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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Phone: (301) 594-6662
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is a subordinate agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The primary function of AHRQ is to support research regarding the improvement of health care in multiple areas. AHRQ-sponsored research focuses on improving the outcomes and quality of health care, reducing its costs, addressing patient safety and medical errors, and broadening access to effective services. AHRQ also develops and distributes information designed to help people make better health care decisions.
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California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative (CCHRI)
Phone: (415) 281-8660
Conceived in 1994, the California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative (CCHRI) is a collaboration of purchasers, health plans, and providers dedicated to giving California’s consumers important information about health plans. CCHRI is governed by an executive committee consisting of 15 elected representatives (five each from participating health plans, purchasers, and providers) that meets monthly. The Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH), a coalition of large purchasers, is responsible for administering the program.
California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF)
Phone: (510) 238-1040
The California HealthCare Foundation is a private, grant-making organization with the primary goals of increasing access to health care for underserved people and bettering the general health status of Californians. The CHCF accomplishes its goals in three ways: foundation-initiated projects, request-for-proposal projects, and projects initiated by unsolicited proposals.
California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)
Phone: (916) 326-3000
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System is an agency within the California State government responsible for providing retirement and health benefits to 1.2 million California public employees, retirees, and their families. The CalPERS health benefits program offers members and contracting employers access to 10 health maintenance organizations (HMOs), two preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and four special PPOs for members who belong to specific employee associations. In addition to its own initiatives to improve quality of care, CalPERS also participates in the quality measurement and improvement activities of the Pacific Business Group on Health.
Center for the Study of Services (Consumers’ Checkbook)
Phone: (202) 347-7283
The Center for the Study of Services (CSS) is an independent, nonprofit consumer organization founded in 1974 with support from the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs. The main purpose of CSS is to provide consumers with information they can use to find high-quality services and products at the best possible prices. It is now supported entirely by subscription payments, donations from individual consumers, and fees for information services and books. Consumers’ Checkbook provides National information as well as local information for Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Phone: (410) 786-3000
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is a subordinate agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS is responsible for Federal health insurance programs, including administration of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which cover more than 70 million Americans. CMS spends over $360 billion a year buying health care services for beneficiaries of Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Commonwealth Fund
Phone: (212) 606-3800
The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation established in 1918 with the general objective of improving human welfare. The Fund supports independent research on health and social concerns and provides grants for projects that aim to improve health care practice and policy. In particular, the Fund is dedicated to improving care for vulnerable populations (such as children, the elderly, low-income families, and minority Americans) and helping the general populace become more informed about their health care.
Consumer Reports
Phone: (914) 378-2000
Consumer Reports is a publication of the Consumers Union, an independent, nonprofit testing and information organization. The broad objective of the Consumers Union is to test products, inform the public, and ultimately protect consumers. The Consumers Union does not accept advertisements in Consumer Reports; income is derived solely from the sale of Consumer Reports (in print and online) and from neutral, noncommercial contributions, grants, and fees. Consumer Reports is widely available at public and many private libraries.
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FACCT|ONE
Phone: (503) 223-2228
Developed by the Foundation for Accountability, FACCT|ONE is a survey tool designed to measure how well health care organizations meet the needs of patients with chronic illnesses. So far, FACCT|ONE concentrates on common services related to the care and management of asthma, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. By focusing on aspects of care that are generally overlooked in accountability measures, FACCT|ONE allow purchasers, consumers, and oversight agencies to assess the performance of health care systems with regards to people with serious and frequent health care needs.
Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is a Federally sponsored health benefits program covering over nine million Federal employees, retirees, former employees, family members, and former spouses. Carriers in the FEHB program provide coverage to most employees and retirees of the Federal Government and the Postal Service.
Foundation for Accountability (FACCT)
Phone: (503) 223-2228
The Foundation for Accountability is a nonprofit organization with the objective of helping Americans make the best possible health care decisions. The FACCT board of trustees is comprised of representatives from consumer organizations and purchasers of health care services and insurance, representing nearly 80 million Americans. FACCT accomplishes its goals by creating tools that help people understand and use quality information. This includes developing consumer-focused quality measures, supporting public education about health care quality, supporting efforts to gather and provide quality information, and promoting health policies that empower and inform consumers.
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The Joint Commission
Phone: (630) 792-5000
An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the leading accrediting and standards-setting body in health care. It evaluates and accredits nearly 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. The main objective of the Joint Commission is to promote improvements in the safety and quality of care provided to the public.
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Kaiser Family Foundation
Phone: (650) 854-9400
The Kaiser Family Foundation is an independent philanthropic organization that focuses on major health care issues facing the United States. The Foundation serves as a source of facts and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the general public. It accomplishes this by developing and running its own research and communications programs, often contracting with a variety of outside individuals and organizations. The Foundation also makes a small number of grants for unsolicited proposals every year.
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Medicaid
Jointly funded by the Federal and State governments, Medicaid assists States in providing adequate medical care for individuals and families with low resources. Medicaid is the largest program providing medical and health services to needy persons. Within broad Federally established guidelines, every State sets its own eligibility standards; determines the type, amount, and duration of services; establishes the payment levels for services; and administers its own program.
Medicare
URL: http://www.medicare.gov
Phone: 800-MEDICARE (633-4227) or TTY/TDD: 1-(877) 486-2048 (hearing and speech impaired)
Medicare is the primary Federal health insurance program for people 65 years of age and older, qualifying disabled persons who are less than 65 years of age, and persons with permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant. The two components of Medicare are Hospital Insurance (Part A) and Medical Insurance (Part B), which covers visits to the doctor and other services.
Medicare Rights Center (MRC)
URL: http://www.medicarerights.org/Index.html
Phone: (212) 869-3850
The Medicare Rights Center provides free counseling to people with questions or concerns related to Medicare. Since it was founded in 1989, the MRC has helped more than one million people with Medicare-related issues. The MRC has conducted seminars and presentations with several private and governmental organizations, including the Department of Health and Human Services, AARP, and the American Public Health Association.
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National Adult Literacy Survey
Phone: (202) 502-7374 (Andrew Kolstad, Senior Technical Advisor, Assessment Division)
The National Adult Literacy Survey was implemented in 1992 by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE). The survey represented a comprehensive effort to measure the literacy levels of persons age 16 and over living in the United States in 1992. The data were collected through household interviews in which respondents completed written exercises that assessed their literacy skills. NCES will be conducting this survey again in 2002.
National Association of Health Data Organizations (NAHDO)
Phone: (801) 587-9104
The National Association of Health Data Organizations is an alliance of State, Federal, and private-sector policy leaders and consultants. The main objective of NAHDO is to enhance the development of health information systems and develop responsible health information policies. To do this, NAHDO provides assistance with collection, analysis, dissemination, public availability, and use of health data.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Phone: (202) 502-7300
The National Center for Education Statistics is a subordinate agency of the U.S. Department of Education. The primary function of the NCES is to collect and analyze data related to education in the United States. Studies and other information are available at the Web site.
National Institute for Literacy (NIFL)
Phone: (202) 233-2025
The National Institute for Literacy is a joint government institute administered by the Secretaries of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. The main objective of the NIFL is to make sure that any persons with literacy deficiencies can access services aimed at improving reading skills. The Institute acts as a focal point for public and private actions that support regional, State, and National literacy services.
National Opinion Research Center (NORC)
Phone: (773) 753-7500
The National Opinion Research Center is a nonprofit organization associated with the University of Chicago. NORC conducts surveys with the purpose of addressing critical issues facing government agencies, private foundations, educational institutions, and private companies. Many of the studies are used to form public policies, draft laws, and determine how resources are allocated.
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Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Phone: (202) 606-0815
The Office of Personnel Management is the human resources agency of the Federal Government. OPM administers health benefits for Federal employees, manages the Federal retirement system, supports agencies with staffing tools, and provides guidance on labor-management relations, compensation policy development, and curricula to improve workforce performance.
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Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH)
Phone: (415) 281-8660
The Pacific Business Group on Health is a nonprofit coalition of 45 large employers that share a common goal of improving the quality of health care while moderating costs. Most of the member companies are in California and many have employees in multiple States. Purchaser members of PBGH represent nearly three million employees, retirees, and family members, accounting for three billion dollars in annual health care expenditures.
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RAND
Phone: (310) 393-0411
RAND is a California-based think tank with the mission of improving policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. Researchers at RAND work on a variety of issues, assisting policymakers at all levels, leaders in many private-sector industries, and the public at large in efforts to improve the Nation's quality of life. RAND analyzes choices and developments in many areas, including defense, education, health care, criminal justice, labor, and community development.
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State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP)
Phone: Ask about the SHIP in your State by calling 800-MEDICARE (633-4227) or TTY/TDD: (877) 486-2048 (hearing and speech impaired). With financial support from the Federal Government (through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs are State-run programs designed to provide free health insurance counseling and assistance for Medicare beneficiaries.
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