new Medicare CBSA Data in ZIP Code Database

As part of our ongoing effort to provide more value in our data products, Zip-Codes.com has recently added the following fields to our Business U.S. ZIP Code Database:

      SSAStateCountyCode - The State County Code as set by the Social Security Administration for Medicare and Medicaid.

      MedicareCBSACode - The CBSA Code for this ZIP Code as set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

      MedicareCBSAName - The CBSA Name for this ZIP Code as set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

      MedicareCBSAType - The CBSA type for this ZIP Code as set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Metro or Micro.

      MarketRatingAreaID - The Market Area ID used for Insurance billing purposes.

 

 

These fields are designed to better serve our customers who need and use the ZIP Code data for Medicare and other insurance purposes.

Medicare CBSA's are used to determine payment amounts to hospitals. The Social Security Act says that these payments can be adjusted based on the hospital's wage level and geographic area. Geographic areas are identified by using the Medicare CBSA's. A hospitals wage level (in specific geographical area) is compared to the national average hospital wage level. After the comparison, modifications are made.

Rating areas are used with insurance companies to make changes to premiums. Insurance companies are allowed to have varying premiums based on where a person lives within a state.  A state may establish one or more rating areas based on a geographic boundaries, such as county and metropolitan statistical areas or by 3 digit ZIP Code. Every person within that rating area will have the same premium rate.