Establishment of the White House Office of Health Reform, 17071-17073 [E9-8572]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President
• Presidential Documents

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 69 (Monday, April 13, 2009)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 17071-17073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8572]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 69 / Monday, April 13, 2009 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 17071]]


                Executive Order 13507 of April 8, 2009

                
Establishment of the White House Office of Health 
                Reform

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in the interest of providing all Americans 
                access to affordable and high-quality health care, it 
                is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. Reforming the health care system is 
                a key goal of my Administration. The health care system 
                suffers from serious and pervasive problems; access to 
                health care is constrained by high and rising costs; 
                and the quality of care is not consistent and must be 
                improved, in order to improve the health of our 
                citizens and our economic security.

                Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) There is established a White 
                House Office of Health Reform (Health Reform Office) 
                within the Executive Office of the President that will 
                provide leadership to the executive branch in 
                establishing policies, priorities, and objectives for 
                the Federal Government's comprehensive effort to 
                improve access to health care, the quality of such 
                care, and the sustainability of the health care system.

                    (b) The Secretary of Health and Human Services, to 
                the extent permitted by law, shall establish within the 
                Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) an Office 
                of Health Reform, which shall coordinate closely with 
                the White House Office of Health Reform.

                Sec. 3. Functions. The principal functions of the 
                Health Reform Office, to the extent permitted by law, 
                are to:

                    (a) provide leadership for and to coordinate the 
                development of the Administration's policy agenda 
                across executive departments and agencies concerning 
                the provision of high-quality, affordable, and 
                accessible health care and to slow the growth of health 
                costs; this shall include coordinating policy 
                development with the Domestic Policy Council, National 
                Economic Council, Council of Economic Advisers, Office 
                of Management and Budget, HHS, Office of Personnel 
                Management, and such other executive departments and 
                agencies as the Director of the Health Reform Office 
                may deem appropriate;
                    (b) work with executive departments and agencies to 
                ensure that Federal Government policy decisions and 
                programs are consistent with the President's stated 
                goals with respect to health reform;
                    (c) integrate the President's policy agenda 
                concerning health reform across the Federal Government;
                    (d) coordinate public outreach activities conducted 
                by executive departments and agencies designed to 
                gather input from the public, from demonstration and 
                pilot projects, and from public-private partnerships on 
                the problems and priorities for policy measures 
                designed to meet the President's goals for improvement 
                of the health care system;
                    (e) bring to the President's attention concerns, 
                ideas, and policy options for strengthening, increasing 
                the efficiency, and improving the quality of the health 
                care system;
                    (f) work with State, local, and community 
                policymakers and public officials to expand coverage, 
                improve quality and efficiency, and slow the growth of 
                health costs;

[[Page 17072]]

                    (g) develop and implement strategic initiatives 
                under the President's agenda to strengthen the public 
                agencies and private organizations that can improve the 
                performance of the health care system;
                    (h) work with the Congress and executive 
                departments and agencies to eliminate unnecessary 
                legislative, regulatory, and other bureaucratic 
                barriers that impede effective delivery of efficient 
                and high-quality health care;
                    (i) monitor implementation of the President's 
                agenda on health reform; and
                    (j) help ensure that policymakers across the 
                executive branch work toward the President's health 
                care agenda.

                Sec. 4. Administration. (a) The Health Reform Office 
                may work with established or ad hoc committees, task 
                forces, or interagency groups.

                    (b) The Health Reform Office shall have a staff 
                headed by the Director of the Health Reform Office 
                (Director). The Health Reform Office shall have such 
                staff and other assistance as may be necessary to carry 
                out the provisions of this order.
                    (c) As requested by the Director, each executive 
                department and agency shall designate a liaison to work 
                with the Health Reform Office on improving access to 
                health care, the quality of health care, and the 
                sustainability of the health care system.
                    (d) All executive departments and agencies shall 
                cooperate with the Health Reform Office and provide 
                such information, support, and assistance to the Health 
                Reform Office as it may request, to the extent 
                permitted by law.

                Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to a department, agency, or the head thereof; 
or

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.

[[Page 17073]]

                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity, by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    April 8, 2009.

[FR Doc. E9-8572
Filed 4-10-09; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3195-W9-P