United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1998-01-29 monographic deposited born digital 20 p. GA 1.13:T-HEHS-98-85 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85 P0b002ee1803814fc f:he98085t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85 T-HEHS-98-85 Federal agency reorganization Health care programs Claims processing Human resources utilization Managed health care Quality assurance Medical services rates Medicare Program Testimony HEHS Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) ability to meet growing program management challenges, focusing on: (1) HCFA's new authorities under recent Medicare legislation; (2) HCFA managers' views on the agency's capacity to carry out various Medicare-related functions; and (3) the actions HCFA needs to take to accomplish its objectives over the next several years.<p/>GAO noted that: (1) substantial program growth and greater responsibilities appear to be outstripping HCFA's capacity to manage its existing workload; (2) legislative reforms have increased HCFA's authority to manage the Medicare program; (3) simultaneously, however, other factors have increased the challenges HCFA faces, including the need to make year 2000 computer adjustments and develop a new, comprehensive information management strategy; manage transitions in its network of claims processing contractors; and implement a major agency reorganization; (4) in addition, officials report that the expertise to carry out HCFA's new functions is not yet in place and that HCFA has experienced a loss of institutional knowledge through attrition; (5) in this environment, agency managers are concerned that some of their responsibilities might be compromised or neglected altogether because of higher-priority work; (6) HCFA's approach for dealing with its considerable workload is incomplete; (7) heretofore, the agency lacked an approach--consistent with the requirement of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 to develop a strategic plan--that specified the full range of program objectives to be accomplished; (8) HCFA has developed a schedule for responding to recent legislative reforms but is still in the process of detailing the staffing and skill levels required to meet reform implementation deadlines; and (9) while addressing new mandates, the agency also needs to specify how it will continue to carry out its ongoing critical functions. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85/html/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85/pdf/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85.pdf GAO/T-HEHS-98-85 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-85 Testimony GAO/T-HEHS-98-85; Medicare: HCFA Faces Multiple Challenges to Prepare for the 21st Century; Federal agency reorganization Health care programs Claims processing Human resources utilization Managed health care Quality assurance Medical services rates Medicare Program Public Law 104-106 Public Law 104-191 Public Law 105-33