HCAI lays out fees, discounts and access options for Health Care Payments Database

An HCAI staff member presented the agency’s pricing and access rules for the Health Care Payments Database (HPD), saying a nonrefundable $100 application fee applies to all applicants except California state government agencies and that final costs depend on the chosen access method and review process.

The presentation matters because researchers, nonprofits and government agencies seeking HPD records must budget for a combination of setup, per‑project and annual operating charges that HCAI said can range from several thousand dollars to more than $20,000 depending on dataset type and delivery method.

HCAI said all enclave requests include a $4,000 project‑space fee regardless of dataset type. For users who access data in a secure virtual environment, HCAI described two seat types: an “analyst” seat at $4,000 per year with 5 terabytes of storage and a “researcher” seat at $4,800 per year with 10 terabytes of storage. Both seat types include common tools such as RStudio, Python, DataGrip, Microsoft Office and SQL utilities; HCAI said additional software or storage can be added for an annual license cost.

The agency distinguished enclave access from direct delivery. For direct delivery, HCAI said standard limited datasets start at $20,000 per year, with additional charges for Medi‑Cal data. Custom limited and research‑identifiable datasets require a $7,200 setup fee plus additional charges "up to $22,500" for full data tables or per‑table pricing if the requester does not order the full set. HCAI said it will issue a preliminary invoice after a request is submitted and that the final price is set after the agency completes its review.

HCAI said the Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) program is offering a 20% discount on base enclave pricing for the program’s first year, subject to available budget. The presenter said applicants may be eligible for price reductions if they demonstrate good cause; examples cited included consumer groups, students and fellows, California government agencies, HPD data submitters, nonprofit organizations facing financial hardship, and projects that address public‑benefit priorities such as advancing health equity, strengthening the health workforce, improving affordability, producing open‑source tools for HCAI, or improving HPD data quality.

The presenter said applicants can be conditionally approved for a reduced price after HCAI reviews the full application and receives the $100 application fee, which can help applicants pursue outside funding. Final approval for any reduction depends on both the project’s approved data request and available funding, the agency said. HCAI also noted that the California HealthCare Foundation offers a grant to help cover HPD data costs but said the agency is not affiliated with that grant program.

HCAI advised prospective users to consult the HPD data access and release webpage for application procedures, current pricing details and submission instructions.