Data and Analytics

Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)

The HCUP family of databases can enable research on COVID-related health policy issues, including cost and quality of health services, medical practice patterns, access to healthcare programs, and outcomes of treatments at the national, State, and local market levels. HCUPnet is a free online query system that provides access to health statistics and information on hospital inpatient and emergency department utilization that can be used for COVID-19 planning and response. Access guidance on obtaining HCUP data.

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

MEPS is the only national data source measuring how Americans use and pay for medical care, health insurance, and out-of-pocket spending. Data from MEPS can help provide insights for understanding the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Access guidance on obtaining MEPS data.

Analytic Tools

AHRQ's Analytic Tools are available to assist in using the data and provide baseline summary statistics.

• HCUP Visualization of Inpatient Trends in COVID-19 and Other Conditions
• HCUP Tools
  • Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR)
    Groups ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes into over 530 clinical categories
  • Chronic Condition Indicator (CCI) for ICD-10-CM
    Identifies diagnoses as chronic conditions
  • Elixhauser Comorbidity Software for ICD-10-CM
    Identifies secondary diagnoses as comorbidities
• HCUP Fast Stats provides easy access to the latest HCUP-based statistics for specific healthcare information topics.
• MEPS summary tables provide frequently used estimates on household medical utilization and expenditures, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health insurance coverage, access to care and satisfaction with care, medical conditions, and prescribed medicine purchases.
• Retail and Mail Order Drugs Used in 2014–18 and Later Prescribed for COVID-19

Research and Analyses

AHRQ's research and analyses include new findings, publications, and research notes that may be of interest to those responding to the COVID-19 crisis. The Agency disseminates statistical briefs and working papers based on HCUP and MEPS data. Researchers also can learn more about publications using HCUP or MEPS.

• Patient Safety and COVID-19: A Qualitative Analysis of Concerns During the Public Health Emergency (PDF, 2.6 MB).
• COVID-19 Vaccination Prioritization Scenarios and Their Effects on Eligibility by Poverty Level, Race, and Ethnicity, MEPS Research Findings #46
• Influenza Vaccination Prevalence Among Adults With Increased Risk of Severe COVID-19, MEPS Research Findings #48
• Pre-COVID-19 Retail Use and Expenditures for Drugs That Were Subsequently Used to Treat COVID-19, MEPS Research Findings #49
• COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations in Nine States, by Race/Ethnicity, 2020, HCUP Statistical Brief #272 (PDF, 591 KB)
• COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations in 13 States, by Community-Level Income, 2020, HCUP Statistical Brief #273 (PDF, 426 KB)
• COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations in 13 States, by Expected Payer, 2020, HCUP Statistical Brief #274 (PDF, 552 KB)
• COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations in 13 States, by Patient Location, 2020, HCUP Statistical Brief #275 (PDF, 355 KB)
• COVID-19-Related Hospitalizations in 13 States, by Patient Race/Ethnicity, 2020, HCUP Statistical Brief #276 (PDF, 395 KB)
• Changes in Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic (April–September 2020), 13 States, HCUP Statistical Brief #282
• Changes in Pediatric Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic (April–September 2020), 13 States, HCUP Statistical Brief #283 (PDF, 359 KB)
• Changes in Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths for Adults Aged 18–64 Years in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic (April–September 2020), 13 States, HCUP Statistical Brief #284 (PDF, 387 KB)
• Changes in Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths for Adults Aged 65 Years and Older in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic (April–September 2020), 13 States, HCUP Statistical Brief #285 (PDF, 285 KB)