What is the difference between the Carrier (Part B Physician/Supplier) files and the Outpatient files?
With a few exceptions (see “If I want outpatient data, what do I ask for?”), the Carrier dataset contains claims filed on the CMS-1500 forms for services performed by physicians (non-institutional) and other health care providers (chiropractors, physician assistants, etc.) that have been sent to the Carriers for payment. The Outpatient file contains UB-04 (CMS-1450) claims sent by outpatient institutions to fiscal intermediaries for payment.
