Part B National Summary Data File (Previously known as BESS)

NOTE:  Data Files for calendar years 2000 through 2020 are now available as downloads.  See Downloads section below.  A readme file is included for each year.  The download format is CSV (Comma Separated Values) for years 2000 - 2009:  A data format in which each piece of data is separated by a comma. This is a popular format for transferring data from one application to another, because most database and spreadsheet systems are able to import and export comma-delimited data. CSV files can be opened by the majority of spreadsheet and database programs available.  If opened in Excel, column widths will have to be adjusted.  The format for 2010 - 2021 is Excel.

Please be advised that these files contain material that is copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Before you download the files you must read, agree to, and abide by the provisions of the copyright statement via the "AMA Click Agreement".

The data sets are summarized by meaningful Healthcare Common Procedure Coding/Current Procedural Terminology, (HCPC/CPT), code ranges. Brief descriptions for the code ranges and modifiers are provided in the readme file. The data set name contains the year followed by a five character sequence that is the HCPC/CPT code. This HCPC/CPT code corresponds to the first HCPC/CPT in the selected code range of disciplines. Within each code range are, procedural, condition, or description subheadings. Each data set displays the allowed services, allowed charges, and payment amounts by HCPC/CPT codes and prominent modifiers. These reports will only illustrate the modifiers where duplicative claim submissions occur. This is to avoid duplicate counting of services. Utilization for modifiers not affected by duplicative counting are collapsed into the Other category on the reports. Therefore, not all Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published modifiers are illustrated. The file is updated annually and usually available by September for the previous year.

Data Format:  CSV (2000 - 2009), Excel (2010-2021)

Approximate Size:  1 MB per year zipped

Compatible Software Programs:  Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL/DB2/Oracle, SAS or other statistical software.

Available: CY 2000 through 2021 - All years are downloadable below.