National Medicare & Medicaid claims database for Alzheimer’s research
Official title: Core B - CMS Data Core
Funded at National Bureau of Economic Research · NIH-11195553 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds and updates a nationwide set of Medicare and Medicaid records to help researchers better understand dementia and care for people 65 and older.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Bureau of Economic Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 1997 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $592,463 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG005842-36 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195553 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is most relevant to people 65 and older with Medicare or Medicaid coverage, especially those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.
✕Less likely to help
People under 65, those without Medicare/Medicaid coverage, or those not affected by dementia are unlikely to see direct benefits from this data core.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one is 65 or older, this project improves a national set of Medicare and Medicaid billing records so researchers can learn more about Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The team adds Medicare Advantage and Medicaid records to NBER’s long-running claims database and links new measures for dementia symptoms, stages, and cognitive impairment. They are also improving how patient race and ethnicity are recorded and working to identify spouses who may act as caregivers. Qualified researchers will be able to use these enhanced data to study care patterns and health disparities for older adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Improved claims data could lead to better understanding of dementia diagnoses, caregiving, and racial/ethnic disparities, informing future care and policy for older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Large claims databases like NBER’s have long been used to study healthcare use and policy, while linking richer dementia measures to claims is a newer enhancement.
Where this research is happening
-
National Bureau of Economic Research
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Doyle, Joseph J — National Bureau of Economic Research
- Study coordinator: Doyle, Joseph J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.