Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority, 4470 [2019-02400]

Agencies

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 4470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02400]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority

    Part F of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations 
of Authority for the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers 
for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), (last amended at Federal 
Register, Vol. 76, No. 203, pp. 65197-65199, dated October 20, 2011 is 
amended to reflect a change in functional responsibility between the 
Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) within the Office of the 
Administrator and the Consortium for Medicaid and Children's Health 
Operations (CMCHO) within the Chief Operating Officer.
    CMCS serves as CMS' focal point for assistance with formulation, 
coordination, integration, and implementation of all national program 
policies and operations relating to Medicaid, Children's Health 
Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health Program. In partnership 
with States, CMCS assists State agencies in successfully carrying out 
their responsibilities for effective program administration and 
beneficiary protection, and, as necessary, supports States in 
correcting problems and improving the quality of their operations. 
CMCHO serves as the local point of contact for CMS activities related 
to Medicaid and CHIP. CMCHOs' key activities are linked to and carried 
out in conjunction with CMCS. The key activities include: supporting 
program transparency and fiscal oversight of the Medicaid and CHIP; and 
delivering technical assistance to States to help achieve the 
Administration's and States' Medicaid goals and objectives to support 
high-functioning State Medicaid programs.
    Close collaboration between CMCS and CMCHO is critical in 
addressing the need for an increased level of consistency and 
accountability in working with the States. The complexities of the 
Medicaid program make this particularly challenging since each State 
has a different approach to the program. In order to maximize 
consistency across the two organizations, there already have been 
several standard operating procedures and quality improvement 
initiatives instituted.
    This reorganization addresses the Agency's needs by supporting 
consistent policy implementation and accountability (structural and 
outcome measures) for Medicaid and CHIP activities, and improved 
communication. The functions in CMCHO were merged within CMCS as the 
Regional Operations Group in addition to establishing the Regional 
Management Office (RMO) and the Division of Health Information 
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health and Medicaid Management 
Information System. The functions in the Special Initiatives Division 
were merged within CMCS and the RMO.
    Part F, Section FC.20 (Functions) is amended as follows:
    Section FC.20 (Functions)
     Serves as CMS' focal point for assistance with 
formulation, coordination, integration, and implementation of all 
national program policies and operations relating to Medicaid, the 
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health 
Program (BHP).
     In partnership with States, assists State agencies in 
successfully carrying out their responsibilities for effective program 
administration and beneficiary protection, and, as necessary, supports 
States in correcting problems and improving the quality of their 
operations.
     Identifies and proposes modifications to Medicaid, CHIP, 
and BHP program measures, regulations, laws, and policies to reflect 
changes or trends in the health care industry, program objectives, and 
the needs of Medicaid, CHIP, and BHP beneficiaries. Collaborates with 
the Office of Legislation on the development and advancement of new 
legislative initiatives and improvements.
     Serves as CMS' lead for management, oversight, budget, and 
performance issues relating to Medicaid, CHIP, BHP and the related 
interactions with States and the stakeholder community.
     Coordinates with the Center for Program Integrity on the 
identification of program vulnerabilities and implementation of 
strategies to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse. Leads and supports all 
CMS interactions and collaboration relating to Medicaid, CHIP, and BHP 
with States and local governments, territories, Indian tribes and 
tribal healthcare providers, key stakeholders (e.g., consumer and 
policy organizations and the health care provider community) and other 
Federal government entities. Facilitates communication and disseminates 
policy and operational guidance and materials to all stakeholders and 
works to understand and consider their perspectives, support their 
efforts, and to develop best practices for beneficiaries across the 
country and throughout the health care system.
     Develops and implements a comprehensive strategic plan, 
objectives, and measures to carry out CMS' Medicaid, CHIP, and BHP 
mission and goals and positions the organization to meet future 
challenges with Medicaid, CHIP, and BHP.
    The functional responsibilities for CMCHO have been deleted at 
cms.gov (https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/CMSLeadership/).

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3101.

    Dated: February 5, 2019.
Seema Verma,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2019-02400 Filed 2-13-19; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4120-01-P