What Are Health Care Agencies?

In a health care setting, an agency is typically an administrative organization. Its daily responsibility is to serve and help other businesses administer health care. Health care agencies do not provide medication or health care procedures. Instead they oversee funding, research and government mandates.

Services Provided By Agencies

• Health care agencies regulate, plan, support and provide rate reviews and use reviews of health care services. In some instances, they might provide supplies and play the role of gatekeeper by making the determination about which services a patient can be reimbursed for. In the case of home health agencies, for instance, outside health care support or assistance might be given to allow a more independent life for seniors.

Health and Human Service

• The Department of Health and Human Services is the granddaddy of all health care agencies in the United States. Its website defines it as the "government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential health services ..." Eleven agencies conduct the work of the department. These agencies supply research, handle grants and funding, perform public health tasks and oversee food and drug safety.

AHRQ

• The agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. AHRQ is charged with improving the quality of health care, along with furthering its safety, efficiency and cost -effectiveness. Conducting and supporting research is part of its mission. Research is conducted within the agency, but also occurs in universities, hospitals, health care systems and clinics across the country.

Center For Medicare

• CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration, is a federal health care agency. CMS was assigned by the Social Security Act to oversee the administration of state Medicaid programs. Medicare services are directed by this agency. Additionally, CMS conducts research and gathers data to support both government programs.

Local Health Care Agencies

• The state of Washington provides a list of state health care agencies on its website, including local health departments and public health partners. Orange County in California calls its local agency HCA. HCA claims 180 funding sources. More than 200 state and federal mandates are supported and overseen by HCA's health care agency administrators.