[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28414-28416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13182]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Care Financing Administration


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority

Office of the Associate Administrator for External Affairs
    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. 14637-14638, dated Tuesday, March 29, 1994) is amended to 
reflect changes in the [[Page 28415]] organizational structure of the 
Office of the Associate Administrator for Customer Relations and 
Communications (AACRC). AACRC is being renamed the Office of the 
Associate Administrator for External Affairs (AAEA) and is being 
reorganized to more accurately reflect the customer relations and 
communication areas.
    The specific amendments to Part F are as follows:
     Section F.10. (Organization) is amended by deleting 
F.10.B. in its entirety and replacing it with the following:
B. Office of the Associate Administrator for External Affairs (FC)
1. Office of Media Relations (FCA)
2. Office of Professional Relations (FCB)
3. Office of Beneficiary Relations (FCC)
4. Freedom of Information and Privacy Office (FCE)
     Section F.20.B. (Functions) is amended by deleting the 
statement and substructure in their entirety and replacing them with 
the new functional statements. The new functional statements read as 
follows:
B. Office of the Associate Administrator for External Affairs (FC)
     Advises the Administrator, senior staff, and components on 
HCFA communications and customer relations' policies, procedures, and 
programs.
     Promotes an awareness of customer and partner perceptions 
of HCFA policies and programs and participates in ensuring that HCFA 
activities meet customer needs and standards of service.
     Promotes an awareness within and outside of HCFA 
determining the scope and diversity of HCFA's customer base and their 
needs.
     Develops and maintains channels of communication and 
mechanisms for feedback between HCFA and its customers and partners. 
Develops, coordinates, and advises the Administrator, senior staff, and 
components on outreach, customer service, and survey strategies, 
policies, and procedures.
     Directs and coordinates a coherent communications strategy 
with HCFA leadership and components and ensures an effective 
implementation of this strategy. Directs communication of HCFA policies 
and initiatives to the media, advocacy groups, and provider, 
professional, and educational organizations and institutions.
     Designs, conducts, and advises the Administrator, senior 
staff, and components on information campaigns and initiatives to 
educate customers and partners on HCFA policies, programs, and 
services. Advises and participates in the production of customer-
oriented print and multi-media materials.
     Manages the interaction of the Administrator, senior 
staff, and components with the Department, other government entities, 
the media, and external parties interested in HCFA's public affairs' 
programs and activities (including interviews, public appearances, and 
speeches).
     Directs and advises the Administrator, senior staff, and 
components on the requirements, policies, and administration of the 
Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act.

1. Office of Media Relations (FCA)

     Serves as the principal spokesperson for HCFA to the news 
media.
     Prepares and edits appropriate materials about HCFA, its 
policies, actions and findings, and provides them to the public through 
the print and broadcast media; develops and directs public information 
and media relations' strategies for HCFA.
     Provides consultation, advice and training to HCFA senior 
staff with respect to relations with the news media.
     Responds to inquires from a broad variety of news media 
including major newspapers, national television and radio networks, 
national news magazines, local newspapers and radio and television 
stations, publications directed toward HCFA's beneficiary populations 
and newsletters serving the health care industry.
     Arranges formal interviews for journalists with the HCFA 
Administrator or other appropriate senior HCFA staff; identifies for 
interviewees the issues to be addressed, and prepares or obtains 
background materials as needed.
     Maintains a broad based knowledge of HCFA's structure, 
responsibilities, mission, goals, programs and initiatives in order to 
provide or arrange for rapid and accurate response to news media needs.
     For significant HCFA initiatives, issues media advisories 
and arranges press conferences as appropriate; coordinates material and 
personnel as necessary.

2. Office of Professional Relations (FCB)

     Serves as the focal point in HCFA for external health care 
professional, institutional, and related organizations.
     Provides consultation and technical assistance to 
organizations and agencies representing the health professional, 
business, and academic communities.
     Contributes to the development of HCFA policies, 
regulations, procedures, and legislative proposals taking into 
consideration the views of the affected parties.
     Promotes within HCFA an awareness of the concerns of the 
health care community.
     Provides technical assistance and support services in the 
operations of the Practicing Physicians Advisory Council.
     Services as a contact in HCFA for international visitors. 
Responds to requests from intergovernmental agencies and the 
international community for information related to the United States 
health care system.
     Maintains a close working relationship with other Federal 
agencies on health related matters.
     Manages speaker and meeting requests for the 
Administrator. Receives and develops requests, identifies issues, and 
negotiates topics. Makes recommendations to the Administrator to accept 
or decline requests. Initiates search for Senior level speakers, when 
invitations are declined. Explores feasibility of meeting with senior 
staff, when meeting requests are declined.
     Manages the Speakers Bureau. Responds to requests from 
outside organizations for senior level HCFA speakers (other than the 
Administrator).
     Seeks speaker opportunities for the Administrator to 
present HCFA goals and objectives.
     Manages the Administrator's public appearances, and 
meetings. Serves as liaison between HCFA and the leadership of 
professional and beneficiary organizations in coordinating the 
preparations surrounding public appearances and meetings.
     Conducts follow-up activities. After each event a follow 
up call is made to the group to see if their issues were addressed. A 
call is also made to the Administrator's office to get the 
Administrator's comments on the effectiveness of the event.
     Develops briefing material for use by the Administrator, 
the Deputy, the Associate, and the Secretary, including identifying and 
researching issues of concern to both HCFA and outside organizations.
     Researches and writes the speeches given by the 
Administrator.
     Researches and prepares articles and other public 
statements for the Administrator's signature.
     Advises the Office of Media Relations on potential news 
opportunities stemming from public appearances and speaking 
engagements.

[[Page 28416]]

3. Office of Beneficiary Relations (FCC)

     Advises the Associate Administrator, HCFA senior staff and 
HCFA components on HCFA's policies and actions affecting Medicare and 
Medicaid beneficiaries.
     Promotes within HCFA an awareness of the needs and 
concerns of HCFA's beneficiaries (including those segments of the 
beneficiary population with special information or service needs), 
their families, caregivers and representatives.
     Maintains a close working relationship with other Federal 
and State agencies, and beneficiary representative organizations.
     Identifies the need for changes in information, benefits 
and services, and assesses the impact of proposed HCFA actions on 
current and future beneficiaries.
     Conducts and coordinates within HCFA the assessment of 
beneficiary needs, the measurement of beneficiary satisfaction with 
HCFA programs, policies and operations, and the development of customer 
service standards; serves as a resource with respect to these 
activities and the information collected through them.
     Participates with other HCFA components in the development 
and implementation of strategies and program objectives affecting 
beneficiary services.
     Responds to beneficiary inquiries involving access to and 
utilization of the Medicare and Medicaid programs and related issues.
     Plans, directs, and coordinates the production of audio 
and film products such as public service announcements and 
informational films, and the preparation and publication of general 
purpose publications such as The Medicare Handbook, The Guide to 
Nursing Homes, etc.
     Reviews and clears print, audiovisual, and exhibit plans 
and materials intended for use with beneficiary populations, and 
secures such clearances as needed through the Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Public Affairs.
     Administers a wide variety of contracts, grant programs 
and interagency agreements, within HCFA, to assist in the conduct of 
its beneficiary service responsibilities.
     Works in cooperation with the Office of Media Relations to 
determine and meet the information needs of the public with respect to 
issues of concern to beneficiaries and their representatives.
     Coordinates other HCFA activities directly related to 
beneficiary services as they arise.

4. Freedom of Information and Privacy Office (FCE)

     Conducts activities necessary to the receipt, management, 
response, and reporting requirements of the Department under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regarding all requests received by 
HCFA.
     Maintains a log of all FOIA requests received by the 
central office, refers requests to the appropriate components within 
headquarters, the regions or among carriers and intermediaries for the 
collection of the documents requested. Makes recommendations and 
prepares replies to requesters, including denials of information as 
permitted under FOIA, and drafts briefing materials and responses in 
connection with appeals of denials decisions.
     Consults with the Office of the General Counsel and the 
Department of Health and Human Services' Freedom of Information Officer 
and external agencies regarding denials, releases, and appeals.
     Provides in house training, internal and external work 
plans, and guidance for FOIA coordinators and management officials in 
HCFA central and regional office components, and maintains up-to-date 
knowledge of Federal Court decisions interpreting FOIA.
     Prepares guidelines and Medicare/Medicaid manual changes 
regarding FOIA program, keeps track of any changes levied for FOIA 
research process activities, and assures prompt payment.
     Establishes and monitors HCFA's policies and guidelines 
for the implementation of Privacy Act safeguards of records. This is 
accomplished by utilizing the administrative issuances system (AIS) 
guides and training.
     Directs the maintaining and amending of HCFA-wide records 
for confidentially and disclosure to the Privacy Act to include: 
planning, organizing, initiating and controlling privacy matching 
assignments.
     Develops HCFA comments and recommendations for reports, 
proposed policy and proposed legislation; coordinates appropriate 
privacy issues for FOIA requests; and responds to congressional, public 
and other agencies on Privacy Act issues.
     Publishes notices describing Privacy Act records systems 
and provides advice and guidance to HCFA components on issues as 
required by the Privacy Act.
     Follows necessary clearance procedures for proposals, and 
new system integrations.
     Maintains case records and the FOIA filing system, 
monitors and reviews FOIA office production reports and administrative 
responsibilities.
     Plans, directs, and coordinates studies to ascertain 
trends and developments in disclosures of information requested under 
the Freedom of Information Act. Develops these findings into various 
alternatives and recommendations for the more effective handling of FOI 
requests and presents them to management prior to implementation. 
Provides input to the Department on any proposed changes to FOI 
procedures.
     Defines the scope of requests and adequacy of records 
available.

    Dated: May 19, 1995.
Donna E. Shalala,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-13182 Filed 5-30-95; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-M