The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently awarded consulting firm Avalere accelerated access to its Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims and Part D Drug Event data through the Virtual Data Research Center (VRDC). The VRDC is a secure, virtual environment where researchers can access and analyze sensitive Medicare data. The VRDC data, which includes 100% of medical and pharmacy claims for the Medicare Parts A, B, and D markets, will now be provided with monthly updates and a shorter lag time in the data.

“Accessing more recent claims and receiving updates more frequently is a game changer,” explained Amanda Tripp, Managing Director. “The healthcare landscape is rapidly evolving and access to these more timely data allows our top-notch analytical team to better support our clients.”

Avalere already has access to 2018-2023 medical claims (Parts A and B) and pharmaceutical data (Part D) for the FFS Medicare population. The new data use agreement with CMS will enable Avalere analysts to further develop patient journey studies that incorporate new technologies and drugs in a timely fashion.

The data can also be used to answer important and timely questions, such as:

• Impact of policy changes such as site neutral payment,
• Implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act,
• Effect on the delivery of care and access for patients with specific health conditions, and
• Effect on therapeutic areas and to manufacturers.

As the US healthcare system still grapples with the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, Avalere will be able to help healthcare stakeholders understand how the landscape has shifted and, more importantly, identify ways to support Medicare beneficiaries impacted by COVID-19.

“This new access to CMS data enables Avalere to accelerate our ability to provide clients insights faster,” added Maddi Davidson, Principal. “Our clients partner with Avalere for our subject matter expertise and our unique ability to analyze data.

To learn more about Avalere’s new data access and how we can support your business goals, connect with us.