Regulatory Policy, Analysis, & Guidance

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) analyzes the benefits, costs, and other impacts of significant proposed and final rulemakings, consistent with the requirements of several executive orders and statutes. HHS develops these analyses according to technical guidance published by the U.S.

Older adults with behavioral health disorders often experience worse health and functional outcomes, have higher rates of emergency department visits, use more medications, and have higher health care costs than those without a behavioral health disorder. There is need for a greater understanding of the extent to which older adults experience behavioral health disorders.

Since March 2020, HHS and DEA have allowed health care practitioners to initiate controlled medications via a telehealth visit without first conducting an in-person medical evaluation, representing a substantial change in how these medications, and the conditions they are used to treat, can be managed.

Childhood development experts recommend specific practices for afterschool and youth development programs to promote well-being and healthy development, including positive relationships; rich learning experiences and knowledge development; environments filled with safety and belonging; the development of skills, habits, and mindsets; and integrated support systems.

This guidance, originally published in 2003, contains the following introduction:

This research report updates prior reports on Medicare FFS telehealth trends during the COVID-19 public health emergency with data through end of 2021, by beneficiary characteristics, visit specialty and geography including by state. Medicare telehealth flexibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic continued to encourage use of telehealth among Medicare beneficiaries in 2021.

This issue brief provides a primer on FDA user fees, presents findings of how user fees affect the cost of medical product development, and summarizes the research literature on user fees, most notably in expediting medical product development and approval.Related Products:

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finalized its Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Analysis under the leadership of its Assistant Secretary for Planning Evaluation and Analytics Team. The Guidelines discuss strategies for characterizing the uncertainty in quantified effects as well as the potential impacts of non-quantified effects.

This report extends the brief discussion of addressing international effects contained in the Department of Health and Human Service Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Analysis (2016). The purpose of this supplement is to expand that discussion and provide more detailed information on conducting such assessments. Related Products:

This report develops an approach for valuing COVID-19 mortality and morbidity risk reductions based on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Analysis. Valuing risk reductions associated with regulations or other policies that address the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents major challenges.