CMS Integrated Data Repository (IDR)

IDR Objective

An integral part of the CMS data warehouse strategy, the IDR ensures a consistent, reliable, secure, enterprise-wide view of data supporting CMS and its partners in more effective delivery of quality health care at lower cost to CMS' beneficiaries through state-of-the-art health informatics. 

IDR Goals to Meet Objective

Transition from stove-piped, disparate set of databases to highly integrated data environment for the enterprise.

• Transition from a claim-centric orientation to a multi-view orientation that includes Beneficiaries, Providers, Health Plans, Claims, Drug Data, Clinical Data and other data as needed.
• Create an analytic and reporting platform.
• Retain operational data stores such as Common Working File (CWF) and those in shared systems.
• Provide database scalability to meet current and expanding volumes of CMS data.
• Provide uniform privacy and security controls.
• Provide users the capability to analyze the data in place instead of relying on data extracts. 
• Integrate claims data from diverse sources such as Medicare and Medicaid in a meaningful way.

IDR Steering Committee

The IDR Steering Committee (IDRSC) has been sanctioned by the Data Governance Board (DGB) as a workgroup of the DGB. 

• The IDRSC acts as an Operations Board for the IDR.
• The Board's role includes:

§  IDR Change Control,

§  IDR communications,

§  Setting common business rules,

§  Recommending priorities,

§  Recommending funding decisions.

IDR Schedule
            Data Subject Areas Under Review

Several major subject areas of CMS data are under review by the IDRSC for loading/modification in the IDR*:

The IDR is the centerpiece of CMS' Enterprise Data Warehouse Strategy. 

The IDR responds to the agency's pressing need to have an integrated data environment that contains Medicare & Medicaid Claims, Beneficiary data, Provider data and Plan data. 

The vision of the IDR includes providing greater information sharing, broader and easier access, enhanced data integration, increased security and privacy and strengthened query and analytic capability by building a unified data repository for reporting and analytics.

You may also wish to review the following websites:

CMS Internet-Only Manuals - The CMS Online Manual System is used by CMS program components, partners, contractors, and State Survey Agencies to administer CMS programs. It offers day-to-day operating instructions, policies, and procedures based on statutes and regulations, guidelines, models, and directives. In 2003, we transformed the CMS Program Manuals into a web user-friendly presentation and renamed it the CMS Online Manual System. See link in the Relating Links Inside CMS below.

Plain Language Website - The Plain Language Website is a project sponsored by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN). PLAIN is a group of federal employees from many different agencies and specialties. They develop and maintain the content of the plainlanguage.gov website. Their original site was launched in 1994 and for a decade served federal advocates for clarity in government. The redesign began in Fall 2003 by students and volunteers and launched with new information architecture in March 2005.  See link in the Relating Links Outside CMS below.