Overview

Section 307 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (PL 108-173) established the framework for a program to evaluate national and state background checks on prospective employees with direct access to patients of long-term care facilities or providers. The program's purpose is to identify efficient, effective, and economical procedures for conducting background checks.

The pilot will be administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in consultation with the Department of Justice. The pilot programs operated from January 2005 through September 2007.

Pilot States

CMS selected seven states to participate in the Background Check Pilot Program. The states represent a mix of rural and urban areas and include ethnically and culturally diverse populations. The pilot states include:  

• Alaska
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• Wisconsin

CMS contracted with Abt Associates to conduct an independent evaluation of the Background Check Pilot Program, including the lessons learned.

Click on the titles listed in the Downloads or Related Links section below to access more information about the CMS Background Check Pilot. 

Downloads
Background Check Pilot General Requirements (PDF, 68KB) Background Check Law - Section 307 MMA (PDF, 27KB)
Related Links Inside CMS
Press Release (12/22/2004) Background Check Pilot Evaluation Final Report
Related Links Outside CMS
Alaska Department Health & Social Services – Alaska Background Check Program Idaho Department of Health & Welfare – Criminal History Background Checks Illinois Department of Public Health Michigan Department of Community Services – Michigan's Program for Background Checks Nevada State Division of Health:  Criminal History Background Check New Mexico Department of Health – Caregivers Criminal History Screening Program Wisconsin Department Health and Family Services – Federal Background Check Pilot

Page Last Modified: 01/20/2009 9:53:12 AM
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