Overview
The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) is an independent agency established under Section 20 of Chapter 12C of the Massachusetts General Laws. CHIA succeeded the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy and assumed many of that agency’s responsibilities. CHIA’s website states,
CHIA’s mission is to serve as a steward of Massachusetts health information to promote a more transparent and equitable health care system that effectively serves all residents of the Commonwealth.
We pursue this mission in the public interest. This informs our objective perspective, and our commitment to serving a broad, diverse audience. We are a hub, connecting our products to policymakers, public and private payers and providers, employers, researchers, and the residents of Massachusetts.
Our vision is a transparent health care system where reliable information provides common ground for improvement and empowers people and organizations to make informed decisions.
CHIA is managed by an executive director, who is appointed by a majority vote of the Governor, Attorney General, and State Auditor. It is overseen by the Health Information and Analysis Oversight Council, which manages its budget allocation and provides guidance on research and analytics conducted by CHIA. The council is an 11-member body that was established through the fiscal year 2016 budget process and meets quarterly. The executive director and council members serve five-year terms and can be reappointed.
CompareCare
Under Section 20 of Chapter 12C of the General Laws, CHIA is required to maintain a consumer health information website. In 2018, CHIA launched the CompareCare website to meet this requirement. CompareCare offers tools to compare the costs of certain medical procedures at a variety of healthcare facilities in Massachusetts. CHIA estimates these costs based upon data that it obtains from commercial insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid. In order to ensure the accuracy of cost estimates, CHIA is required by law to update the cost data used on its website annually.
CompareCare’s Cost Estimates and the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database
CHIA maintains the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database, a data repository that gathers healthcare claims data on the majority of Massachusetts residents who use either public programs (e.g., Medicare or Medicaid) or are enrolled with a commercial insurance payer. Payers are required by Section 2.00 of Title 957 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR) to provide CHIA with cost data annually. CHIA uses the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database to provide healthcare cost estimates on CompareCare. Cost estimates are included for select healthcare services at providers in Massachusetts and neighboring states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Cost estimates are calculated by using the average cost for each service rendered at a provider.
Financial Reporting Requirements of Acute Care Hospitals
Under 957 CMR 9.00, acute care hospitals are required to provide CHIA with financial information on a quarterly and annual basis. The information required to be submitted to CHIA includes cost reports, audited financial statements, charge books, quarterly financial filings, and a list of the hospital’s top 10 highest compensated employees. CHIA then uses this information to develop hospital profiles, which are designed to monitor the financial performance of each acute care hospital and are published on CHIA’s website. CHIA also uses hospital financial data to publish an annual report that details the financial performance of healthcare systems in Massachusetts. The heat map below illustrates the number of acute care hospitals that service each community in Massachusetts.
| Date published: | January 3, 2025 |
|---|