Abbreviation for the
Centers for
Medicare &
Medicaid
Services, a US
federal agency headquartered in
Baltimore, MD, that serves the following purposes:
- Administers Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program
- Regulates laboratory testing performed on humans
- Regulates and develops coverage policies and modes of quality-of-care improvement
- Maintains oversight of the inspection and certification of nursing homes, home health agencies, hospitals, and other care facilities, and makes information about their activities and quality available to researchers, beneficiaries, providers, and State surveyors.
- Runs advisory committees to provide advice and make recommendations relating to CMS. These meetings are open to the public for their input.
- Combats healthcare insurance fraud and abuse in conjuction with other federal agencies and state and local governments.
- Researches the effectiveness of various methods of healthcare management, treatment, and financing.
- Helps individuals and small businesses acquire and keep health insurance.
CMS was previously known as HCFA (Health Care Financing Administration) and came into being as a (yet another) common healthcare industry buzz-acronym on July 1, 2001. The name was changed to reflect the agency's goals to become more consumer-friendly and ensure "quality service".
That, of course, will take place once they finish re-writing all of their letterhead, documentation, forms, and website.
The Healthcare Metanode Project
Adapted from the HCFA CMS website, http://cms.hhs.gov