HCRIS PRODUCTION NOTES FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITY (SNF) COST REPORT DATA

1. OVERVIEW
2. INTRODUCTION
3. NOTES
4. FILES AND CONTENT
5. NPI ADDITION
6. SET UP GUIDANCE
7. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY

1. OVERVIEW: 

CMS stores the HCRIS cost report files in a relational database.  

The foremost characteristic of this database is the fact that data 
elements will be distributed in flat files aligned with the database table 
in which they reside in our database.  

You will be able to access the entire set of HCRIS Cost Report data that
is submitted to HCRIS by a Fiscal Intermediary on behalf of a provider.  The 
major benefit for all users is the ability to use Relational Database Technology
to quickly exclude certain fields of data or perform cross-sectional analysis.

 
2. INTRODUCTION:  

The CMS Form 2540-96 SNF Cost Report data files contain cost reports with 
fiscal years ending on or after September 30, 1996.  The data files contain
the highest level of Medicare cost report status.  If HCRIS has both an as 
submitted report and a final settled report for a SNF for a particular 
year, the data files will only contain the final settled report. If HCRIS has 
an as submitted, final settled, and reopened report for a SNF for a 
particular year, the data files will contain the reopened cost report. It is 
possible for 1 SNF Provider to submit 2 or more cost reports for a given year
for the same cost report status.  This may happen if a Provider changes
its FY, or if there is a CHOW (Change of Ownership) during the year.  We have
also found cost reports that were sent in error with an incorrect FYB or
FYE.  For the most part, HCRIS tries to eliminate these incorrect submissions by
contacting the FI and deleting a cost report that the FI identifies as incorrect.

If you have any questions about this product, please contact the HCRIS 
staff via e-mail at HCRIS@cms.hhs.gov, and use the letters "SNF" in the
subject line.


3. NOTES:  

The data in the SNF database includes cost reports for free-standing SNF's
through FY04 and simplified SNF's from FY00 forward. Hospital-based SNF's
are included in the Hospital database (2552-96).    

To use the SNF cost report database, you first need to determine the data 
that you are interested in by reviewing the cost report forms and the data 
specifications.  You will need to know the Worksheet ID, line, and column 
from the cost report form.  For example, if you wanted to extract the data 
for "Skilled Nursing Facility-Number of Beds", you will need to determine 
where this information is collected in the report and use these elements 
as parameters to pull the data from the SNF_RPT_NMRC table.  The number of 
beds is collected on Worksheet S-3, Part I, Line 1, Column 1 so you would 
create the following condition:  
     Worksheet Code ='S300001' *
     Line Number ='00100'
     Column Number ='0100'    
 *Note: Use Table 2 of HCRIS specs to determine worksheet codes.

Many lines on the worksheet forms can be subscripted.  For example, the worksheet
form may show line 6, but it is possible that data relating to that line could be
reported on lines 00600 thru 00699.  Keep that in mind when extracting data for a
particular line. 


It is important to read the cost center coding rules from Table 4 of the HCRIS 
specifications to understand the connection between worksheet line numbers and 
cost center codes.  The table explains what cost center codes to use for each 
line on the worksheets that collect data for cost centers.  When collecting data
from any cost center code, remember to enter a range of cost center codes.  For
example, the cost center for Housekeeping includes lines from 00700 through 00799. 


4. FILES AND CONTENTS:

4.1 SNF Data Files : SNF_FYXXXX.zip

	Compressed files containing 4 text(csv) files with the raw 
	data for the fiscal year XXXX to be loaded into the SNF_RPT, SNF_ALPHANMRC, SNF_NMRC and SNF_ROLLUP tables. 
	These files contain data elements that are separated by commas.  

4.2 SNF Report Files : SNF_REPORTS.zip

	SNF_RECORD_COUNTS.csv - A csv file containing a list of the record counts per fiscal year.    

	SNF_COST_REPORT_STATUS_COUNTS.csv - A csv file containing the counts of cost reports per type and fiscal year.  

	SNF_PRVDR_ID_INFO.csv - A csv file containing one line of identifying data for each SNF provider.

4.3 SNF Documentation Files : SNF_DOCUMENTATION.ZIP

	SNF_HCRIS_File_Data_Elements.pdf:  A .pdf file that lists all the fields HCRIS collects if reported by the SNF.  
	Refer to this file to determine if a line item on the cost report is alpha or numeric.

	SNF_README.TXT - This readme file.

4.4 HCRIS Documentation Files : SNF_DOCUMENTATION.ZIP

	HCRIS_FACILITY_NUMBERING.csv:  A csv file containing information on how to identify the type of facility by the last four positions of the provider number.  

	HCRIS_STATE_CODES.csv:  A csv file contains all the state codes for each state.

	HCRIS_TABLE_DESCRIPTIONS_AND_SQL.txt - A text file containing the descriptions of the tables, and an ANSI SQL Program (non-Database specific) Containing the DDL scripts to create the 4 tables that comprise the HCRIS HOSPITAL Database.

	HCRIS_DATA_DICTIONARY.csv:  A csv file that contains the meanings of the data elements in the Rpt file, the Alphnmrc file, the Nmrc file, 
	and the Rollup_Data file.  

	HCRIS_Data_Model.pdf - A .pdf file that contains a diagram of the tables.  The columns are listed in the exact order they appear in the files.  
 
4.4 COST REPORTING INFORMATION
		

The SNF cost reporting worksheet forms can be found on the CMS website.  
On the HCRIS Section page click on the link to the Provider Reimbursement Manual, Part II.  
Then scroll down to Chapter 35. These forms list all the data fields in the cost report.  
Refer to the SNF_HCRIS_File_Data_Elements.pdf file to determine the fields HCRIS
collects if reported by the SNF.     


5. NPI ADDITION

Effective with the 6/30/2006 release, a column has been added to the SNF_RPT file
named NPI which stands for National Provider Identifier.  This column will be used
when CMS begins receiving the NPI on cost reports. 


6. SET UP GUIDANCE:  

It is important to note that the data files you will be provided are not restricted 
for use in one given database platform or even a database management system for 
that matter.  You will likely be able to use your existing tools or utilities to 
access the data, given the ability of those tools to handle files up to the size 
of the largest datafile and files containing data arranged in CSV or Comma 
Separated value format.  

Please be certain to examine the individual datafile and corresponding database
table structure carefully or else you may not achieve valid results or even be
able to access the data. If you choose to use a relational or desktop database
management system, please be mindful of the sizes of the various datafiles.   


7. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY:    

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shall retain no responsibility for 
the data recipients inability to load, examine, or otherwise use the published 
data for the HCRIS system.  

The information in these files is subject to change, and should be reviewed for 
each release.  

(c) 2012 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, All rights reserved.  
www.cms.hhs.gov