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A -- AMBULATORY CARE SENSITIVE CONDITION -- SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION SOL RFQ-HCFA-99-0001 POC Mr. Lee J. Spicher, Purchasing Agent, (410) 786-8919 The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) intends to procure, under the SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (Less than $100,000), research and statistical services to support HCFA's analysis of Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs) which have the potential to be employed in a tool for monitoring the quality of care being provided to beneficiaries in Medicare+Choice (M+C). An ACSC is a hospitalization which was potentially avoidable with the provision of timely and effective ambulatory care. ACSCs for the Medicare population have not been profiled using the M+C inpatient encounter data submitted to HCFA by M+C organizations. Specific tasks include: 1) to identify and validate a set of ACSCs for the M+C population; and 2) to refine and validate baseline ACSC rates using M+C encounter data and possibly Medicare fee-for-service claims data for the purpose of evaluating the provision of services to M+C enrollees. Potential offerers must have the following experience/knowledge in order to be considered for award: 1) experience conducting sophisticated health care research studies using large data sets, 2) a high level of statistical expertise, 3) research experience developing ACSCs using either Medicare or Medicaid claims data, 4) knowledge of the Medicare or Medicaid managed care environment and 5) SAS programming skills and experience developing programming specifications. Vendors must E-mail their request for the Request for Quote (RFQ) to Lspicher@hcfa.gov or fax to (410) 786-9088 within 15 days from the published date of this notice. Please provide your E-Mail address with your request. Telephone requests for the RFQ will not be accepted. All questions shall be directed Mr. Lee J. Spicher at (410) 786-8919. Posted 06/25/99 (I-SN347384). (0176)

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