The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) June HPD Program Quarterly Newsletter is designed to keep stakeholders informed on programmatic updates and ongoing stakeholder engagement.
HPD Program Updates
Public Reporting
To maximize its utility and value for California policymakers, researchers, and others interested in improving California’s healthcare system, HCAI intends for the HPD to be as comprehensive and complete as possible by increasing the quality, volume, and variety of data collected over time.
To that end, HCAI is required to produce publicly available information from the HPD, including data products and analytic reports, to support the goals of the program. HCAI anticipates continuing to advance the accessibility and usefulness of HPD public reports as the database becomes more comprehensive and HCAI builds its capacity over time. Below are the five public data reports HCAI has published to date. Visit the HPD Public Reporting webpage for more information.
- Medical Out-of-Pocket Costs and Chronic Conditions in 2022
- HPD Services
- Fee-for-Service Drug Costs in the Commercial Market
- HPD Measures
- HPD Snapshot
Data Access and Release
The Data Release Program was launched on December 17, 2024, to allow researchers, state agencies, and other qualified applicants to request access to non-public HPD data. To apply for HPD datasets, please register for an account through HCAI’s Data Request Portal and follow instructions for submitting a detailed application, including a description of your research, data needs, and privacy measures. Please visit the HPD Data Access and Release and HCAI Data Resources webpages for more information.
Program Updates
- HCAI recently published the HPD Data Completeness Fact Sheet detailing file type completeness by product types of Commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid.
- HCAI held an informational webinar on January 15, 2025, for researchers, state agencies, and other qualified applicants to learn about the HPD data request process, including how to access data requests, dataset meanings, and application review timelines. Materials from the webinar, including responses to all questions received, are available on the HPD Data Access and Release webpage under the Informational Webinar Section.
Program Regulations
Please refer to the HCAI Laws & Regulations to review all program regulations. To stay up to date on notice of regulatory actions for the HPD Program, please visit HCAI’s subscription page to be added to our mailing list.
- The HPD Non-Claims Payment (NCP) Data Collection Regulations were approved by the Office of Administrative Law on March 25, 2025. NCP are identified as information submitters must provide to HPD as described in Health and Safety Code section 127673. Please refer to California Code of Regulations Title 22, Division 7, Chapter 11, Articles 1 to 7 to view a simple text version the regulations.
- The National Association of Health Data Organizations (NAHDO) and the All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) Council released the APCD-CDLTM version 4.0.1 on February 24, 2025, on the APCD Council website. The APCD-CDLTM version 3.0.1 and the NCP Data LayoutTM version 1.0 will continue to be the file format used for HPD data collection through 2025. HCAI is in the process of updating the HPD Data Collection Regulations to incorporate version 4.0.1 of the APCD-CDLTM. APCD-CDLTM version 4.0.1 incorporates the NCP Data LayoutTM version 1.0 into its design. HCAI anticipates regulation adoption in early 2026.
HPD Dental Plan Data Collection
Dental plans and submitters must be registered with the HPD Program through the Claims Data Manager (CDM) for HCAI prior to submitting data. Monthly data collection for dental file data is in full production. Below is a recap of important dental file data collection due dates:
- Historical dental data files for the period from June 29, 2017, through December 2021 were due on October 31, 2024.
- Dental plans began regular monthly data file reporting with November 2024 data due on January 2, 2025. The HPD Reporting Manual Version 2.1 includes the monthly production submission schedule.
- Remaining historical dental data files for the period from January 2022 through October 2024 were due on February 3, 2025.
Please refer to California Code of Regulations Sections 97340, 97351, and 97352 for more information about these requirements or contact the HPD program at hpd@hcai.ca.gov for assistance.
NCP Data Collection
Key Dates for NCP Data Collection
Registration reopened for plans on April 1, 2025, and for submitters on May 1, 2025, in order to confirm NCP file submission to the HPD program. Registration must be completed prior to submitting NCP test or production ready files. NCP submissions include the Annual Payments, Pharmacy Rebates, and Capitation files. Below are key dates for submitting production NCP data files:
- By September 1, 2025, plans and submitters will begin testing for NCP files, to be completed by June 30, 2026.
- Historical annual payment files and pharmacy rebate files for the period from June 29, 2017, through December 31, 2024, are due on July 31, 2026.
- Capitation files for the period from June 29, 2017, through July 31, 2026, are due on September 1, 2026.
- Initiation of ongoing annual payment and pharmacy rebate files will begin on September 30, 2026, starting with calendar year 2025 files.
- Initiation of ongoing monthly capitation files will begin on October 1, 2026, starting with August 2026 files.
NCP Implementation and Training Webinars
HCAI and Onpoint Health Data developed the following series of training webinars to assist plans and submitters for the implementation of NCP file submission. Visit the Submitter Resources section on the HPD Program Submitters webpage for more information.
- June 11, 2025: Overview of Claims Data Manager (CDM) and Submission Best Practices
- May 29, 2025: NCP Data Layout and Validation
- May 14, 2025: Introduction to SFTP and PGP File Encryption
- April 30, 2025: NCP Data Collection Webinar
Additional Resources
HCAI recently updated the NCP Fact Sheet which provides additional information on NCP data collection efforts, including a timeline and a frequently asked questions section for health plans and submitters.
Please reach out to hpd@hcai.ca.gov if you have any questions regarding NCP data collection. If you need assistance with the updated registration form, please contact hpd-support@onpointhealthdata.org.
HPD System Monthly Data File Submissions
HCAI greatly appreciates the efforts of all data submitters in their timely submissions and those that have adjusted their submission schedules to an earlier-in-the-month timeframe. Data submitters are encouraged to reach out to the HCAI team if there are any concerns with meeting the reporting deadline. HCAI continues to conduct ongoing and regular evaluation of data quality and completeness to support both public reporting and the release of non-public data. HCAI continues to meet with plans to share results of HCAI’s annual data quality plan reports. The reports include an executive summary, data visuals, and questions tailored to each plan and submitter. These annual reports will include a feedback loop for plans to share their experiences, provide an opportunity for plans to validate their data, inform HCAI about best practices across the commercial sector, and provide additional insight for public reporting of HPD data.
HPD Stakeholder Engagement
HPD Program Advisory Committee
The HPD Program Advisory Committee is comprised of health care stakeholders and experts to assist and advise the HCAI Director in formulating program policies about data collection, data management, data use, data access, and the development of public information to meet the goals of the HPD Program. The HPD Program Advisory Committee convenes quarterly.
Upcoming July Meeting
HCAI is hosting the next Advisory Committee meeting on July 24, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Beginning with the July meeting, all future meetings will return to being held at HCAI’s Sacramento office, located at 2020 West El Camino Ave. Meetings will be offered in a hybrid format, allowing committee members and the public to participate either in person or online via Microsoft Teams. Anticipated meeting topics include updates on HPD data collection, data quality and completeness, voluntary data collection, dental data submission, and NCP data collection. The agenda and all other meeting materials will be posted on the HPD Program Advisory Committee webpage prior to the meeting.
Past Meetings
HCAI hosted a meeting on April 24, 2025, which focused on updates on the HPD Data Collection Program and Data Release Program, featuring presentations on progress and initiatives and also covered the roles of the HPD Advisory Committee and Data Release Committee, current data release application activity, early learnings from potential data requestors, and current and future state uses of HPD data. Previous Advisory Committee meeting materials are available on the webpage under the Meetings Archive section.
HPD Data Release Committee
The HPD Data Release Committee (DRC) is integral to supporting the implementation and administration of the HPD Program and advises HCAI on the release of HPD data. Unless otherwise stated, the HPD DRC convenes monthly. Below is information on the most recent and upcoming meetings.
Upcoming Meeting
HCAI plans to host the next HPD DRC meeting on August 20, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in a hybrid format where committee members attend in person at HCAI’s offices in Sacramento or Los Angeles. Members of the public can join either in person or online via Microsoft Teams. Meeting topics will include a review of data use requests requiring the DRC’s recommendation for approval. The agenda and all other meeting materials will be posted on the HPD DRC webpage before the meeting.
Past Meetings
The last meeting held was on November 20, 2024. During that meeting, the DRC heard from representatives for the Connecticut and Arkansas APCDs and discussed federal healthcare price transparency requirements. Previous DRC meeting materials are available on the HPD DRC webpage under the Meetings Archive section.
HPD Submitter Group
The HPD Submitter Group Meetings provide a forum for submitters to receive the latest information on submission requirements, troubleshoot data submissions, and address other technical issues related to data submission. Meetings are held to support entities required to submit or are supporting the submission of data to the HPD System. The HPD Submitter Group Meeting convenes quarterly.
Upcoming July Meeting
The next HPD Submitter Group Meeting will be on July 10, 2025. Please register to attend the virtual meeting. Anticipated meeting topics include key program updates, a report on annual data quality reports, and NCP submission update and review. The agenda and meeting materials will be posted on the HPD Program Submitters webpage prior to the meeting.
Past Meetings
HCAI hosted a meeting on April 10, 2025, which focused on key program updates, annual data quality plan reports and engagement, and a training presentation by Onpoint Health Data on NCP registration and data collection overview. Presentation materials are available on the HPD Submitter Group webpage.
HPD Program Submitter Resources
The HPD Program Submitters webpage offers submitter training materials under the Submitter Resources section. The training materials are provided by Onpoint Health Data to help HPD Program Submitters with registering and submitting files through the CDM. The Frequently Asked Questions section also provides information on registration and data submission. Please contact Onpoint Health Data at hpd-support@onpointhealthdata.org to view the training videos.
About the HPD Program
Assembly Bill 80 (Chapter 12, Statutes of 2020) provides HCAI the authority to establish the HPD Program. The HPD System is California’s All-Payer Claims Database, or APCD, and is intended to support greater health care cost transparency, inform policy decisions supporting quality health care, and reduce health care costs and disparities.
Watch the video below to learn more about the HPD Program. Also visit HCAI’s HPD Program webpage or email hpd@hcai.ca.gov for any questions. Subscribe to “Healthcare Payments Database News” to receive future newsletters if this newsletter was forwarded to you.
How does the HPD Collect and Report Data?
Find out by watching the video below.
HPD Program Careers
Are you interested in joining the HCAI Team? Click below to watch for job opportunities coming soon to support the HPD Program:
