Files for Order - General Information: Identifiable Data Files
Guidance for organizations on accessing Identifiable Data Files.
Issued by: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Issue Date: August 30, 2018
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) makes identifiable data files (IDFs) available to certain stakeholders as allowed by federal laws and regulations as well as CMS policy. IDFs contain protected health information (PHI) and/or personally identifiable information (PII) and CMS is committed to ensuring this information is protected.
CMS allows organizations to access IDFs, also known as research identifiable files (RIFs), for research purposes. Requests for these data files require a research protocol and Data Use Agreement (DUA), among other documents, and are reviewed by CMS’s Privacy Board. For more information on the research request process, please visit the Research Data Assistance Center (ResDAC) website at: http://www.resdac.org.
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DISCLAIMER: The contents of this database lack the force and effect of law, except as authorized by law (including Medicare Advantage Rate Announcements and Advance Notices) or as specifically incorporated into a contract. The Department may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not posted on the guidance repository, except to establish historical facts.