ABOUT US
OFFICE OF RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT & INFORMATION (ORDI)
The Office of Research, Development and Information (ORDI), an organization within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), provides leadership in producing information and analysis to help shape current and future directions of CMS’ programs and related policy decisions. ORDI staff helps improve CMS programs through many different approaches, such as program data and statistics, Medicare demonstrations, quarterly publications, and many other types of research-related dissemination. End users of ORDI's products include operational and policy staff within CMS, other Federal government agencies, research communities, states, providers, health plans, and beneficiaries. ORDI's broad experience and expertise encompass all aspects of research, demonstrations, and policy analysis. They provide many systems to support the full range of research, demonstration, statistics, and dissemination activities.
Some of the functions of ORDI include:
- Providing analytic support and information to the Administrator and the Executive Council needed to establish Agency goals and directions.
- Performing environmental scanning, identifying, evaluating, and reporting emerging trends in health care delivery and financing and their interactions with Agency programs.
- Managing strategic, crosscutting initiatives.
- Designing and conducting research and evaluations of health care programs, studying their impacts on beneficiaries, providers, plans, States and other partners and customers, designing and assessing potential improvements, and developing new measurement tools.
- Coordinating all Agency demonstration activities, including development of the research and demonstration annual plan, evaluation of all Agency demonstrations, and assistance to other components in the design of demonstrations and studies.
- Managing assigned demonstrations, including Federal review, approval, and oversight; coordinates and participates with departmental components in experimental health care delivery projects.
- Developing research, demonstration, and other publications and papers related to health care issues.
- Designing and conducting payment, purchasing, and benefits demonstrations.
The Office of Research, Development and Information Grant Program
The ORDI Grant Program consists of a program assessment for two of its programs: the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Health Services Research Grant Program and the Hispanic Health Services Research Grant Program. The purposes of the HBCU and Hispanic Health Services Research Grant Programs are to support HBCU and Hispanic investigators in implementing health services research projects to meet the needs of diverse CMS beneficiary populations. Towards this goal, ORDI provides small, applied research grants for up two years. These grants fund research that identifies and evaluates solutions for eliminating health disparities among African American and Hispanic American populations. Application Guidelines and Requirements for Research and Demonstration Projects may be obtained at the following Web site: https://www.cms.gov/ResearchDemoGrantsOpt/Downloads/GrantApplicationGuidelinesDecember2009.pdf, and FederalGrantsWire CMS Research, Demonstrations and Evaluation (2011 Grant Applications) at http://www.federalgrantswire.com/centers-for-medicare-and-medicaid-services-cms-research-demonstrations-and-evaluations.htm.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities Health Services Research Grant Program
The purpose of CMS’ HBCUs Health Services Research Grant Program is to support HBCU researchers in carrying out health services research activities to meet the needs of diverse CMS beneficiary populations. This is the 14th year for the grant program. The goals of the grant program are to: 1) encourage HBCU health services researchers to pursue research issues which impact the Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, 2) assist CMS in implementing its mission focusing on health care quality and improvement for its beneficiaries, 3) assist HBCU researchers by supporting extramural research in health care capacity development activities for the African American communities, 4) increase the pool of HBCU researchers capable of implementing the research, demonstration, and evaluation activities of CMS, and 5) assist in fostering interuniversity communication and collaboration regarding African American health disparity issues.
Funding is available for grants to implement research related to health care delivery and health financing issues affecting the African American community, including issues of access to health care, utilization of health care services, health outcomes, quality of services, cost of care, health and racial disparities, socio-economic differences, cultural barriers, managed care systems, and activities related to health screening, prevention, outreach, and education. Eligible researchers may request $100,000 per year for up to two (2) years for these grants.
To be eligible for grants under this program, an organization must be an HBCU and meet one of the following three requirements: 1) offer a Ph.D. or Master’s Degree Program in one or more of the following disciplines Allied Health, Gerontology, Health Care Administration, Nursing, Pharmacology, Public Health, Public Policy, Social Work; or 2) have a School of Medicine; or 3) be a member of the National HBCU Research Network for Health Services and Health Disparities. For information regarding 2011 awards, please contact:
Richard Bragg, Ph.D.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Research and Evaluation Group
7500 Security Boulevard Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Mail Stop: C2-21-15 Mail Stop: C3-21-27
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850 7500 Security Boulevard
(410) 786-9954 Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850
HISPANIC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM
The purpose of the Hispanic grant program is to implement Hispanic American health services research activities to meet the needs of diverse CMS beneficiary populations. The grant program is designed to: 1) Encourage health services and health disparities researchers to pursue research issues which impact Hispanic Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP health services issues, 2) conduct outreach activities to apprise Hispanic researchers of funding availability to conduct research-related issues affecting Hispanic American communities to expand the pool of applicants applying for such grants, 3) assist CMS in implementing its mission focusing on health care quality and improvement for its beneficiaries, 4) support extramural research in health care capacity development activities for the Hispanic American communities, 5) promote research that will be aimed at developing a better understanding of health care services issues pertaining to Hispanic Americans, and 6) foster an network for communication and collaboration regarding Hispanic health care issues. Application Guidelines and Requirements for Research and Demonstration Projects may be obtained at the following Web site: https://www.cms.gov/ResearchDemoGrantsOpt/Downloads/GrantApplicationGuidelinesDecember2009.pdf, and FederalGrantsWire CMS Research, Demonstrations and Evaluation (2011 Grant Applications) at http://www.federalgrantswire.com/centers-for-medicare-and-medicaid-services-cms-research-demonstrations-and-evaluations.html.
This grant program is consistent with the Executive Order - President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, directing an interagency approach to developing, monitoring, and coordinating federal efforts to promote high-quality education for Hispanic Americans. The Commission works to develop ways to maximize the effectiveness of Federal education initiatives within the Hispanic community. This program is one strategy to increase the participation, promotion, and professional development of investigators interested in Hispanic health disparities research.
Funding is available for grants to implement research related to health care delivery and health financing issues affecting Hispanic American communities, including issues of access to health care, utilization of health care services, health outcomes, quality of services, cost of care, health disparities, socio-economic differences, cultural barriers, managed care systems, and active ties related to health screening, prevention, outreach, and education. To be eligible for grants under this program, applicants must meet one of the following three requirements in order to qualify for funding under this grant program: 1) A health services/disparities researcher at an university or college offering a Ph.D. or Master’s Degree Program in one or more of the following disciplines Allied Health, Gerontology, Health Care Administration, Nursing, Pharmacology, Public Health, Public Policy, Social Work; or 2) a member of a community-based health organization with a Hispanic health services research component; or 3) a member of a professional association focusing on Hispanic health services and health disparities issues For information regarding 2011 awards, please contact:
Richard Bragg, Ph.D.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Research and Evaluation Group
7500 Security Boulevard Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Mail Stop: C2-21-15 Mail Stop: C3-21-27
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850 7500 Security Boulevard
(410) 786-9954 Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850
ORDI’s Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration for Ethnic and Racial Minorities
The Medicare Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration for Racial and Ethnic Minorities used a randomized control design to study the impact of various evidence based, culturally competent models of patient navigator programs designed to help minority beneficiaries navigate the healthcare system in a more timely and informative manner and facilitate cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment to improve healthcare access and outcomes as well as lower total costs to Medicare. Approximately 12,700 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries were eligible to be enrolled in the study during this four-year project.
Background
Congress authorized the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration for Ethnic and Racial Minorities in Section 122 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000. The goals of the demonstration were to:
- Improve the quality of items and services provided to target individuals in order to facilitate reduced disparities in early detection and treatment of cancer;
- Improve clinical outcomes, satisfaction, quality of life, and appropriate use of Medicare-covered services and referral patterns among those target individuals with cancer;
- Eliminate disparities in the rate of preventive cancer screening measures; and
- Promote collaboration with community-based organizations to ensure cultural competency of healthcare professionals and linguistic access for persons with limited English proficiency.
On April 3, 2006, CMS awarded four-year cooperative agreements to 6 demonstration sites, which together serve approximately 6,000 minority Medicare beneficiaries in seven states to overcome barriers in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. In addition, CMS has awarded a contract to RTI International to conduct an independent evaluation of this demonstration. CMS will report to Congress on the results of this demonstration, and if successful, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may choose to continue or expand them.
The Rural Hospice Demonstration Project
The demonstration was offered to up to three hospice programs and did not exceed a period of 5 years. The demonstration tested whether provisions of hospice services provided by a demonstration hospice program to Medicare beneficiaries who lack an appropriate caregiver and who reside in rural areas results in wider access, improved hospice services, benefits to the community, and a sustainable pattern of care. Hospice provided palliative care to individuals who had a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less. The care was provided typically in the individual's home or place of residence with family members present. Individuals who lacked family or someone to serve as the primary caregiver needed proportionately more support from hospice staff. Due to long distances and difficult terrain, it could have been particularly difficult to provide the Medicare hospice benefit efficiently in rural areas. There may have been situations where the hospice benefit could have been provided to beneficiaries who would not otherwise have been able to receive these services if the location of hospice care was altered. This demonstration allowed a hospice with up to 20 beds to provide all levels of hospice services within its walls to individuals who resided in rural areas and lacked an appropriate caregiver, while not having to provide services outside of the hospice facility or comply with the 20-percent cap on inpatient care days.
While the demonstration provider will not have had to meet the limit on inpatient care days or provide care outside of the facility, it would not alter the level of care requirements for general inpatient care. In order to provide general inpatient care to hospice patients, a hospice participating in the demonstration must have assured that the need for general inpatient care was met according to Medicare guidelines. The demonstration tested whether hospice services provided by a facility that did not meet the limit on inpatient care days or provided services outside of the facility for hospice individuals residing in rural areas who lacked an appropriate caregiver resulted in wider access, improved hospice services, benefits to the rural community, and a sustainable pattern of care.
The demonstration was designed for a demonstration hospice to provide the full range of services within its facility to Medicare beneficiaries who resided in rural areas and lacked an appropriate caregiver. If a demonstration hospice provided care to any patient who either lived outside a rural area or had an appropriate caregiver, then the hospice must have complied with all of Medicare hospice requirements at 1861(dd) of the SSA for these patients since they were not considered part of the demonstration. For more information, contact:
Cindy Massuda
Project Officer
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Office of Research, Development and Information
Rural Hospice Demonstration, 410-786-0652