Fonteum Data GlossaryData Standards
HCRIS: Definition and Healthcare Context
Full name: Healthcare Cost Report Information System
The Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS) is a CMS database of annual cost reports submitted by Medicare-participating health care facilities — including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and others. Cost reports capture detailed financial and operational data including total charges, total costs, number of beds, staffing hours, and Medicare utilization. HCRIS data is publicly available and forms the basis for research on hospital financial health, profit margins, and cost structure. CMS releases quarterly HCRIS file updates; historical data extends to the 1990s.
- Source file
- Not reported
- Published
- Not reported
- Retrieved
- Not reported
- Snapshot
- Not retained for this reference page
- Re-check
- CMS: HCRIS overview
- Data as of
- Not reported
Last updated: 2026-07-11Reviewed by: Dr. Jennifer Montecillo, MD — Gullas College of Medicine, 2019. Non-practicing medical reviewer.
How it’s used
- Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS): Fonteum ingests HCRIS hospital cost reports to power hospital financial transparency research, including the Hospital Margin Gap study.
- CCN facility identity: HCRIS cost reports are CCN-keyed, letting Fonteum join facility financials to Care Compare quality and ownership data.
- Medicare cost-report public-use files: CMS publishes HCRIS as quarterly flat files at data.cms.gov, the source Fonteum re-derives hospital financial metrics from.
Frequently asked questions
- What is HCRIS?
- HCRIS (Healthcare Cost Report Information System) is CMS's public database of annual cost reports from Medicare-participating hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities.
- What data is in HCRIS?
- HCRIS includes total hospital charges, Medicare payments, operating costs, bed counts, staffing hours, and Medicare utilization — filed annually by certified facilities.
- Is HCRIS data public?
- Yes. CMS publishes HCRIS data quarterly as a free public-use file at cms.gov.