Search Frequenty Asked Questions

All manuscripts published in the Health Care Financing Review are subjected to a formal peer review process consisting of three reviewers, however, it may not be unusual for a manuscript to be reviewed by more reviewers if the complexity of the topic warrants. An unpublished manuscript is a privileged document. Review and handle this manuscript in the strictest of confidence. Protect it from any and all forms of exploitation. Please observe the following restrictions:

1. Do not reproduce the manuscript in any form.


2. Do not distribute or circulate the manuscript.


3. Do not quote from or cite any text, notes, tables, figures, etc. this applies to all forms of communication including: oral, written, and electronic.


4. Upon completion, please return the manuscript, written comments, and the recommendation sheet to the
   Editor-in-Chief.
   

Please strive to maintain a positive, impartial attitude toward the manuscript under review. The position of the peer reviewer should be that of the author’s ally, with the aim of promoting effective and accurate scientific communication. If there is a conflict of interest in judging the article, return the manuscript immediately with an explanation. In preparing comments intended for the author’s eyes, present criticism dispassionately and avoid abrasive comments.

A “blind” review process is used in the interest of objectivity, in that the author is not identified to the reviewers and the reviewers are not identified to the author. If you suspect the article as the probable work of a particular person, please do not attempt to contact the author to discuss the manuscript.

Any criticism, arguments, and suggestions concerning the manuscript will be most useful to the author if they are carefully documented. Please critique the manuscript in terms of substance, originality, validity, clarity, significance, and for policy implications and relevance. The goal of the Review is to present information and analysis on the Medicare and Medicaid Programs, highlight the results of the policy-relevant research related to health care financing and delivery, and provide a forum for the presentation of a broad range of viewpoints regarding important policy issues in these areas.

Do not correct deficiencies in style or mistakes in grammar, but please identify any unclear or ambiguous passages, possible reorganization, or the need for condensing particular passages. After the technical and professional review, and if accepted for publication, the manuscipt will be edited for style, grammar, spelling, and construction by the editorial staff.

The Editor-in-Chief gratefully receives a reviewer’s recommendations. However, because editorial decisions are usually based on evaluations derived from several sources, a reviewer should not expect the editor to honor every recommendation. For that reason, do not make specific comments about the acceptability of an article in your comments for transmission to the author, nor should suggested revisions be expressed as conditions of acceptance. Separate comments may be provided to the Editor-in-Chief, please distinguish between revisions considered essential and those merely desirable; as a reviewer feel free to give the editor your opinion about the overall acceptability of the article.