Machine Readable Files
Machine Readable Files contain information required by federal regulations and apply to certain types of health plans or issuers. These files, often called “MRFs,” are updated monthly and although they are data dense, they are formatted in accordance with federal standards. MRFs are intended to promote transparency, and are one of several different types of places to obtain information on costs.
The links below are where MRFs for your health plan or coverage may be located. In some instances, different entities may have MRFs because they perform different services for your health plan. For example, provider networks (BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona), third party administrators (AmeriBen), and/or pharmacy benefit managers (Magellan) may be involved.
Under the federal regulations, an in-network and separate out-of-network (also called “allowed amount”) MRF are required to be posted on a publicly available website for certain health plans or issuers when the plan or renews in year 2022. Currently, the federal government has deferred enforcement on pharmacy machine readable file pending further rulemaking.