CMS Seeks Feedback on Research Data Request, Access Policy Changes

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking feedback from the research community regarding changes to its research data request and access policies, processes, and tools, to ensure it maximizes protections for beneficiary information while also enabling important research using CMS data.

In February 2024, the CMS announced changes to these policies, including discontinuing the delivery of physical data in support of external research projects and instead requiring researchers to use the Chronic Conditions Warehouse Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC), as well as changes to the fees charged for data. Based on feedback from close to 300 commenters about the detrimental impact of this policy on ongoing and future research, the agency announced these changes would not go into effect until at least 2026. Commenters, including the AAMC (PDF), raised significant concerns with VRDC technical challenges, costs of accessing data, and the timeline for moving projects to the VRDC [refer to Washington Highlights, April 19, 2024]. To determine next steps, the CMS is seeking input from the research community through specific questions and has stated that it will provide guidance on any policy changes at a later date, ensuring researchers have adequate time to plan.

Comments are due April 14.