Public-Use NCHS-CMS Medicare Feasibility Files

To maximize the use of the restricted-use linked NCHS-CMS Medicare files, NCHS has created publicly available NCHS-CMS Medicare Feasibility Study data files that can be downloaded directly from this website.

The feasibility files provide a limited set of variables that can be used to determine the maximum available sample size for each linked file. These files are especially useful to researchers considering whether to initiate a RDC proposal to analyze the restricted-use linked NCHS-CMS Medicare files.

Each feasibility file is NCHS survey and survey-year specific. The following information is included on each feasibility study file:

• NCHS survey public-use identifier
• Survey participant eligibility status for CMS Medicare linkage
• Final match status
• Other variables indicating which specific CMS Medicare data files are available for each successfully linked survey participant

It is important to note that the feasibility study files do not contain any specific information about CMS Medicare benefits. Consequently, data users will need to consider external sources to approximate the number of respondents with a specific condition.

For more information about accessing the Medicare restricted-use data, please consult the Restricted-Use NCHS-CMS Medicare Data page.

Data Dictionary and Data Files

• Data Dictionary: NCHS-CMS Medicare Feasibility File Data Dictionary [PDF – 98 KB]
• Data Files: FTP site to NCHS-CMS Medicare Feasibility Files
• Software Programs:
  • Sample SAS program [TXT - 21 KB]
  • Sample Stata program [TXT - 12 KB]