Late News: HHS establishes Recovery Act office for stimulus spending
A new HHS office promises quick, organized and transparent distribution of an estimated $137 billion in federal healthcare stimulus spending on tap to flow from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law Feb. 17. As of March 11, the department had disbursed more than $3 billion—mostly in Medicaid dollars—toward a total of $15.3 billion the law appropriates to help states cover their obligations during the economic downturn. The Office of Recovery Act Coordination, according to a news release, is intended to "enhance and streamline" the stimulus spending, led by Dennis Williams, previously deputy administrator of HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration. On the Web site hhs.gov/recovery, HHS is posting weekly reports of spending, announcements of grant and contract opportunities, and state-by-state allocations of the Medicaid relief and $155 million committed toward the creation of 126 community health clinics. The site also includes a link inviting reports of fraud and abuse to the inspector general's office.
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