Data Files or Variables

This video is one segment in a series of videos from ResDAC’s Introduction to the Use of Medicare Part D Data for Research.

The Plan Characteristics File contains information about plan type, benefit design, premium, cost-sharing, and service area of the Part D plans. This presentation reviews the four sub-files contained in the Plan Characteristics file. The sub-files discussed include the 1) Plan Benefit Base file; 2) the Premium file; 3) the Cost Sharing Tier file; and 4) the Service Area file. Usefulness of specific variables included in each file is reviewed.

This video is one segment in a series of videos from ResDAC’s Introduction to the Use of Medicare Part D Data for Research.

This presentation reviews the PDE variable "Product Service ID" which is the National Drug Code (NDC). Information related to what an NDC is, how it is formatted, and who assigns and creates the NDC is discussed. Associated variables such as the Brand and Generic Name found in the Drug Characteristics file are discussed.

This video is one segment in a series of videos from ResDAC’s Introduction to the Use of Medicare Part D Data for Research.

This presentation provides an understanding of demographic and useful enrollment variables available in the Master Beneficiary Summary File. In addition to a review of the traditional demographic variables available in the file, this presentation will review the newer variables that are related specifically to the Part D program. Variables useful for linking to other datasets are also described.

This video is one segment in a series of videos from ResDAC’s Introduction to the Use of Medicare Part D Data for Research.

A review of the education objectives for the Part D workshop is presented. The presentation then moves into a description of the Medicare Part D program. Topics covered include: enrollment, premiums, the standard benefit, and the Part D plans.

This presentation uses MAX data to explore three research questions related to geographic variation in Medicaid expenditures:

• Does interstate variation in Medicaid spending result primarily from variation in the volume of services or in the price per unit of service?
• How do inter- and intrastate variation in Medicaid utilization and spending compare to variation in Medicare spending and utilization?
• Is more health care better for Medicaid beneficiaries?

Successful application of MAX data to research questions requires understanding some specific issues regarding the eligibility and utilization data that is presented in the files. Among the specific topics addressed are Medicaid managed care enrollment, emergency department utilization, prenatal care, outpatient care and utility of long term care claims. The emphasis is on the application of MAX data to research study requirements and what limitations may exist.

This presentation outlines several useful algorithms that can be used to summarize Medicaid eligibility category, coverage by managed care, use of inpatient physician services, mental health services, and common groupings of expenditures.

This presentation will review the source of the data that is used to build the CMS Medicaid Analytic Extract files (MAX), which are the files released when CMS approves a research project requiring Medicaid data. The sources include state Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) data and Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) data. By understanding the data source files, researchers can understand some of the limitations and correct implementation of MAX data for research.