Governmental Links

Health Care Financing Administration

Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the federal agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). HCFA provides health insurance for over 74 million Americans through Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP. In addition to providing health insurance, HCFA also performs a number of quality-focused activities, including regulation of laboratory testing (CLIA), development of coverage policies, and quality-of-care improvement. HCFA maintains oversight of the survey and certification of nursing homes and continuing care providers (including home health agencies, intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, and hospitals), and makes available to beneficiaries, providers, researchers and State surveyors information about these activities and nursing home quality.