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Health Care that Works for All Americans

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It's Up To You

What's next in the national discussion about our health care? This is your chance to be part of an important debate. Use the resources of this web site to learn about our health care system.

What happens next, depends on you.

Common Health Care Acronyms

This list is meant only to help increase general understanding of commonly used health care terms. It is not a complete or official list, and is included here to aid in general understanding only.

To find the definition of a term, click below on the first letter of the desired word.

 A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z 

A

AAPCC

Adjusted Average Per Capita Cost

ACD

Automatic call distributor

ACF

Ambulatory care facility

ACR

Adjusted community rating

AFDC/ADC

Aid to Families with Dependent Children

AIDS

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

ALOS

Average Length of Stay

APG

Ambulatory Payment Classification

APG

Ambulatory Patient Group

ASC

Administrative Services Contract or Ambulatory Surgical Center

ASO

Administrative services only (generally refers to contracts)

 

 B

BBA

Balanced Budget Act of 1997

BSN

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

 

 C

CAH

Critical Access Hospital

CAP

Contract Administration Process

CBO

Congressional Budget Office

CCU

Critical Care Unit

CDC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CCPs

Coordinated care plans

CEO

Chief executive officer

CHE

Certified Healthcare Executive

CHIN

Community Health Information Network

COA

Certificate of authority

COB

Coordination of Benefits

COBRA

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

CON

Certificate of Need

COP

Conditions of Participation

CPI

Consumer Price Index

CRC

Community rating by class

CTI

Computer/telephony integration

 

 D

D

DCH

Department of Community Health

DHHS

Department of Health and Human Services

DME

Durable Medical Equipment

DNR

Do-Not-Resuscitate

DO

Doctor of Osteopathy

DSH

Disproportionate Share Hospital

DPOS

Dental point of service option

DPPO

Dental preferred provider organization

DHMO

Dental health maintenance organization

DSS

Decision support system

DUR

Drug utilization review

 

 E

EDI

electronic data interchange

EMR

electronic medical record

EMS

Emergency Medical Services

EMT

Emergency Medical Technician

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

ER

Emergency Room

ERISA

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

EPO

Exclusive provider organization

EPSDT

Early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services

 

 F

FDA

Food and Drug Administration

FFS

Fee-for-service payment system

FEHBP

Federal Employee Health Benefits Program

FQHC

Federally Qualified Health Center

FTC

Federal Trade Commission

FY

Fiscal Year

 

 G

GLB Act

Financial Services Modernization Act (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act)

GME

Graduate Medical Education

GP

General Practitioner

GPWW

Group practice without walls

 

 H

HCFA

Health Care Financing Administration

HCQIA

Health Care Quality Improvement Act

HCQIP

Health Care Quality Improvement Program

HHA

Home Health Agency

HHS

Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of

HIN

Health information network

HIO

Health insuring organization

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HMO

Health maintenance organization

HPMS

Health Plan Management System

HRA

Health risk assessment

 

 I

IBNR

Incurred but not reported claims

ICU

Intensive Care Unit

IDS

Integrated delivery system

IPA

Independent practice association

IVR

Interactive voice response system

 

 J

JCAHO

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

JOA

Joint Operating Agreement

 

 K
 L

LOS

Length of stay

LPN

Licensed Practical Nurse

LTAC

Long-Term Acute-Care Hospital

LTC

Long-Term Care

LTCF

Long-Term Care Facility

 

 M

MCO

Managed care organization

MD

Doctor of Medicine

MedPAC

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission

MHS

Military Health System

MIS

Management Information System

MSA

Medicare medical savings account plans

MSN

Master of Science in Nursing

MSO

Management Services Organization

MSW

Master of Social Work

MTFs

Military treatment facilities

 

 N

NCQA

National Committee for Quality Assurance

NIH

National Institutes of Health

NMHPA

Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act

NPDB

National Practitioner Data Bank

 

 O

OB-GYN

Obstetrics-Gynecology

OMB

Office of Management and Budget

OPPS

Outpatient Prospective Payment System

OR

Operating Room

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OT

Occupational Therapist

 

 P

P&T

Pharmacy and therapeutics

PA

Physician Assistant

PACE

Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly

PBM

Pharmacy benefit management plan

PCCM

Primary care case manager

PCP

Primary care provider

PFFS

Private fee-for-service plans

PAC

Political Action Committee

PHA

Participating Hospital Agreement

PHO

Physician-hospital organization

PMC

Physician Management Company

PO

Physician Organization

POS

Point-of-service

PPA

Preferred provider arrangement

PPM

Physician Practice Management Company

PPO

Preferred provider organization

PPS

Prospective Payment System

PRO

Peer review organization

PSN

Provider Sponsored Network

PSO

Provider Service Organization

PT

Physical Therapist

 

 Q

QA

Quality Assessment or Quality Assurance

QHP

Quality Health Plan

QISMC

Quality Improvement System for Managed Care

QM

Quality management

 

 R

RBRVS

Resource-Based Relative Value Scale

RHC

Rural Health Clinic

RN

Registered Nurse

RVS

Relative value scale

 

 S

SCHIP

State Children's Health Insurance Program

SNF

Skilled Nursing Facility

 

 T

TPA

Third party administrator

TQM

Total Quality Management

 U
 V

UCR

Usual, customary, and reasonable fee

UM

Utilization management

UR

Utilization review

URO

Utilization review organization

 

 W

WC

Workers’ Compensation

WHCRA

Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act

WHO

World Health Organization