Georgia Official and Statistical Register 1983-84 - the Digital Library ...

The Commissioner of Medical Assistance is the chief executive officer of the Department of Medical Assistance. He isappointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.Subject to the general policy established by the Board, theCommissioner directs, accounts for, organizes, plans, administers, and executes the functions vested in the Department. Alllegal responsibility for the Title XIX Program rests with theCommissioner, as well as administrative support for the Board.Authority and responsibilities of the Department of MedicalAssistance are enumerated in OCGA Title 49-4.HISTOR Y. An Act of 1957 established a hospital care program for the indigent, administered by the State Board ofHealth and a Hospital Care Council. By an Act of 1960 aHospital Advisory Council for Construction, Licensure andIndigent Care superceded the Hospital Care Council (Ga. L.1960, p. 884). The Medical Assistance for the Aged Act of 1961was established under the Department of Public Welfare (Ga.L. 1961, p. 170).The Georgia Public Assistance Act of 1965 (Ga. L. 1965, p.385) authorized the Department of Family and Children Services to establish, among other categories of public assistance,provision for medical assistance to the aged.The Executive Reorganization Act of 1972 (Ga. L. 1972, p.1015) transferred the functions of the Department of Familyand Children Services to the Department of Human Resources. In the reorganization of the Department of HumanResources (Ga. L. 1975, p. 1211; Ga. L. 1976, p. 685) theBureau of Medical Assistance was created within the Department of Human Resources with responsibility for the management and administration of the Medicaid program. TheGeorgia Medical Assistance Act of 1977 (Ga. L. 1977, p. 384),created a separate Department of Medical Assistance.Aaron J. Johnson, Atlanta. Commissioner, Dept. of Medical Assistance, apptd. Jan. 1983-date.Division of A dministrotion — The Division of Administration includes those functions necessary to support the day-today operation of the Department such as, accounting, budget,personnel, and benefits recovery.Division of Program Management — The Division of Program Management develops reimbursement, coverage andother policies and conducts training for providers in more thantwenty service program areas. Policies are developed, implemented and interpreted based on federal regulations, state laws,and directives of the Board of Medical Assistance.Division of Program Integrity — The Division of ProgramIntegrity is primarily responsible for ensuring compliance withstate and federal regulations. Division staff conduct on-sitefield reviews and investigations of providers and recipients,identify program overpayments and conduct evaluative studiesof service program areas.Systems Management Division — The Systems Management Division coordinates all data processing services for theDepartment and manages the fiscal agent contract for claimspayment. This unit also receives provider inquiries regardingthe status of submitted claims.MERIT SYSTEM OF PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATIONPersonnel BoardState Merit System of Personnel AdministrationThe State Personnel Board prescribes the general policies foradministering the state merit system. Through the Commissioner of Personnel Administration and by adoption of meritsystem rules and regulations, it governs all phases of personneladministration including recruitment, appointments, promotions, demotions, transfers, separations, job classifications,salary and wage administration, leave of absence, trainingprohibition of political activity, employee appeals, affirmationaction and job counseling. Further, the Board, through theCommissioner, administers a state employees© health insuranceplan covering essentially all state employees, members of theGeneral Assembly, employees of county boards of health andcounty departments of family and children services, and publicschool employees.The five member State Personnel Board is appointed by theGovernor for a five-year term subject to Senate confirmation(Constitution of 1983, Art. IV, Sec. 3, Par I). The Board selectsa chairman from among its members and holds regular meetings at least once a month.MembersLeonard Morris ............................... TiftonIsabel Webster ............................... AtlantaBill Bonn ................................... AtlantaPamela Pryor Fuller .......................... AtlantaRichard K. Babush ........................... AtlantaReese Theus, Chief Hearing Officer, State Personnel BoardThe Commissioner of Personnel Administration, consistentwith Board policy, serves as the chief executive of the statepersonnel administration program and administers the operations of the state merit system. The Commissioner provides theBoard with professional, technical and other assistance as maybe required in the performance of its duties. The Commissionerestablishes the State Merit System of Personnel Administration©s annual budget, including that of the State PersonnelBoard, and appoints and prescribes the duties of the state meritsystem staff.The Commissioner of Personnel Administration, appointedby the Governor after consultation with the State PersonnelBoard and confirmed by the Senate, serves at the Governor©spleasure.Authority and responsibilities of the Commissioner of Personnel Administration are enumerated in OCGA 45-20.HISTOR Y. An Act of 1943 created the State Merit Systemof Personnel Administration under a three member Merit System Council appointed by the Governor for five year terms(Ga. L. 1943, p. 171). The Council established a system ofpersonnel administration which embraced employees of stateand county departments of labor, public welfare and health andappointed a Merit System director. Under the provisions of the1945 Constitution, a State Personnel Board, comprised of threemembers appointed by the Governor and confirmed by theSenate for seven-year terms, superceded the Council. Legislative acts of 1949, 1950, and 1951, extended coverage toemployees of many other state departments. An Act of 1952provided the means by which employees of departments outside the merit system might be brought under its provisions(Ga. L. 1952, p. 221). An Act of 1960 broadened the authorityof the State Personnel Board and provided for the hiring of ahearing officer (Ga. L. 1960, p. 1162). An Act of 1971 com-48