§299. Establishment

(a) In general

There is established within the Service an agency to be known as the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.

(b) Purpose

The purpose of the Agency is to enhance the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of health care services, and access to such services, through the establishment of a broad base of scientific research and through the promotion of improvements in clinical practice (including the prevention of diseases and other health conditions) and in the organization, financing, and delivery of health care services.

(c) Appointment of Administrator

There shall be at the head of the Agency an official to be known as the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research. The Administrator shall be appointed by the Secretary. The Secretary, acting through the Administrator, shall carry out the authorities and duties established in this subchapter.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IX, §901, as added Dec. 19, 1989, Pub. L. 101–239, title VI, §6103(a), 103 Stat. 2189 ; amended Oct. 13, 1992, Pub. L. 102–410, §2(a), 106 Stat. 2094 .)

Prior Provisions

A prior section 299, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IX, §900, as added Oct. 6, 1965, Pub. L. 89–239, §2, 79 Stat. 926 ; amended Oct. 30, 1970, Pub. L. 91–515, title I, §102, 84 Stat. 1297 , set forth Congressional declaration of purpose of this subchapter to encourage and assist regional cooperative arrangements among medical schools, research institutions, and hospitals for research, training and medical data exchange, and to improve quality and capacity of health manpower and facilities available throughout the nation, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–117, §12(d), Oct. 7, 1985, 99 Stat. 495 .

A prior section 901 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 299a of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–117.

Amendments

1992-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–410 inserted "(including the prevention of diseases and other health conditions)" after "improvements in clinical practice".

Transitional and Savings Provisions

Section 6103(f) of Pub. L. 101–239 provided that:

"(1) Transfer of personnel, assets, and liabilities.-Personnel of the Department of Health and Human Services employed on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 19, 1989] in connection with the functions vested in the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research pursuant to the amendments made by this section [enacting this section and sections 299a to 299c–6 and 1320b–12 of this title, amending sections 242b, 242k, 242l, 242m, 254c, 288, 1395y, 1395ll, and 11111 of this title, repealing sections 242c and 242n of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 11137 of this title], and assets, property, contracts, liabilities, records, unexpended balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds, of such Department arising from or employed, held, used, or available on such date, or to be made available after such date, in connection with such functions shall be transferred to the Administrator for appropriate allocation. Unexpended funds transferred under this paragraph shall be used only for the purposes for which the funds were originally authorized and appropriated.

"(2) Savings provisions.-With respect to functions vested in the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research pursuant to the amendments made by this section, all orders, rules, regulations, grants, contracts, certificates, licenses, privileges, and other determinations, actions, or official documents, of the Department of Health and Human Services that have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to become effective in the performance of such functions, and that are effective on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 19, 1989], shall continue in effect according to their terms unless changed pursuant to law."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 299a, 299a–2, 299c, 299c–2 of this title.