About the Organization:

CMS's Mission:
CMS's mission is to serve Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

The vision is to become the most energized, efficient, customer friendly Agency in the government. We will strengthen the health care services and information available to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and the health care providers who serve them.

CMS's Goals:
Launch and enhance the Medicare education campaign to help beneficiaries and their caregivers become active and informed participants in their health care decisions by:

Expanding call center services
Developing a web-based Personal Plan Finder
Undertake a Medicare education campaign
Create a culture of responsiveness

Identify individual senior staff members to work with stakeholders
Identify individual contact persons to work with state
Respond in a more timely manner to requests for information
Enhance and revitalize the Professional Relations Staff
Expand the role of the Physicians' Regulatory Issues Team
Expand the physician information available on the Internet
Develop a better system of provider training and problem resolution
Release data and information in a timely manner
Develop Medicare contracting reform legislation to allow CMS more flexibility to promote greater efficiency and enhance contractor performance by:

Providing flexibility to CMS and its contractors to better adapt to changes in the Medicare program
Promote competition, leading to more flexible efficiency and accountability
Establish better coordination and communication between CMS, its contractors and health care providers
Promote CMS' ability to negotiate incentives for Medicare contractors to perform well
Improve CMS' contractor performance evaluation processes, while maximizing objectivity in contractor evaluation
Stabilize and guide CMS' business relationship with its contractors

Contact Info:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore MD 21244-1850
Phone: 410-786-3000
Web-site: http://cms.hhs.gov