NCHS Data Linked to CMS Medicaid Enrollment and Claims Files

NCHS has developed a record linkage program designed to maximize the scientific value of the Center's population-based surveys. NCHS is currently linking various NCHS surveys with Medicaid enrollment and claims records collected from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Linkage of the NCHS survey participants with the CMS Medicaid data provides the opportunity to study changes in health status, health care utilization and expenditures in low income families with children, the elderly and disabled U.S. populations.

 

Overview of NCHS-CMS Medicaid Linkage

Medicaid enrollment and claims data are available for those NCHS respondents who agreed to provide personal identification data to NCHS and for whom NCHS was able to match with Medicaid administrative records. CMS provided NCHS with Medicaid benefit claims data for 1999 through 2007 for all successfully matched NCHS survey participants.

NCHS Surveys linked to CMS Medicaid data (1999 – 2007)

• 1994-2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
• 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
• 2004 National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS)

 

Accessing the NCHS-CMS Medicaid Data

The linked NCHS-CMS Medicaid files are restricted-use files that can be accessed through the NCHS Research Data Center (RDC). NCHS has created Feasibility Study Data files to assist researchers who are considering submitting an RDC application to analyze the linked NCHS- CMS Medicaid data.

 

Documentation and Analytic/Programming Support

• NCHS-CMS Medicaid Data File Documentation and Analytic Guidelines [PDF - 215 KB]
  • Section I – Introduction [PDF - 215 KB]
  • Section II – NCHS Surveys [PDF - 215 KB]
  • Section III – Medicaid/CHIP and MAX Files [PDF - 215 KB]
  • Section IV – Linkage Process [PDF - 215 KB]
  • Section V – Analytic Considerations and Guidelines [PDF - 215 KB]
  • Section VI - References [PDF - 215 KB]
• Information on Merging Restricted and Public Use NCHS Survey Data [PDF - 88 KB]
• Important Information Related to NCHS Survey Participants Under 18 Years of Age at the Time of the Survey PDF - 51 KB]
• Use of Survey Weights for Linked Data Files [PDF - 26 KB]
• Match Rate Table for NCHS-CMS Medicaid Linked Data [PDF - 108 KB]
• Sample Counts for NCHS-CMS Medicaid Linked Data [PDF - 102 KB]
• Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) File Data Dictionaries
• NCHS-MAX Linked Data Files Variable Crosswalk [PDF - 384 KB]
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) regarding the CMS Medicaid data (Links to ResDAC)

 

Contact Information

After carefully reviewing web documentation, any remaining questions can be directed to:

• Questions Pertaining to CMS Medicaid Data file content:

  Research Data Assistance Center (ResDAC)
  Email: resdac@umn.edu
  Phone: 1-888-9-ResDAC or (1-888-973-7322)
  Fax: 612-378-4866
  URL: www.resdac.umn.edu

• Questions regarding access to the NCHS-CMS Medicaid data files:

  Email: NCHS Research Data Center Data Query

• Questions involving NCHS survey linkage methodology issues:

  Email: NCHS Data Linkage Team