SMQT- Survey & Certification Background LATEST UPDATE | VERIFIED

SMQT- Survey & Certification Background LATEST UPDATE | VERIFIED Social Security Act of 1965 It was signed into law by President Johnson on July 30, 1965. The law established both Medicare, the health insurance program for Americans over 65 and Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income Americans. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Created in 1977 to combine, under one administration, the oversight of Medicare and Medicaid under the HCFA (the predecessor of CMS). Medicare Signed into law in 1965, Medicare is a Health Insurance Program for the following groups: - People age 65 or older - People under age 65 with certain disabilities - People of all ages with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant) Medicaid Medicaid is a medical assistance program jointly financed by State and Federal governments for eligible low-income individuals. The program covers a variety of groups, including the following: - The needy elderly - Blind - Disabled individuals receiving cash assistance under the Supplemental Security Income Program - Certain infants and low-income pregnant women - At the option of the State, other low-income individuals with medical bills that qualify them as categorically or medically needy. Medicaid is a state program that provides medical services to clients of the state public assistance program and, at the State's option, other needy individuals. Medicaid also augments the hospital and nursing facility (NF) services mandated under Medicaid. States may decide on the amount, duration, and scope of additional services, except that care in institutions primarily for the care and treatment of mental health issues, may not be included for persons over age 21 and under age 65. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Signed into law in 1988, CLIA regulations include federal standards applicable to all U.S. laboratory facilities or sites that test human specimens for health assessment or to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease. The CDC, in partnership with the CMS and FDA, supports the CLIA program and clinical laboratory quality. - The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention is responsible for the CLIA studies, convening the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Committee (CLIAC) & provides scientific & technical support to CMS. - A laboratory is defined as any facility that performs laboratory testing on specimens derived from humans for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment of disease, or impairment of, or assessment of health. - CLIA covers approximately 175,000 laboratory entities. - The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for test categorization. - The Division of Laboratory Services, within the Survey & Certification Group, under the Center for Medicaid, CHIP and Survey & Certification have the responsibility for implementing the CLIA Program. - CMS is charged with the implementation of CLIA, including laboratory registration, fee collection, certificate generation, surveys, surveyor guidelines development & training, enforcement, financial management, & finally, approvals of proficiency testing providers, accrediting organizations & exempt states.