[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 8 (Thursday, January 11, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2429-2430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-787]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

    Part A (Office of the Secretary), Chapter AE (Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (OASPE), of the 
Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegation of Authority for 
the Department of Health and Human Services (most recently amended at 
63 FR 48 on March 12, 1998) is amended as follows:

[[Page 2430]]

    I. Chapter AE, paragraph C. ``The Office of Health Policy,'' delete 
in its entirety and replace with the following:
    C. The Office of Health Policy--The Office of Health Policy is 
responsible for policy development and coordination--including policy 
and long-range planning; policy, economic, program, and budget 
analyses; review of regulations and formulation of budget and 
legislation--and for the conduct and coordination of research, 
evaluation, and information dissemination on issues relating to health 
policy. In these matters, the office works closely with the Public 
Health Service components and the Health Care Financing Administration.
    1. The Division of Health Financing Policy is responsible for 
functions related to the Department's health financing programs, 
primarily Medicare, SCHIP, and Medicaid and policies affecting health 
care financing and health care costs. Formulate and analyze alternative 
legislative and regulatory proposals: conduct short-term policy 
analyses and evaluations on the efficacy of existing and potential 
policies and programs in terms of cost, effectiveness and other 
variables; and synthesize technical analyses performed outside of the 
Government in a manner that is relevant to policy formulation.
    2. The Division of Public Health Systems is responsible for 
functions related to public health programs and policies. Relevant 
topic areas include disease control; health promotion and disease 
prevention; health care resources development; health care and services 
delivery; alcohol, drug abuse and mental health services; as well as 
biomedical research and food and drug safety, to the extent these 
issues pertain to the application of public health practices. Conduct 
and prepare studies on the design and effectiveness of health 
promotion, disease prevention, and disease control activities 
undertaken by both the public and private sectors. Conduct policy 
research and evaluation studies characterizing the relationship between 
the medical services delivery system and population-based public health 
services, as well as examining the interaction of public health 
entities at all levels of government, to explore the structure, 
function, capacity, and practices of the public health system.
    3. The Division of Health Delivery Systems is responsible for 
functions related to health services, health organizations and health 
delivery systems. Topics include consumer issues such as quality and 
consumer protections; private insurance; health care organization and 
financial issues. Analyze trends in the private health care sector; 
prepare and conduct studies on the interactions of the private and 
public health care sectors in terms of cost effectiveness, service 
levels and effects on consumers; analyze alternative legislative and 
regulatory proposals; prepare short-term policy analyses and 
evaluations of existing and potential policies and programs, 
particularly those that cut across the Department's program areas. The 
Division also coordinates work and plays a liaison role across the 
Department and with other Departments (including Treasury, Justice and 
Labor).
    4. The Division of Health Policy Research and Planning is 
responsible for all functions related to the development of a 
comprehensive research, information, and analytical program to gain 
basic information in the areas of health services and financing 
focusing on health policy issues. Plan and implement health services 
and financing research to respond to OS analytic needs, including 
information sharing and coordination across Federal agencies and 
OPDIV's, and collaborations or partnerships with the health services 
research community. As part of this function the Division coordinates 
closely with other ASPE and OPDIV offices on health data and health 
information policy issues. The Division also works closely with the 
ASPE Division of Data Policy and OPDIV offices on the identification 
and coordination of cross-cutting health data information policy 
issues, and brings such issues to the HHS Data Council for 
consideration and resolution. The Division also directs, manages, and 
conducts a cross-cutting analyses, research, evaluation, and 
legislative and budget activities for health services and financing 
policy initiatives focusing on health policy issues.
    II. Chapter AE, paragraph F. ``The Office of Science Policy,'' 
delete in its entirety and replace with the following:
    F. The Office of Science Policy--The Office of Science Policy (OSP) 
is responsible for guiding and coordinating the development of science 
policy throughout the Department. As directed by the Secretary of the 
ASPE, OSP establishes and leads broadly representative, multi-office 
working groups to develop policy initiatives related to complex science 
and technology issues that cut across the missions of several entities 
within the Department. OSP generally leads these working groups in 
presentations to the Secretary, other senior DHHS staff, to members 
and/or staff of the Congress, and to others outside DHHS.
    OSP is the OASPE lead on issues or initiatives that are heavily 
science-based, including public health issues that involve complex and/
or rapidly evolving science and technology. OSP is responsible for 
guiding and coordinating the incorporation of science-policy 
considerations within regulatory proposals, legislative proposals, 
Congressional testimony, press releases, and other public documents 
describing major Departmental initiatives. OSP provides critique and 
advice regarding the science-policy content of such documents, which 
typically originate from DHHS Operating Divisions or other units within 
the Office of the Secretary. In selected instances, OSP initiates and 
directs the development of such documents.
    OSP is responsible for creating and maintaining effective 
communication with scientific and technical communities outside the 
Department regarding science-policy issues. This includes liaison with 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the 
President. It also includes active participation in inter-agency 
science and technology activities (such as those sponsored by the 
National Science and Technology Council) and government/private-sector 
collaborations related to science policy (such as those sponsored by 
the National Academy of Sciences). These duties also include service as 
the Secretary's representative in meetings with leaders of research 
universities, scientific societies, professional associations, and 
industrial organizations involved in biomedical, behavorial, or social-
science research or in the delivery of health and human services. In 
all of these areas, OSP staff coordinate their activities as 
appropriate with those of other components within OASPE; with other 
components and officials of the Office of the Secretary (including the 
Assistant Secretary for health in his/her role as the Secretary's 
senior advisor on public health and science); and with the Operating 
Divisions of the Department.

    Dated: January 4, 2001.
John J. Callahan,
Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 01-787 Filed 1-10-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-24-M