ABOUT CMS

CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
www.cms.hhs.gov

They serve your parents and grandparents - and, maybe even you. They are the largest health care insurer of Americans and the largest purchaser of health insurance in the world. They are doctors and scientists, IT specialists and economists. And through their work, they touch one in four Americans, assuring quality health care in times of need.

They are the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), dedicated to managing programs like Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

The recently enacted Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) is the most extensive modification to the Medicare program since its inception in 1965. The MMA includes a drug discount card in 2004, new preventive benefits including a "Welcome to Medicare" physical for new Medicare beneficiaries in 2005 and a prescription drug benefit plan by 2006, in addition to other improvements to CMS programs.

CMS processes more than 1 billion claims per year, providing service to nearly 42 million beneficiaries who receive Medicare benefits.

Combined with Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, CMS administers health care services to 1 in 4 Americans.

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