[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14952-14954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6885]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Care Financing Administration


Office of Research and Demonstrations; Statement of Organization, 
Functions, and Delegations of Authority

    Part F of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations 
of Authority for the Department of Health and Human Services, Health 
Care Financing Administration (HCFA), (Federal Register, Vol. 59, No. 
60, pp. 14642-43, dated Tuesday, March 29, 1994) is amended to reflect 
various changes resulting from the streamlining and reorganization of 
the Office of Research and Demonstrations (ORD).
    These changes abolish the current ORD substructure which consists 
of three subordinate offices and one staff, and establish a new 
substructure which consists of four subordinate offices and two 
subordinate staffs. These changes will realign all current ORD 
functions into the following activity areas: information dissemination; 
financial, administrative, and procurement support; state health reform 
demonstrations; payment, delivery, and financing research and 
demonstrations; beneficiary related research and demonstrations; and 
ORD program support activities.
    The specific changes to Part F are:
    <bullet> Section F.10.C.3.a, through Section F.10.C.3.c.(2) is 
deleted in its entirety and replaced by the following revised 
functional statements. The new sections F.10.C.3.a through 
F.10.C.3.f.(2) read as follows:

A. Dissemination Staff (FKB-2)

    <bullet> Produces and distributes ORD publications, such as the 
Health Care Financing Review, Status Report, Publications Catalog, and 
Reports to Congress.
    <bullet> Coordinates ORD's input for the annual HCFA Report to 
Congress.
    <bullet> Markets materials, including electronically produced data 
and publications to consumers, customers and other individuals or 
organizations.
    <bullet> Develops new dissemination strategies that encourage the 
adoption and diffusion of innovations in health care financing and 
delivery.
    <bullet> Manages internal and external inquiries.
    <bullet> Provides conference support.
    <bullet> Provides technical and editorial support services.
    <bullet> Coordinates with the Government Printing Office and the 
National Technical Information Service.
    <bullet> Maintains resource material for internal use.
    <bullet> Develops and disseminates internal communications and 
operational procedures.
    <bullet> Reviews, coordinates and serves as liaison for 
administrative correspondence.

B. Financial, Administrative and Procurement Staff (FKB-3)

    <bullet> Plans, directs and implements a comprehensive office-wide 
human resources and employee development program.
    <bullet> Coordinates ORD's section of the HCFA strategic plan.
    <bullet> Coordinates the Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act.
    <bullet> Plans, directs and implements office-wide facilities and 
property management programs.
    <bullet> Plans, directs and implements comprehensive office-wide 
budget and financial management programs.
    <bullet> Coordinates grants, contracts, cooperative agreements and 
waiver activities.
    <bullet> Plans and develops ORD's Acquisition Planning Document.
    <bullet> Develops and implements the ORD Waiver Compendium.
    <bullet> Manages Freedom of Information and Privacy Act issues.

C. Office of State Health Reform Demonstrations (FKB4)

    <bullet> Conducts research, demonstrations and evaluations to 
support the development and implementation of State health and welfare 
reform demonstrations.
    <bullet> In partnership with other HCFA bureaus and DHHS offices, 
directs the [[Page 14953]] Department's response to all aspects of the 
State's proposal and any proposed changes to ongoing demonstration 
activities.
    <bullet> Monitors ongoing operations of the State's demonstration 
in partnership with other HCFA bureaus and regional offices.
    <bullet> Funds technical assistance to States in the implementation 
and evaluation of these programs.

D. Office of Payment and Delivery Research and Demonstrations 
(FKB5)

    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural research, demonstrations 
and evaluations of managed care and other delivery systems including 
studies supporting the development of associated payment systems and 
the development of infrastructure in underserved areas.
    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural research, demonstrations 
and evaluations of broad reforms of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, 
studies to evaluate the impact of proposals for reform of the health 
care system and studies of health care financing systems.
    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural research, demonstrations 
and evaluations to support the development, implementation and 
refinement of payment policies including the extension of existing 
payment systems to excluded providers and other payers.
    <bullet> Directs and performs analyses to assist in delivery and 
systems reform and payment policy development.
D.(1) Division of Delivery Systems and Financing (FKB51)
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations of managed care and other delivery 
systems including the development of infrastructure in underserved 
areas (rural/inner-city areas).
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations to support the development and 
implementation of payment systems associated with delivery and systems 
reform.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations to develop and implement patient and 
other classification systems, including risk adjustment methodologies, 
for new delivery and payment systems.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations of broad reforms of the Medicare and 
Medicaid programs.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research studies to 
evaluate the impact of proposals for reform of the health care system.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations of health care financing issues.
    <bullet> Performs analyses to assist in delivery and systems reform 
policy development.
D.(2) Division of Payment Systems (FKB52)
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations to support the development, 
implementation and refinement of payment policy for hospitals, 
physicians, drugs, outpatient facilities, skilled nursing facilities, 
home health agencies and other providers.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations to support the extension of payment 
systems to excluded providers and to other payers.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations to develop and implement patient and 
other classifications for payment systems.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research studies of the 
impact of payment systems on providers and other payers.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research studies on 
developments/changes in the health care sector and evaluate the 
implications for payment policy.
    <bullet> Assists in the development and implementation of payment 
policies to expand access and develop infrastructure in underserved 
areas (rural/inner-city areas).
    <bullet> Performs analyses to assist in payment policy development.

E. Office of Beneficiary and Program Research and Demonstrations 
(FKB6)

    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural research, demonstrations 
and evaluations on the Medicare and Medicaid programs and beneficiary 
populations that include, but are not limited to, maternal and child 
health, End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), persons with Acquired Immune 
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), prescribed drugs, persons with cancer, 
persons with mental and physical chronic disease and disabilities, 
where the issues to be studied include, but are not limited to, health 
status and outcomes, information, eligibility, service use, access to 
care, coverage, expenditures and quality of care.
    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural studies on the impact of 
existing and new HCFA programs and payment systems on the 
beneficiaries.
    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural research, demonstrations 
and evaluations on ways to improve the decision-making process by which 
consumers select health insurance coverage, providers and treatments, 
and beneficiary satisfaction.
    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural research, demonstrations 
and evaluations related to new measures of quality of care.
    <bullet> Directs intramural and extramural research, demonstrations 
and evaluations to support coverage policy for new and existing 
technology and procedures.
    <bullet> Directs and performs the policy analyses of findings on 
issues that affect beneficiary populations and programs.
E.(1) Division of Health, Information and Outcomes (FKB61)
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations related to issues that affect the health 
status, outcomes, eligibility, access to, and use and costs of services 
for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and special populations, such 
as, maternal and child health, persons with AIDS and cancer patients.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations related to issues that affect the ESRD 
program.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations related to beneficiary satisfaction.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural studies on the impact 
of existing and new HCFA programs and payment systems on the 
beneficiaries.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations on ways to improve the decision-making 
process by which consumers select health insurance coverage, providers 
and treatments.
    <bullet> Carries out and analyzes the results of the Medicare 
Health Status Registry.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations on health information for providers.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations related to new measures of quality of 
care (not related to the aged and disabled).
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations to support coverage policy for new and 
existing technologies, procedures and pharmaceuticals. [[Page 14954]] 
    <bullet> Analyzes the policy implications of findings on health, 
information, outcomes, access, coverage and quality.
E.(2) Division of Aging and Disability (FKB62)
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations on issues that affect program 
eligibility for populations that include persons with mental and 
physical chronic disease and disabilities.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations on issues that affect coverage for 
populations that include persons with mental and physical chronic 
disease and disabilities.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations on issues that affect cost of care for 
populations that include persons with mental and physical chronic 
disease and disabilities.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations on issues that affect access to care for 
populations that include persons with mental and physical chronic 
disease and disabilities.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations on issues that affect quality of health 
and long-term care services for populations that include persons with 
mental and physical chronic disease and disabilities.
    <bullet> Conducts intramural and extramural research, 
demonstrations and evaluations related to new measures of quality of 
care for populations that include persons with mental and physical 
chronic disease and disabilities.
    <bullet> Analyzes trends in long-term care programs and market 
characteristics.
    <bullet> Analyzes the policy implications of findings on issues 
that affect aging and disability.
F. Office of Research and Demonstrations Support (FKB7)
    <bullet> Directs the Fiscal Intermediary and Carrier activities for 
demonstrations.
    <bullet> Directs the development, implementation and ongoing 
operations of demonstrations.
    <bullet> Directs the design and development of payment 
methodologies for demonstrations, special cost reports and operational 
manuals.
    <bullet> Directs the design, development and implementation of 
mainframe and personal computer (PC) based claims processing systems 
and collation of evaluation data.
    <bullet> Directs the development of data programs to monitor and 
evaluate trends in Medicare/Medicaid and the health care system.
    <bullet> Oversees programming and dataset technical assistance.
    <bullet> Directs the control and support for PC's, local area 
networks (LAN's), computer communications and mainframe computer 
hardware/software packages.
    <bullet> Participates with the Bureau of Data Management and 
Strategy (BDMS) in providing support and access to HCFA's data bases as 
required by research and demonstration activities.
F.(1) Division of Demonstrations Support (FKB71)
    <bullet> Serves as Fiscal Intermediary and Carrier for 
demonstrations.
    <bullet> Participates in the development, implementation and 
ongoing operations of demonstrations.
    <bullet> Designs and develops payment methodologies when needed for 
demonstrations and studies, such as special cost reports, special 
operational manuals and participates in facilitating demonstrations.
    <bullet> Designs, develops and implements mainframe and PC claims 
processing systems and collates data for evaluations.
    <bullet> Conducts on-site audits of submitted costs reports and 
validates services rendered.
F.(2) Division of Data Systems Resources (FKB72)
    <bullet> Develops, manages and maintains a variety of data programs 
to monitor and evaluate trends in Medicare/Medicaid and the health care 
system.
    <bullet> Provides and participates in a variety of data support 
activities related to quality control and data verification.
    <bullet> Provides programming and dataset technical assistance.
    <bullet> Provides control and support for PCs, LAN, computer 
communications and mainframe computer hardware/software packages.
    <bullet> Participates with BDMS in providing necessary support and 
access to HCFA's data bases as required by research and demonstration 
activities.
    <bullet> Coordinates ORD's participation in computer-based systems.
    <bullet> Designs and develops a variety of analytic data bases.

    Dated: March 8, 1995.
Bruce C. Vladeck,
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration.
[FR Doc. 95-6885 Filed 3-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P