Minnesota All Payer Claims Database

In 2008, the Minnesota Legislature passed groundbreaking health reform legislation that, among other initiatives, charged the Commissioner of Health with developing a system to create greater transparency of provider cost and quality. As one component of the system, Minnesota Department of Health staff and contractors developed, with input from community advisors, the Minnesota Health Care Claims Reporting System (MHCCRS), also known as the Minnesota All Payer Claims Database (MN APCD).

While the MN APCD was originally limited to support Minnesota's Provider Peer Grouping (PPG) initiative, the 2014 Legislature recognized the importance of using MN APCD as a tool to address other key questions to inform health care delivery system reform. MDH was authorized to perform relevant analyses about variation of cost, quality, utilization and disease burden, in addition to using the data for certain evaluation activities.

The newly authorized uses for MN APCD now include:

1. Evaluating the performance of the Health Care Homes program;
2. Studying hospital readmission rates and trends, in collaboration with the Reducing Avoidable Readmissions Effectively (RARE) campaign;
3. Analyzing variations in health care costs, quality, utilization and illness burden based on geographical areas or populations;
4. Evaluating the State Innovation Model (SIM) testing grant received by the Departments of Health and Human Services;
5. Conducting a one-time study of chronic pain management procedures (completed in January 2015);
6. Assessing the feasibility of conducting state-based risk adjustment in the individual and small group health insurance markets; and
7. Studying trends in health care spending for specific chronic conditions and risk factors.

Overview of the MN APCD (PDF)

MN APCD Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Current Uses of the MN APCD (PDF)

Fact Sheet: MN APCD Submission Requirements (PDF)