Federal datasets
CMS, HHS-OIG, and HHS sub-agencies. All public-domain upstream.
NPPES + PECOS rows
Approximate serving-table rows counted separately; NPI joins apply only where both sources publish a usable NPI.
IRB requirements
Federal administrative data is public-use. No patient records. No de-identification required.
What's cite-able
with upstream source URLs.
Dataset rows expose an upstream source URL where the source and response supply one; the registry includes federal and non-federal public sources. The table below lists the documented origin for each named dataset. Fonteum's compilation layer can normalize types, project fields, and add cross-source joins; those transforms and their limitations belong in the dataset methodology.
| Dataset | Federal source | Rows | Grain | Join key | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMS Provider of Services (POS) iQIES | data.cms.gov ↗ | 68,211 | Per certified facility | CCN | U.S. Government Works |
| CMS Care Compare — Home Health | data.cms.gov ↗ | 12,392 | Per CCN-keyed agency | CCN | U.S. Government Works |
| CMS Care Compare — Hospice | data.cms.gov ↗ | 6,943 | Per CCN-keyed facility | CCN | U.S. Government Works |
| CMS Care Compare — Nursing Home Penalties | data.cms.gov ↗ | 16,832 | Per enforcement action | CCN + Survey Event ID | U.S. Government Works |
| CMS NH Health Deficiencies | data.cms.gov ↗ | Per citation | CCN + Survey Event ID | U.S. Government Works | |
| OIG LEIE Exclusions | oig.hhs.gov ↗ | Per excluded individual / entity | NPI (joined) | U.S. Government Works | |
| CMS PECOS PPEF (Medical Enrichment) | data.cms.gov ↗ | Varies | Per enrolled provider | NPI | U.S. Government Works |
| CMS QPP MIPS Individual Scores | qpp.cms.gov ↗ | 477,137 | Per clinician, per performance year | NPI | U.S. Government Works |
| HCRIS Hospital Cost Reports | www.cms.gov ↗ | Per facility, per cost report period | CCN | U.S. Government Works | |
| CMS Open Payments | openpaymentsdata.cms.gov ↗ | Varies | Per payment record | NPI | U.S. Government Works |
| Federally Qualified Health Centers (HHS annual utilization data) | data.hrsa.gov ↗ | Per FQHC site | FQHC ID (NPI joinable) | U.S. Government Works | |
| NSA IDR + MRF Compliance | www.cms.gov ↗ | Derived | Per entity | NPI / Tax ID | U.S. Government Works (upstream); CC BY 4.0 (Fonteum scoring layer) |
| CMS NSA Surprise Billing IDR Filings | www.cms.gov ↗ | Derived | Per filing, per initiating party | NPI / Tax ID | U.S. Government Works |
Methods-section boilerplate
Drop-in paragraph for journal submission.
Replace the bracketed tokens with the specific dataset, federal source name, methodology version string (e.g. snf-owners/v1), and snapshot date supplied by the export. Use the matching published methodology page when available.
Data for this analysis were obtained from Fonteum (fonteum.com), a federally-sourced healthcare data infrastructure layer. The dataset used [DATASET] is derived from [FEDERAL SOURCE], methodology version [VERSION], snapshot date [DATE]. The upstream federal data are public-domain (U.S. Government Works); the Fonteum compilation is available under CC BY 4.0. Cross-source joins are performed on CMS Certification Number (CCN) or National Provider Identifier (NPI) as documented in the methodology version cited above. No patient-level data are included. No IRB review was required for this analysis.
For a supported export that includes a methodology URL, follow the URL supplied in the response. Page availability and version retention are dataset-specific.
Reproducibility
Stata, R, and Python codebooks on request.
Statistical codebooks are available upon pilot access request. Each codebook includes variable descriptions, dtype contracts, and worked join examples that replicate the cross-source joins documented in the methodology.
Stata
Value labels, variable descriptions, and import scripts where the published dataset package supplies them.
R
Tidyverse-compatible tibble import, column typing, and join vignettes.
Python
pandas / polars import scripts with dtype contracts and CCN ↔ NPI join examples.
Why this works as a reproducibility reference
The methodology page is the audit artifact.
Generated methodology pages are published at /methodology/[dataset]. Where configured, a page can render source family and Tier classification, publisher cadence, available field schema and confidence metadata, join logic, known limitations, and version history.
When supplied, the methodology URL in an export points to the matching published page. Retention and version-history coverage are dataset-specific.
Browse all methodology pages →Pre-publication data dictionary
Inspect the published schema and known limitations before committing to a methodology.
A scoped pilot can include a pre-publication data dictionary for the contracted dataset: field names, types, available null rates, known edge cases, and source-column mappings where supplied. When included, the dictionary is delivered as machine-readable JSON alongside the CSV export.
Field-level null rates
Per field, per dataset snapshot. Null rate changes flagged across versions.
Source column mapping
Where supplied, a mapping names the originating federal column and file for the published field.
Known edge cases
CMS suppression sentinels ("*", "DS"), partial-year cost reports, facility closures mid-year.
Version diff
Field additions, removals, and type changes are documented between methodology versions.
How to cite Fonteum
Citation formats where the export supplies them.
Supported API exports can include a citation block with APA, Chicago, plain text, and BibTeX when the response supplies that envelope. When present, the block identifies the available methodology version and snapshot date; missing fields remain explicit.
// APA
Fonteum LLC (2026). [Dataset name], methodology
version [VERSION], snapshot [DATE].
Fonteum. https://fonteum.com/methodology/[dataset]
// BibTeX
@dataset{fonteum_[dataset]_[year],
author = {{Fonteum LLC}},
title = {[Dataset name]},
year = {[year]},
version = {[VERSION]},
publisher = {Fonteum LLC},
url = {https://fonteum.com/methodology/[dataset]},
note = {Snapshot date: [DATE]. CC BY 4.0.}
}When an API response includes a citation block, use the methodology version and snapshot date it names. Do not infer omitted version or date fields.
ORCID integration
Link your ORCID iD. Make it available for eligible dataset citations.
When an operator-curated dataset citation configures you as a researcher author and your account has a linked ORCID iD, its Dataset JSON-LD can carry your ORCID as the schema.org/Person creator. The link points readers to your public ORCID profile; it does not add authorship metadata to other datasets.
Example ORCID profile link: 0000-0002-1825-0097 ↗ (ORCID iD format). OAuth /authenticate scope only — Fonteum never writes to your record.
Read the ORCID integration docs →Data access
Request data access for your research.
Describe the study scope (datasets, analysis period, research question), and we send a scoped data access agreement within 2 business days. Academic research requests receive a reduced pilot rate. No procurement loop required for single-PI studies.