Message from the HHS Performance Improvement Officer
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) supports and implements programs that contribute to the health, safety, and well-being of the American people and the world. Our Operating and Staff Divisions strive each day to help more Americans acquire affordable health care, to protect and enhance the health of the people of this country and the world, and to assist those who are least able to help themselves, often through the Department's state, local, and tribal partners. In accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, as amended in the GPRA Modernization Act (GPRAMA) of 2010, I am pleased to present the Fiscal Year 2017 Annual Performance Plan and Report documenting the Department’s performance during the past year and its plans for the future. Further information detailing HHS performance is available at Performance.gov.
In FY 2015, HHS monitored five priority goals and over 1,000 performance measures to manage departmental programs and activities and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these programs. Included in this report is a representative set of 144 performance measures that illustrate progress toward achieving the Department’s strategic goals. The information provided spans many of HHS’s eleven Operating Divisions and fifteen Staff Divisions and includes work across the country and throughout the world. Each HHS component has reviewed their submissions and I confirm, based on certifications from the Divisions, that the data are reliable and complete. When results are not available because of delays in data collection, the report notes the date when the results will be available.
The Affordable Care Act continues to improve the lives of many. Millions have signed up for health care coverage on Healthcare.gov and the state Marketplaces and paid their premiums. Millions more are receiving the care that they need through expanded Medicaid eligibility. Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program enrollments are increasing, providing our youngest access to necessary healthcare. HHS plans to examine a number of health challenges facing the public through a new set of priority goals over the next two years, including serious mental illness, opioid abuse, antibiotic resistant bacteria, tobacco use, and food safety, while also exploring improvements to early childhood education and paying for healthcare. HHS is also working to keep America healthy, advance science and research, serve our citizens at key stages of life, and enhance the Department’s administration and operations. The results presented here demonstrate that HHS is performing well across a wide range of activities and has plans in place to continue that success in the future.
Ellen G. Murray
Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
