Prepared by: Ira Green, M.D. AHCPR

Health Technology Assessment Reports,

1991 Number 2

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

December 1991

AHCPR Pub. No. 92-0014

View the Medline Citation and Related Citations using PubMed

The Office of Health Assessment (OHTA) evaluates the risks, benefits, and clinical effectiveness of new or unestablished medical technologies that are being considered for coverage under Medicare. These assessments are performed at the request of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). They are the basis for recommendations to HCFA regarding coverage policy decisions under Medicare.

Questions about Medicare coverage for certain health care technologies are directed to HCFA by such interested parties as insurers, manufacturers, Medicare contractors, and practitioners. Those questions of a medical, scientific, or technical nature are formally to OHTA for assessment.

OHTA's assessment process includes a comprehensive review of the medical literature and emphasizes broad and open participation from within and outside the Federal Government. A range of expert advice is obtained by widely publicizing the plans for conducting the assessment through publication of an announcement in the Federal Register and solicitation of input from Federl agencies, medical specialty societies, insurers, and manufacturers. The involvement of these experts helps assure inclusion of the experienced and varying viewpoints needed to round out the data derived from individual scientific studies in the medical literature.

After OHTA receives information from experts and the scientific literature, the results are analyzed and synthesized into an assessment report. Each report represents a detailed analysis of the risks, clinical effectiveness, and uses of new or unestablished medical technologies considered for Medicare coverage. These Health Technology Assessment Reports form the basis for the Public Health Service recommendations to HCFA and are disseminated widely. Individual reports are available to the public once HCFA has made a coverage decision regarding the subject technology.

OHTA is one component of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.

Thomas V. Holohan, M.D.

Director

Office of Health Technology Assessment

J.Jarrett Clinton, M.D.

Administrator

Questions regarding this assessment should be directed to:

Office of Health Technology Assessment

AHCPR

Executive Office Center

2101 East Jeferson Street, Suite 400

Rockville, MD 20857; (301) 227-8337