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Open Recommendations

Nursing Homes: CMS Should Make Ownership Information More Transparent for Consumers
GAO-23-104813
Feb 02, 2023
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS should fully align the nursing home ownership information on the Care Compare website with the relevant characteristics of effective transparency tools. This should include, for example, the following:

  • Using plain language to define key terms in the ownership section of Care Compare.
  • Organizing ownership information by providing consumers easy access to a list of all facilities under common ownership, their respective star ratings, and a distribution of star ratings across nursing homes with common ownership to allow consumers to examine quality patterns across such facilities. (Recommendation 1.)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Public Health Preparedness: HHS Should Plan for Medical Countermeasure Development and Manufacturing Risks
GAO-23-105713
Feb 02, 2023
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct BARDA to, as part of the development of a new program model, incorporate an approach to systematically assess and respond to known challenges and future risks associated with advanced development and manufacturing of countermeasures—including challenges related to funding and risks associated with effectively managing the contracting structure. Such an approach should clearly document program risks, ensure that progress in addressing risks is tracked, estimate needed program resources, and communicate this information to key decision makers. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Medicare Advantage: Plans Generally Offered Some Supplemental Benefits, but CMS Has Limited Data on Utilization
GAO-23-105527
Jan 31, 2023
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services The Administrator of CMS should clarify guidance to MA plans on the extent to which encounter data submissions must include data on the utilization of supplemental benefits. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services The Administrator of CMS should take actions to address circumstances where submitting encounter data for supplemental benefits is challenging for MA plans, such as when a given benefit lacks an applicable procedure code. Such actions may include the creation of new procedure codes or a new data submission format. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Public Health Preparedness: HHS Could Improve Oversight of Research Involving Enhanced Potential Pandemic Pathogens
GAO-23-105455
Jan 18, 2023
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of Health and Human Services should work with HHS funding agencies to develop and document a standard for "reasonably anticipated" to ensure consistency in identifying research for departmental review that is "reasonably anticipated to create, transfer or use enhanced potential pandemic pathogens." (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of Health and Human Services should work with HHS funding agencies to identify and share non-sensitive information with researchers, Congress, and the public about the departmental review process for research involving enhanced potential pandemic pathogens, including information on composition and expertise of those involved in the review process and how the evaluation criteria are applied. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services As HHS and CDC deliberate any changes to the DSAT program, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should assess and document the risk posed by the limitations of the existing DSAT exemptions for public health emergencies and seek legislative authority as needed. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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