It is important to consider the timing of data release, DUA submission, and DUA approval when planning a study using new data (i.e., not reusing existing, on-site data). Most DUA submissions for new annual data may not be submitted prior to the desired data's release.  However, there a couple exceptions:

• Medicare FFS quarterly data for the current year may not be requested before April.

• As of summer 2024, CMS allows advanced requests for the next annual release (i.e., YYYY^-1) of these files:

  • MBSF Base, 30 Chronic Conditions, Other Chronic Conditions, and Cost & Use segments

  • FFS Medicare IP, OP, SNF, DME, HH, and Hospice

  • MedPAR

  • Medicare Part D Event, Drug Characteristics, Formulary, and Pharmacy Characteristics

  • Medicare Plan Characteristics

  • LDS MDS 3.0 and Swing Bed

  • OASIS

  • IRF-PAI

It takes several months for DUA submissions to be approved and only one submission per DUA may be in CMS' queue for review at a time; it is rarely efficient to submit separate, back-to-back amendments for data released within a few months of each other because of this.  Plan accordingly.

Overview of CMS Data Release

YYYY: Current year

YYYY^-1: Last year

YYYY^-2: Two years prior

Q: Quarter

Scheduled Releases

* Fee-for-service claims (Inpatient, Outpatient, Home Health Agency, Hospice, Skilled Nursing Facility, Carrier, and Durable Medical Equipment) and the Master Beneficiary Summary File: Base A/B/C/D segment

Approximate Release Dates

Files that are not listed above do not have set release schedules. The estimates below are based on past precedent.

• Medicaid/CHIP TAF annual RIFs tend to release YYYY^-1 preliminary and YYYY^-2 final format files during YYYY Q3 - Q4.

• Medicare Advantage (i.e., Part C, Medicare Encounter) annual RIFs tend to release YYYY^-1 preliminary files in May YYYY and YYYY^-2 final format files in November or December YYYY.