AHRQ and the Recovery Act
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) to provide patients, clinicians, and others evidence-based information to make informed decisions about health care. The Recovery Act contains $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research. Of the total, $300 million is for AHRQ to build on its existing collaborative and transparent Effective Health Care program. This page provides links to AHRQ Recovery Act funding announcements, information on reporting requirements, and key announcements.
Overview | Funding Opportunities | Reporting Requirements | Key Announcements | Frequently Asked Questions
Overview of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) appropriated $1.1 billion for research that compares the effectiveness of different medical options of which $300 million is for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), $400 million has been transferred to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and $400 million is for allocation at the discretion of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). AHRQ has agreed to manage the Office of the Secretary's $400 million. This summary will focus on the $300 million for AHRQ and the $400 million for the Office of the Secretary.
AHRQ's Research Activities ($300 million)
AHRQ is excited about the new opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide patients, clinicians, and others evidence-based information to make informed decisions about health care. AHRQ will use Recovery Act funds to expand and broaden existing activities through its Effective Health Care (EHC) program. These activities were initiated at the agency in response to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. AHRQ will use a process to generate and bolster this research that includes: horizon scanning, evidence gap identification, evidence synthesis, evidence generation, dissemination and translation, and research training and career development.
AHRQ will also use Recovery Act funding to expand and standardize public involvement in its EHC program by establishing a Citizens Forum. The comprehensive spending plan transmitted to specified Congressional committees on July 30, 2009, represents an investment in creating the integrated components of a national effort in the United States, including the first coordinated prospective pragmatic clinical studies program for research that compares the effectiveness of different medical options.
Additional Recovery Act investments will support the infrastructure, methods, and capacity necessary to sustain a vigorous national research enterprise in the United States. Proposals for funds will focus initially on the 14 priority conditions established by the Secretary of HHS under Section 1013 of the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act (go to http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcpartner/epcpartner2.htm). Priority will also be given to research focused on under-represented populations.
To achieve the goals of producing patient-centered health research, AHRQ will use a variety of funding mechanisms including grants, contracts, and inter-agency agreements. Award recipients will include researchers, academic institutions, States, community-based organizations, national organizations, and Federal agencies.
The Office of the Secretary (OS) Research Activities ($400 million)
The HHS's overall goal for this investment is to promote high-quality care through broad availability of information that helps clinicians and patients match the best science to individual needs and preferences. Moreover, the investment can build a sustainable foundation for future research so that it will enable—now and in the future—the United States healthcare system to deliver the highest quality care to all Americans. The Recovery Act established the Federal Coordinating Council to foster optimum coordination of this research by relevant Federal departments and agencies, with the goal of reducing duplicative efforts and encouraging coordinated and complementary use of resources.
The Recovery Act funds represent a significant investment in research that compares the effectiveness of different medical options, allowing many high-priority issues to be addressed in the short-term, but also strengthening and sustaining this research in the long-term. As such, if we are to realize the full potential of this research to improve health and health care, we must be equally strategic about the direction moving forward.
Evidence needs for this research will be identified through syntheses of existing evidence as well as horizon scanning (which will include public outreach and consultation). These identified needs will inform development of priorities for evidence generation across HHS operational and staff divisions. As appropriate, these priorities will incorporate cross-cutting needs relating to priority interventions, conditions and populations.
The legislation called on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to recommend research priorities for these funds and gather stakeholder input. A report was delivered June 30, 2009. In addition, the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research was created to offer guidance and coordination on the use of these funds.
Select for excerpt from the Recovery Act related to comparative effectiveness research.
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Funding Opportunities from Recovery Act Funds
To date, AHRQ has posted the following funding announcements for Recovery Act funds:
- ARRA OS: Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: Enhanced Registries for Quality Improvement and Comparative Effectiveness Research (R01)
- ARRA OS: Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: Scalable Distributed Research Networks for Comparative Effectiveness Research (R01)
- ARRA OS: Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: Accelerating Implementation of Comparative Effectiveness Findings on Clinical and Delivery System Interventions by Leveraging AHRQ Networks (R18)
- AHRQ ARRA Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: AHRQ Institutional National Research Service Award (NRSA) Postdoctoral Comparative Effectiveness Development Training Award (T32)
- AHRQ ARRA Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: AHRQ Mentored Clinical Scientists Comparative Effectiveness Development Award (K12)
- ARRA-AHRQ Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum for Comparative Effectiveness Research (U13)
- ARRA-AHRQ Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: PROSPECT Studies: Building New Clinical Infrastructure for Comparative Effectiveness Research (R01)
- Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: Expansion of Research Capability to Study Comparative Effectiveness in Complex Patients (R24)
- Comprehensive EPC Comparative Effectiveness Reviews for Effective Health Care
- EPC Methods Research and Resource Activities for Evidence Synthesis
Standard terms and conditions apply to awards funded by the Recovery Act. To learn more about terms and conditions for awards, select Standard Terms and Conditions, ARRA Division A Funds.
Grants funding appeals have been suspended for Recovery Act funding opportunities. To learn more, select to access Suspension of Grants Funding Appeals Process notice.
Frequently Asked Questions on AHRQ and the Recovery Act are at http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/arrafaq.htm.
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Reporting Requirements for Recovery Act Funds
Every taxpayer dollar spent on our Nation's economic recovery must be subject to unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability. To ensure that the public receives as much information as possible on the implementation of the Recovery Act, Federal agencies and recipients of Recovery Act funding are required to report dozens of data elements. There are very specific reporting requirements for all recipients of funds provided through the Recovery Act.
Reporting for recipients of Recovery Act fund from AHRQ will occur on the Web site http://www.FederalReporting.gov. In addition, all AHRQ grantees are required to submit reports using AHRQ Research Reporting System, or ARRS, as specified in the terms of the award.
Reporting on FederalReporting.gov
Recipients and sub-recipients must post quarterly data in January, April, July, and October on http://www.FederalReporting.gov. During these reporting months, recipients submit their reports from the 1st to the 10th. AHRQ then checks them for completeness and accuracy from the 11th to the 21st and provides guidance to recipients. Federal funding agencies then review them and make any necessary corrections from the 22nd to 29th. Data goes live on the 30th, and recipient reports are available for public viewing at http://www.recovery.gov.
Resources that may be helpful in understanding and completing reporting requirements are below.
Contacting the Help Desk
The AHRQ OS Helpdesk is available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
Phone: 1-877-681-8986
E-mail: ARRA_Support@AHRQ.HHS.gov
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Key Announcements on Recovery Act Activities
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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions on AHRQ and the Recovery Act are at http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/arrafaq.htm.
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Current as of February 2010
Internet Citation:
AHRQ and the Recovery Act. February 2010. http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/cefarra.htm
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