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Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) General Information

The Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) data is a set of person-level data files on Medicaid eligibility, service utilization, and payments. The MAX data are created to support research and policy analysis. The MAX data are extracted from the Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS). The MAX development process combines MSIS initial claims, interim claims, voids, and adjustments for a given service into final action events. Unlike fiscal-based MSIS quarterly files, MAX data are organized into annual calendar year files. There are a number of other "value added" enhancements to the MAX data for users described below.

Availability

MAX data are derived from MSIS, and because it is necessary to allow for the delay between service delivery dates and claims adjudication dates, the availability of MAX data for a particular time period lags behind that of the MSIS data. Since the MAX data contain individually identifiable data, they are protected under the Privacy Act. They are available for approved research activities only through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Note that only approved academic research projects and certain government agencies are entitled to a DUA to obtain MAX data.

Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) Archive Data 1998 and Earlier