Regulatory Analysis Guidance for Health and Human Services (HHS)

IEc recently completed work on a major technical guidance document for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Geared to HHS agency staff, Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Analysis covers a variety of procedural and technical topics. First, it helps HHS staff recognize the conditions under which an RIA is required and how an RIA can enhance decision-making during the rulemaking process. The document also lays out the steps in the RIA development process, helping HHS staff define policy options, assess baseline conditions, and predict the response from the regulated community. The guidance also presents analytic approaches for valuing mortality and morbidity risk reductions, including concepts such as quality-adjust life years (QALYs) and their valuation. Other analytic topics include temporal adjustments to account for the timing of impacts and techniques for assessing distributional outcomes.  In developing the guidance, IEc teamed with subcontractors at Harvard University’s Center for Risk Analysis and Center for Decision Sciences, an arrangement that typifies our frequent collaboration with academic partners.