Healthcare Data GlossaryProvider
CCN: Definition and Healthcare Context
Full name: CMS Certification Number
The CMS Certification Number (CCN) is a six-digit identifier assigned by CMS to Medicare- and Medicaid-certified health care facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospices, dialysis facilities, and ambulatory surgical centers. The CCN is the primary facility identifier in CMS administrative data and the linking key between datasets such as Care Compare, the Provider of Services (POS) file, and HCRIS cost reports. The first two digits encode state; the remaining four identify the facility within that state and encode its facility type.
Last updated: 2026-06-17Reviewed by: Dr. Jennifer Montecillo, MD — Gullas College of Medicine, 2019. Non-practicing medical reviewer.
How it’s used
- CMS Provider of Services (POS) File: the POS file uses CCN as the primary facility identifier, providing the backbone for cross-dataset joins.
- Healthcare Cost Report Information System (HCRIS): HCRIS cost reports are filed under the facility's CCN, enabling joins between financial data and Care Compare quality data.
- CMS Care Compare: all Care Compare facility records are keyed to CCN, making it the universal facility identifier across CMS quality programs.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a CCN number?
- A CCN (CMS Certification Number) is a 6-digit identifier CMS assigns to certified health care facilities for use in Medicare and Medicaid administrative data.
- How does a CCN differ from an NPI?
- An NPI identifies any HIPAA-covered provider. A CCN identifies only Medicare/Medicaid-certified facilities and is used specifically for CMS certification and billing purposes.
- Where is the CCN used?
- CCN appears in HCRIS cost reports, the Provider of Services file, Care Compare, and all CMS facility-level datasets as the primary facility key.
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