The HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files are hospital-level files designed to supplement the data elements in the NIS, KID, and SID databases. They are part of a family of databases and software tools developed as part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), a Federal-State-Industry partnership sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. HCUP databases, tools, and software inform decision making at the national, State, and community levels.

Contents:

• Overview
• How Are the Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files Used?
• What Files Are Available?
• Hardware and Software Requirements
• User Guides
• How Can Users Obtain HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files?

The HCUP NIS, SID, and KID contain data on total charges for each hospital in the databases. This charge information represents the amount that hospitals billed for services, but does not reflect how much hospital services actually cost or the specific amounts that hospitals received in payment. In some cases, users may be interested in seeing how hospital charges translate into actual costs.

The HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files enable this conversion. Each file contains hospital-specific cost-to-charge ratios based on all-payer inpatient cost for nearly every hospital in the corresponding NIS, SID, or KID databases. Cost information was obtained from the hospital accounting reports collected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Some imputations for missing values were necessary.

Users can merge the data elements on the appropriate file to the corresponding NIS, SID, or KID databases by the data element hospital identification number (HOSPID). Using the merged data elements from the cost-to-charge ratio files and the total charges reported in the NIS, SID, or KID databases, users may convert the hospital total charge data to cost estimates by simply multiplying total charges with the appropriate cost-to-charge ratio.

HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files are designed to be used exclusively with the HCUP NIS, SID, or KID. These files are unique by year.

The HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files are used to estimate the resource cost of inpatient care and its variation across hospitals and conditions.

The following HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files are currently available:

• NIS
• 2010
• 2009
• 2008
• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004
• 2003
• 2002
• 2001
• SID for most States available through the HCUP Central Distributor
• 2010
• 2009
• 2008
• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004
• 2003
• 2002
• 2001
• KID
• 2009
• 2006
• 2003

The HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files can be run on desktop computers with a CD-ROM reader, and are available in ASCII format. The files on the CD require a statistical software package such as SAS or SPSS to use for analytic purposes.

The User Guides for the HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files contain:

• A more detailed description
• Instructions for linking the files to the NIS or SID
• State participation
• A description of internal validation methods
• Descriptions of key variables.

Downloading Information

Web Browser Download: Your browser may support loading the User Guides from this Web page. To download the User Guides from this Web page, click on the following links with the right mouse button and select "Save Link As" (Netscape) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). After saving a file, find it by using Windows® Explorer (Windows® 98/95/NT) or File Manager (Windows® 3.x), and then open the file by double-clicking on it.

NIS Guides

• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2010 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 32 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2009 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 28 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2008 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 29 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2007 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 29 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2006 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 25 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2005 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 27 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2004 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 29 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2003 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 28 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2002 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 25 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2001 NIS User Guide (PDF file, 25 KB)

Central Distributor SID Guides

• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2010 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 31 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2009 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 27 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2008 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 26 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2007 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 26 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2006 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 25 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2005 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 27 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2004 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 22 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2003 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 22 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2002 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 22 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2001 CD-SID User Guide (PDF file, 24 KB)

KID Guides

• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2009 CD-KID User Guide (PDF file, 29 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2006 CD-KID User Guide (PDF file, 26 KB)
• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files: 2003 CD-KID User Guide (PDF file, 26 KB)

HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files are available from the HCUP Central Distributor. These files are free of charge. Contact the HCUP Central Distributor to obtain your own copy of these files.