The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for ensuring nursing homes meet federal quality standards, including that residents are free from abuse. CMS enters into agreements with state survey agencies to conduct surveys of the state's homes and to investigate complaints and incidents. GAO analysis of CMS data found that, while relatively rare, abuse deficiencies cited in n

In September 2014, GAO reported on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (Family Caregiver Program) and found that the program office had limitations with its information technology (IT) system—the Caregiver Application Tracker (CAT). Specifically, the program did not have ready access to workload data that would allow it to monitor t

Medicaid demonstrations allow states flexibility to test new approaches for providing coverage and delivering Medicaid services. Since 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees demonstrations, has developed procedures to improve the transparency of the approval process. For example, CMS reviews demonstration applications (including for new demonstrations, extensions

Based on the limited procedures GAO performed in reviewing the independent public accounting firm's (IPA) financial audit of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute's (PCORI) fiscal year 2018 financial statements, GAO did not identify any significant issues related to the financial statement audit that it believes require attention. Had GAO performed additional procedures, other matters

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses estimates of improper payments to help identify the causes and extent of Medicare and Medicaid program risks and develop strategies to protect the integrity of the programs. CMS estimates Medicare and Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) improper payments, in part, by conducting medical reviews—reviews of provider-submitted medical record docume

The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) conducts national suicide prevention media outreach on various platforms to raise awareness about VHA's suicide prevention resources. The primary focus of this campaign since 2010 has been to raise awareness of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), VHA's national hotline established in 2007 to provide support to veterans in e

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) revised the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) for 2018, establishing new Medicare payment rates for laboratory services. Prior to 2018, these rates were based on historical laboratory fees and were typically higher than the rates paid by private payers. The Protecting Access to Medica

Selected Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) medical centers (VAMC) use generally similar approaches for managing their pharmacy inventories. For example, all VAMCs store certain medications in secured areas. However, GAO found that VAMCs have also taken unique approaches for procuring and tracking medications, as allowed under VA policy. For example, to better address medication shortages, one

GAO's October 2015 report found mixed results in nursing home quality based on its analysis of trends reflected in key sources of quality data that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) collects. (1) An increase in reported consumer complaints suggested that consumers' concerns about nursing home quality increased. (2) In contrast, trends in care deficiencies, nurse staffing levels,

GAO found that the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) does not have reasonable assurance that VA Medical Centers (VAMC) are following policies related to reprocessing reusable medical equipment (RME). Reprocessing involves cleaning, sterilizing, and storing surgical instruments and other RME, such as endoscopes. VHA has not ensured that all VAMCs' RME inspec