The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the principal federal government department that administers 115 programs with a mission statement “to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services.” Some major milestones under the HHS include the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which lead to major health insurance reforms, and the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which was the largest expansion of Medicare since its enactment in 1965. HHS also ensures medical professionals uphold the privacy and confidentiality of patient health information through the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.
Divisions managed by the HHS are:
The Food and Drug Administration
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Indian Health Service
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Administration for Children and Families
Administration for Community Living
Sworn in on January 29th, 2018, the current Secretary of the HHS is Alex M. Azar II. Secretary Azar has four top priorities for HHS.
Ending the crisis of opioid addiction and overdose with a 5-point plan:
- Better addiction, treatment, and recovery services
- Better data
- Better pain management
- Better targeting of overdose reversing drugs
- Better research
Health Insurance Reform
HHS is working to increase availability and affordability of health insurance for all Americans.
Drug Pricing
The HHS goal is to lower the price of prescription drugs without discouraging innovation
Value-Based Care
HHS wants to change the system’s focus on paying for procedures and sickness to one that pays for outcome and health.
- Maximizing the promise of health IT
- Boosting transparency around price and quality
- Pioneering bold new models in Medicare and Medicaid
- Removing government burdens and barriers, especially those impeding care coordination
HHS also provides many health-related resources for the public on topics such as disease prevention, wellness, health insurance, and access to healthcare providers.
For more information, visit the HHS website here.