About the HCCI Methodology

HCCI’s research activities are based on de-identified data voluntarily provided by four of the nation’s largest insurers (see Data Contributors). These insurers have agreed, for the first time, to share their data with HCCI, in compliance with applicable privacy laws, both for these reports and for making data more available to researchers to study what influences use and costs of health care services in the United States.

Large quantities of private claims data are needed for a more complete picture of the entire health care system than can be had by looking at publicly available data. Few researchers have access to private claims data, and then generally from only one commercial insurer. By including insurers whose combined membership comprises almost 40 percent of the privately insured population, HCCI’s data will provide new, critical information to the public about health care costs. The 2011 report analyzed about 4.5 billion claims for individuals covered by group employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI), representing approximately 25.3 percent of all individuals with ESI.

We invite additional insurers and other holders of similar data to join this innovative and unique voluntary collaboration between the payers of health care costs and researchers.

Download the Current Methodology (PDF)
Data Dictionary: A Quick Look
Complete Data Dictionary

Table of Contents:

• Data Collection
• Claims Categorization
  - Facility Claims
  - Professional Claims
  - Pharmacy Claims
• Grouping & Counting Methodologies
  - Unit Counting Methodology
  - Intensity Weights Methodology
• Adjustment Methodologies
  - Claims Completion Methodology
  - Population Weighting Methodology
• Analysis