HCFO Webinar Recording Available: Getting and Using Medicare Data

Getting and Using Medicare Data: What I Wish I Had Known Before I Started My Research

Medicare data has long been an important resource for researchers and policymakers who study the U.S. health care system. The process of acquiring and using data, however, can be complex to navigate, especially for new researchers. In addition to identifying the most suitable data to answer their research questions, they must know how to interpret it appropriately and confirm that needed data elements are actually available. Another practical challenge in creating a custom data request is how to balance the desire for methodological robustness with the need to stay within a budget. Finally, researchers must obtain a data use agreement that conforms to federal privacy rules.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) program, in collaboration with AcademyHealth's Methods Council, offered a webinar on best practices for obtaining and using Medicare data for research on September 27, 2011. Two experienced HCFO researchers, Jack Hoadley of Georgetown University and Jim Reschovsky of the Center for Studying Health System Change shared some of their accumulated wisdom in getting and working with Medicare data in their research. In addition, Barbara Frank from the Research Data Assistance Center (ResDAC) at the University of Minnesota provided additional resources, tips, and best practices drawn from her organization's role as a CMS contractor assisting researchers in obtaining and working with Medicare data. This webinar was intended for both new and experienced researchers.

Speakers:

• Barbara Frank, M.P.H., M.S., is the Director of Workshops, Outreach, and Research at ResDAC.
• Jack Hoadley, Ph.D., is a Research Professor at Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute. Much of his research has used Medicare data to answer questions about the Part D drug benefit.
• Jim Reschovsky, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Studying Health System Change. He discussed his experience using Medicare Parts A and B files.

A recording of the webinar is available at:  http://www.academyhealth.org/Training/ResourceDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=7764

NOTE: The table of contents box blocking the slides will fade after a few seconds and then the slides will be accessible.