Overview

Merative MarketScan Research Databases provide one of the longest-running and largest collections of proprietary de-identified claims data for privately and publicly insured people in the United States.

Currently available years: 2013-2022

1. MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database (CCAE): contains data from active employees, early retirees, COBRA continues, and dependents insured by employer-sponsored plans (i.e., individuals not eligible for Medicare).
2. MarketScan Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits Database: created for Medicare-eligible retirees with employer-sponsored Medicare supplemental plans. This database contains predominantly fee-for-service plan data.

Access

The following documents are required for each member of the research team:

• Mount Sinai Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) training certificate.
  

• CITI Basic Course and Refresher (if due) training certificates.
  
  
  

To use these data, you must read, agree to, and sign the MarketScan Data Use Agreement (DUA). Once the DUA has been read, agreed to and signed, and the email confirmation has been downloaded as a PDF (Print to PDF), please submit a request for access to MarketScan.

Data stored in MarketScan® Server is accessed, analyzed, and used only on the server.

MarketScan® data can be accessed using the SAS application launched from Citrix Workspace. See Market Scan Instructions.

For data analysis-related inquiries, please contact the MarketScan user group leader, Inga Peter, PhD, (inga.peter@mssm.edu). For questions related to the computational resources, please contact RAIT.

Note:
The MarketScan license forbids the use of its data by Mount Sinai students, postdocs, or staff for their own independent research. PhD students can request a dissertation-support data set through IBM. This is the only dataset we can allow for student projects. Refer to the IBM MarketScan Dissertation Support Program.

Cost

For internally funded studies, users’ access to the MarketScan data incurs no cost for the first 90 days from the date of access granted, and thereafter, there is an associated cost. Inquiries shall be directed to the MarketScan user group leader, Dr. Peter (inga.peter@mssm.edu).

For grant-funded research (foundation, state, or federal grant), if the award is less than or equal to $250,000, the incremental fee to use MarketScan data is at least $10,000 USD per study or 10 percent of the total award per study, whichever is greater. If the award exceeds $250,000, the incremental fee to use MarketScan data is fixed at $25,000 per study. Supporting documentation for the total amount awarded for each Study Rider request that is below the standard fee of $25,000 shall be provided. The incremental fee to use MarketScan data for a commercially-funded research study will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Merative, the data provider, shall be promptly notified of the research study and the external source of funding for each study, when new MarketScan-based research contracts/grants are awarded.

Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap)

REDCap is a secure, web-based platform for creating and managing online surveys and research databases. The application enables teams to create and develop their own projects and supports a wide range of research workflows to enable accurate, efficient, and secure data collection throughout the entire project lifecycle. This is the enterprise solution selected for Mount Sinai research projects that require an EDC system.

Key Features

Mobile Application and Multimedia Support

• Directly record and store videos, photos, and audio
• Offline Data Capture to collect multimedia data in areas with no or poor internet, and sync when connectivity returns

Data Integrity and Security

• Branching logic, file uploads, calculated fields, and repeating instruments
• Comprehensive audit trails for all data modifications and user activity
• Role-based access controls to ensure appropriate permissions

Project Management Tools

• Built-in project calendar
• Participant scheduling module

Data Export and Reporting

• Export to Excel, PDF, SPSS, SAS, Stata, and R
• API interface for data upload and/ retrieval
• Advanced ad hoc reporting tools

Integrations

• Clinical Data Pull (CDP) EPIC interface for demographic data retrieval
• Advanced ad hoc reporting tools
• Device and sensor integration capabilities
• Other system integrations are planned for 2026 (contact Research Technology for more information, or to discuss a specific integration need)

Important Notices

21 CFR Part 11 Compliance
At this time, the enterprise REDCap instance is not validated for 21 CFR Part 11–compliant research. Research Technology is exploring future capacity to house projects required to meet the 21 CFR Part 11 compliance requirements. If you have a future study that will require this standard, please contact Research Technology to discuss.

Project Retention and Fees
REDCap is available to all Mount Sinai resources for 90 days of free use. This can be ideal for quick surveys, or proof of concept/testing prior to the start of a new project. Projects that will be in use for more than 90 days incur an annual $200 annual support fee per database.

Additional Resources

• Backing up and Deleting Projects
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• API Fair Use Policy
• REDCap Support