One of the things that makes Washington, DC so intimidating is the seemingly endless list of incomprehensible acronyms and abbreviations. Here we attempt to demystify the political process for you by putting together this guide to abbreviations.

ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

ACF

The Administration for Children and Families, located within the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/

AHRQ

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, located within the Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead agency charged with supporting research designed to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce its cost, improve patient safety, decrease medical errors, and broaden access to essential services.

http://www.ahrq.gov/

AoA

The Administration on Aging was created in 1965 with the passage of the Older Americans Act (OAA) and is located within the Department of Health and Human Services. AoA works to develop a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of long-term care that helps elderly individuals maintain their dignity in their homes and communities.

http://www.aoa.gov

CBO

The Congressional Budget Office is a small, nonpartisan agency that produces policy analyses, cost estimates of legislation, and budget and economic projections that serve as a basis for Congress’s decisions about spending and taxes.

http://www.cbo.gov/

CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, located within the Department of Health and Human Services, was founded in 1946 to help control malaria. Since then, the CDC has remained at the forefront of public health efforts to prevent and control infectious and chronic diseases, injuries, workplace hazards, disabilities, and environmental health threats.

http://www.cdc.gov/

CDHP

Consumer-driven health plans

CLIA

The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (1988) are mechanisms through which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulate all laboratory testing (except research) performed on humans in the US.

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/clia/

CMS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, located within the department of Health and Human Services, administer the Medicare program and work in partnership with the states to administer Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and health insurance portability standards.

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/

CPT

Current Procedural Terminology was developed in 1966 by the AMA. CPT codes provide a uniform language that accurately describes medical, surgical, and diagnostic services, and thereby serves as an effective means for reliable nationwide communication among physicians, other healthcare providers, patients, and third parties.

CRISP

Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects, maintained by the Office of Extramural Research at the National Institutes of Health, is a searchable database of federally-funded biomedical research projects conducted at universities, hospitals, and other research institutions.

http://projectreporter.nih.gov/exporter/default.aspx

CRS

The Congressional Research Service is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees, and staff on a confidential, nonpartisan basis.

DOC

Department of Commerce

http://www.commerce.gov/index.html

DOD

Department of Defense

http://www.defenselink.mil/

DOE

Department of Energy

http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do

DOJ

Department of Justice

http://www.defenselink.mil/

DOL

Department of Labor

http://www.dol.gov/

ED

Department of Education

http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml

EEOC

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was established by Congress 35 years ago to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. EEOC is the Federal Government’s premier civil rights agency, enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, sections 501 and 505; Titles I and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

http://www.eeoc.gov/

EGAPP

The Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention is a three-year model project developed by the Office of Genomics and Disease Prevention at the CDC. The project’s goal is to support the first phases of a coordinated process for evaluating genetic tests and other genomic applications that are in transition from research to clinical and public health practice.

http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/gtesting/EGAPP/index.htm

EO

Executive order: a legally binding edict issued by a member of the executive branch of a government (usually the President).

ERISA

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily-established pension and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans.

http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/erisa.htm

FDA

The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health.

http://www.fda.gov/

FFDCA

Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act

FOIA

Freedom of Information Act

FR

The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

FTC

Federal Trade Commission

http://www.ftc.gov/

GAO

The Government Accountability Office, formerly the General Accounting Office, studies how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars and advises Congress and the heads of executive agencies about ways to make government more effective and responsive.

http://www.gao.gov/index.html

GPO

The Government Printing Office is the federal government’s primary centralized resource for gathering, cataloging, producing, providing, and preserving published information in all its forms.

http://www.gpo.gov/index.html

HCPCS

The Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System was established in 1978 to provide a standardized coding system for describing the specific items and services provided in the delivery of healthcare.

http://www.cms.gov/medhcpcsgeninfo/

H. Con. Res.

Denotes a concurrent resolution originating in the House of Representatives. Concurrent resolutions are used for expressing facts, principles, opinions, and purposes of both the House and the Senate.

HPEDIS

The Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set is a set of standardized performance measures designed to ensure that purchasers and consumers have the information they need to reliably compare the performance of managed healthcare plans.

HHS

The Department of Health & Human Services (also DHHS) is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

http://www.dhhs.gov/

HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 establishes a foundation of federal protections for the privacy of protected health information.

H.J. Res.

Denotes a joint resolution originating in the House of Representatives. There is little practical difference between a bill and a joint resolution and the two forms are often used interchangeably; Joint resolutions, with the exception of proposed amendments to the Constitution, become law in the same manner as bills.

HMO

Health maintenance organization

H.R.

A bill originating in the House of Representatives is designated by the letters “H.R.” followed by a number that it retains throughout all of its parliamentary stages. The letters signify House of Representatives.

H. Res.

Denotes a simple resolution affecting the House of Representatives (concerning rules, operation, or opinion of the chamber).

HRSA

The Health Resources and Services Administration provides national leadership, program resources, and services needed to improve access to culturally competent, quality healthcare.

http://www.hrsa.gov/

LCD

Local Coverage Determinations (Medicare)

LOC

The Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with more than 130 million items on approximately 530 miles of bookshelves.

http://www.loc.gov/

MEDCAC

The Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (formerly MCAC) was chartered by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The MEDCAC advises CMS on whether specific medical items and services are reasonable and necessary under Medicare law.

http://www.cms.gov/FACA/02_MEDCAC.asp

MCHB

The primary responsibility of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau is to improve the health of American mothers and children.

http://mchb.hrsa.gov/

MMA

Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003

http://www.cms.gov/PrescriptionDrugCovGenIn/

NCD

National Coverage Determination (Medicare)

NCI

National Cancer Institute

http://www.nci.nih.gov/

NHGRI

National Human Genome Research Institute

http://www.genome.gov/

NIH

The National Institutes of Health was founded in 1887. The goal of NIH research is to acquire new knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease and disability, from the rarest genetic disorder to the common cold.

http://www.nih.gov/

NIAMS

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

http://www.niams.nih.gov/

NIDDK

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/

NIEHS

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/

NIMH

National Institute of Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

NLM

National Library of Medicine

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/

NNSGRC

The National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center is a cooperative agreement between the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Genetic Services Branch and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), Department of Pediatrics. The mission of the NNSGRC is to: 1) provide a forum for interaction between consumers, healthcare professionals, researchers, organizations, and policymakers in refining and developing public health newborn screening and genetics programs; and 2) serve as a national resource center for information and education in the areas of newborn screening and genetics.

http://genes-r-us.uthscsa.edu/

NSF

The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense...”

http://www.nsf.gov/

OCR

The Office for Civil Rights promotes and ensures that people have equal access to and opportunity to participate in and receive services in all HHS programs without facing unlawful discrimination.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/index.html

ODA

The Orphan Drug Act provides incentives for sponsors to develop products for rare diseases.

ODS

The Office of Dietary Supplements was established via the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. The ODS was created in 1995 within the Office of Disease Prevention to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, stimulating and supporting research, disseminating research results, and educating the public to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/

OHRP

The Office of Human Research Protections provides leadership and oversight on all matters related to the protection of human subjects participating in research conducted or supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/

OMB

The Office of Management and Budget is the White House office responsible for devising and submitting the president’s annual budget proposal to Congress.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/

OOPD

The Office of Orphan Products Development was created in 1982 and promotes the development of products that demonstrate promise for the diagnosis and/or treatment of rare diseases or conditions.

http://www.fda.gov/orphan/

ORD

Office of Rare Diseases was established in 1993 to stimulate and coordinate research on rare diseases and support research to respond to the needs of patients who have any of the more than 6,000 rare diseases known today.

http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/

PHI

Protected health information

POS

Point of service (type of health insurance plan)

PPO

Preferred provider organization (type of health insurance plan)

PTO

Patent and Trademark Office

http://www.uspto.gov/

QALY

Quality-adjusted life-year

S.

A bill originating in the Senate is designated by “S.” followed by a number that it retains throughout all of its parliamentary stages. The letter signifies Senate.

SACGHS

Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society

SACGT

Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing

SACHDGDNC

Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders and Genetic Diseases in Newborns and Children

SAMHSA

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is located within the Department of Health and Human Services, and its mission is to build resilience and facilitate recovery for people with or at risk for substance abuse and mental illness.

http://www.samhsa.gov/

SAP

Statement of Administration Policy

SBIR

Small Business Innovation Research is a highly competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization.

SCHIP

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, created by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, gave each state permission to offer health insurance for children, up to age 19, who are not already insured. SCHIP is a state-administered program, and each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services.

S. Con. Res.

Denotes a concurrent resolution originating in the Senate. Concurrent resolutions are used for expressing facts, principles, opinions, and purposes of both the House and the Senate.

S.J. Res.

Denotes a joint resolution originating in the Senate. There is little practical difference between a bill and a joint resolution, and the two forms are often used interchangeably. Joint resolutions, with the exception of proposed amendments to the Constitution, become law in the same manner as bills.

S. Res.

Denotes a simple resolution affecting the Senate (concerning rules, operation, or opinion of the chamber).

SSA

Social Security Administration

http://www.ssa.gov/

TANF

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program was created by the Welfare Reform Law of 1996. TANF became effective July 1, 1997 and replaced what was then commonly known as welfare: Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) programs.

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/

USDA

Department of Agriculture

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome

USPSTF

The US Preventive Services Task Force is located in the Department of Health and Human Services. USPSTF is an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention that systematically reviews the evidence of effectiveness and develops recommendations for clinical preventive services.

http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstfix.htm

VA

Department of Veterans Affairs

http://www.va.gov/

WHO

The World Health Organization is the United Nations' specialized agency for health established in 1948.

http://www.who.int/en/