Reference Tools

• AAHP American Association of Health Plans
• AFDC Aid to Families with Dependent Children
• AHA American Hospital Association
• AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• AMA American Medical Association
• ASC Ambulatory Surgical Center
• BBA Balanced Budget Act (of 1997)
• CBO Congressional Budget Office
• CHIP Children's Health Insurance Program
• CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• DME Durable Medical Equipment
• DRGs Diagnosis Related Groups
• EPA Environmental Protection Agency
• ERISA Employee Retirement and Income Security Act
• FDA Food and Drug Administration
• GAO Government Accountability Office
• HCFA Health Care Financing Administration
• HHA Home Health Agency
• HHS (U.S. Department of) Health and Human Services
• HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
• HMO Health Maintenance Organization
• IRS Internal Revenue Service
• MSA Medical Savings Account
• NIH National Institutes of Health
• OIG Office of the Inspector General
• OMB Office of Management and Budget
• OSHA Occupational and Safety Health Administration
• PAC Political Action Committee
• PPS (Medicare) Prospective Payment System
• QA Quality Assurance
• RBRVS Resource-based Relative Value Scale
• SNF Skilled Nursing Facility
• SSA Social Security Administration
• UNOS United Network for Organ Sharing
• VHA Veterans Health Administration
• WHO World Health Organization