The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to evaluate our research data request and access policies, processes, and tools to ensure we are maximizing protections for controlled unclassified information (e.g., personally identifiable information and protected health information) while also enabling important research using CMS data. To further inform our next steps, CMS is seeking additional feedback from the research community. We are also releasing a summary of researcher feedback we received from CMS’ Request for Information released in February 2024.

For more information visit: https://www.cms.gov/data-research/files-order/data-disclosures-and-data-use-agreements-duas/research-data-request-access-policy-changes-feedback-opportunity. Responses to CMS’ questions are due April 15, 2025.

As noted in previous updates, significant changes to the CMS research data request program will not occur until at least 2026. CMS will share guidance on these changes at a future date to allow for researchers to have adequate time for planning.