Government Use of FAIR Health Data

August 18, 2022

FAIR Health’s rich data repository and independence make us a valued resource for federal and state government agencies seeking reliable, objective data. Several federal agencies rely on our data on an ongoing basis. In addition, our data are incorporated into statutes and regulations around the country and serve as the official data source for many state health programs.

Federal Government
Legislators in both houses of the US Congress and a number of federal agencies have used FAIR Health’s data and expertise to support policy development and advance initiatives with respect to a broad range of issues.

For example, under an ongoing agreement, FAIR Health provides historical data and current monthly datasets to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an agency of the Department of Labor, to support development of the BLS medical consumer price indices. FAIR Health also licenses benchmark modules and custom analytics to another division of the Department of Labor, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), which is responsible for administering and enforcing the fiduciary, reporting and disclosure provisions of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program, has used FAIR Health data as a source for several different reports and publications, including those for congressional submissions and public commission meetings.

The Veterans Benefits Administration within the Department of Veterans Affairs provides a variety of benefits and services to service members, veterans and their families. To support the development of its community-based fee schedules, the Administration has licensed a number of FAIR Health charge benchmark modules and their companion allowed products.

State Governments
FAIR Health data are used or officially approved by states for numerous purposes, including serving as a basis for reimbursement under surprise billing legislation in various jurisdictions. FAIR Health data serve as the independent, official data source for surprise billing laws in Connecticut, Georgia, New Mexico, New York and Texas.

FAIR Health also has substantial experience helping states develop and update their workers’ compensation fee schedules. Among the states whose workers’ compensation programs we currently support are Georgia, Kentucky, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. We have assisted states with Medicare-based fee schedules, and/or used our own healthcare claims data to inform state fee schedules, working closely with each state to address its needs.

FAIR Health provides a broad range of other assistance to states, from supplying benchmarks that serve as standards for payment under various laws and regulations, to helping evaluate economic and clinical trends and supporting research with data and analytics. For FAIR Health’s current engagement supporting the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program, see the article on that topic in this issue.

For more information about the wide range of services and data products FAIR Health offers federal and state government agencies, contact FAIR Health by email at info@fairhealth.org or call 855-301-3247, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 6 pm ET.