Assessing the Usability of MAX 2008 Encounter Data for Enrollees in Comprehensive Managed Care

This issue brief provides an assessment of the selected other services, inpatient (IP), and prescription drug (RX) encounter data for enrollees in comprehensive managed care during 2008. It summarizes the availability, completeness, quality, and usability of the encounter data for comprehensive managed care enrollees by basis of eligibility category and gives specific information by state. It also examines the changes in the IP and RX encounter data from 2007 to 2008. The results are encouraging for researchers and policymakers. Most states that have comprehensive managed care plans are reporting IP, RX, and other services encounter data. Of those data, most are usable. The number of states submitting usable encounter data is increasing.