A panel of peers reviews all manuscripts published in the "Health Care Financing Review" (also "Review") with expertise in the subject matter addressed. Articles are reviewed for substance, originality, validity, clarity, significance, and for policy implications and/or relevancy. Manuscripts are reviewed by 3 reviewers. However, on occasion it is not unusual for a manuscript to be reviewed by an additional peer if the complexity of the topic warrants such a review.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Office of Research, Development and Information relies heavily on the review you will provide us as our best means of enhancing the presentation of the author(s) and ensuring that the manuscript meets the high standards of the "Review." Guidelines for Peer Reviewers define specific review criteria and procedures (see text in Guidelines for Peer Reviewers section below). We ask that you explain your recommendations on a separate sheet in clear, typewritten form. You may also redline specific comments in the manuscript. In commenting, please consider the following 5 critical elements: (1) originality, (2) appropriateness of approach and design, (3) policy implications and/or relevancy, (4) soundness of conclusions, and (5) effectiveness of figures and tables.

An unpublished manuscript is a privileged document. We ask that you review and handle this manuscript in the strictest of confidence. Please refer to the Confidentiality and Disclosure Statement section below and we ask that you observe the restrictions outlined.

After your technical review, and if the article is accepted for publication, it will be edited for style, grammar, spelling, and construction by our editorial staff.

We sincerely appreciate your assistance in reviewing as the peer review process plays a critical role in the success of ensuring that the "Review" is accurate and relevant.

If you have never reviewed for the "Health Care Financing Review" and would be interested in doing so, please fill out the Peer Reviewer Request Form. See the link in the Downloads section below.

Guidelines for Peer Reviewers

All manuscripts published in the "Health Care Financing Review" are subjected to a formal peer review process consisting of 3 reviewers, however, it may not be unusual for a manuscript to be reviewed by more reviewers if the complexity of the topic warrants. An unpublished manuscript is a privileged document. Review and handle this manuscript in the strictest of confidence. Protect it from any and all forms of exploitation. Please observe the following restrictions:

Please do not cite or refer to the work described before the manuscript has been published, and refrain from using the information for the advancement of your research.

Please strive to maintain a positive, impartial attitude toward the manuscript under review. The position of the peer reviewer should be that of the author's ally, with the aim of promoting effective and accurate scientific communication. If there is a conflict of interest in judging the article, return the manuscript immediately with an explanation. In preparing comments intended for the author's eyes, present criticism dispassionately and avoid abrasive comments.

A "blind" review process is used in the interest of objectivity, in that the author is not identified to the reviewers and the reviewers are not identified to the author. If you suspect the article as the probable work of a particular person, please do not attempt to contact the author to discuss the manuscript.

Any criticism, arguments, and suggestions concerning the manuscript will be most useful to the author if they are carefully documented. Please critique the manuscript in terms of substance, originality, validity, clarity, significance, and for policy implications and relevance. The goal of the "Review" is to present information and analysis on the Medicare and Medicaid Programs, highlight the results of the policy-relevant research related to health care financing and delivery, and provide a forum for the presentation of a broad range of viewpoints regarding important policy issues in these areas.

Do not correct deficiencies in style or mistakes in grammar, but please identify any unclear or ambiguous passages, possible reorganization, or the need for condensing particular passages. After the technical and professional review, and if accepted for publication, the manuscript will be edited for style, grammar, spelling, and construction by the editorial staff.

The Editor-in-Chief gratefully receives a reviewer's recommendations. However, because editorial decisions are usually based on evaluations derived from several sources, a reviewer should not expect the editor to honor every recommendation. For that reason, do not make specific comments about the acceptability of an article in your comments for transmission to the author, nor should suggested revisions be expressed as conditions of acceptance. Separate comments may be provided to the Editor-in-Chief. Please distinguish between revisions considered essential and those merely desirable. As a reviewer, feel free to give the editor your opinion about the overall acceptability of the article.

Confidentiality and Disclosure Statement

Thank you for volunteering your time and efforts to be a peer reviewer for the "Health Care Financing Review." An unpublished manuscript is a privileged document. We are asking that you review and handle this manuscript in the strictest of confidence. Please protect it from any and all forms of exploitation. We therefore specifically ask that you please observe the following restrictions:

1. Do not reproduce the manuscript in any form.
   
2. Do not distribute or circulate the manuscript.
   
3. Do not quote from or cite any text, notes, tables, figures, etc. This applies to all forms of communication including oral, written, and electronic.

Authors' rights may be violated by disclosure of confidential details. The "Review's" policy is to respect their confidentiality during the publication process.

We sincerely appreciate your assistance and cooperation in this matter.

Downloads
Peer Reviewer Request Form [PDF, 42KB]
Related Links Inside CMS
There are no Related Links Inside CMS
Related Links Outside CMS
There are no Related Links Outside CMS

Page Last Modified: 10/09/2008 4:02:11 PM
Help with File Formats and Plug-Ins