The accessibility of the best dataset on American health care is at risk. Prachi Sanghavi, a health-policy researcher at the University of Chicago, conducts research using data provided by the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). However, CMS announced plans to change its data-sharing practices, raising fees and making access less convenient. This has led to over 400 researchers signing a letter in protest, claiming that the new restrictions will jeopardize groundbreaking research. The CMS numbers are crucial as America does not have a national health-records system, making it a trove for researchers studying various aspects of healthcare. This development poses a significant threat to the country’s health-care practices. For more details, visit www.economist.com.
