraordinarily valuable to researchers conducting comparative effectiveness research as well as to the wider health research community.  CMS contracted with Mathematica to link the NCHS data to MAX data for 1999-2011.  The MAX and NCHS Linkage Final Report describes the linkage software previously developed by CMS and recommends minor modifications to the design and implementation of that software.

Linked Data Available for Researchers

MAX 1999-2007 are now linked to selected records from surveys administered by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Surveys in the new linked data files include the 1994-2005 National Health Insurance Survey (NHIS), the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and the 2004 National Nursing Home Study (NNHS). For additional information, including instructions for requesting access to the linked files, see the NCHS website.