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Estrogen therapy increases risk of kidney stone development in postmenopausal women

Use of estrogen therapy is associated with an increased risk of developing kidney stones in postmenopausal women, according to a report in the October 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Pelosi issues statement on HHS announcement of $727 million in grants

Speaker Pelosi issued the following statement today after Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced $727 million in grants to community health centers across the nation, including more than $4 million to San Francisco's South of Market Health Center and $91.5 million for California, as part of the Affordable Care Act.

11 Oct 2010

The insurance straw man

In this Kaiser Health News column, James C. Capretta of the Ethics and Public Policy Center criticizes Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for some of her tough tactics with insurance companies.

11 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 11, 2010

Today's early morning highlights include articles on new options for open season, concerns among retirees about the provisions of the federal health law and the latest campaign arguments over that new overhaul.

11 Oct 2010

CCHIT certifies Health Care Systems' eMR Version 4

Health Care Systems, Inc. (HCS) announced today that HCS eMR, Version 4, is 2011/2012 compliant and was certified as an EHR Module on 9/30/2010 by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the applicable HOSPITAL certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

11 Oct 2010

Health insurance: Coverage expands for children, young adults; not necessarily for retirees

Glenn Franco, a retired community-college instructor in Michigan, tried to get his 24-year-old daughter on his health plan—and was turned away. Many large employers are telling retirees the same thing.

11 Oct 2010

BARDA awards $4.2 million contract to Menssana Research to develop breath test for radiation exposure

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in the US Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Menssana Research Inc., a company with research facilities in the NJIT Enterprise Development Center, a contract for $4.2 million to develop a breath test for radiation exposure. If the contract is exercised with options, it could total $22.84 million.

11 Oct 2010

Minn. medical groups resist as Pawlenty shuts out Obama health plan

Minnesota medical groups have asked federal officials to review their comments and those of state officials about the health overhaul's implementation directly after Gov. Tim Pawlenty refused to send the suggestions on behalf of the state, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The groups include associations representing the state's health plans, hospitals and doctors.

11 Oct 2010

US Health and Human Services administration announces $320 million grants to strengthen healthcare workforce in America

The US Health and Human Services administration announced $320 million in new grants under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to strengthen the healthcare workforce in America. Florida alone will receive more than $11 million in grant funding.

11 Oct 2010

HHS awards Sanofi Pasteur 3-year, $56.94M egg supply contract for pandemic vaccine preparedness

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, has been awarded a three-year contract for $56.94 million by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to maintain flocks to enable manufacturing pandemic influenza vaccine at full capacity on a year-round basis.

11 Oct 2010

Administration's waivers of health law raise questions about 'mini-med' plans

The White House on Thursday defended granting waivers to some employers from a key provision of the new health care law, saying it was the best way to keep people insured until the law fully takes effect.

11 Oct 2010

HHS, PEPFAR to invest $130 million to transform African medical education

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to invest $130 million over five years to transform African medical education and dramatically increase the number of practicing health care workers.

8 Oct 2010

Biologists determine three-dimensional structure of molecule involved in HIV, cancer

In a technical tour de force, structural biologists funded by the National Institutes of Health have determined the three-dimensional structure of a molecule involved in HIV infection and in many forms of cancer. The high-resolution structure sheds light on how the molecule functions and could point to ways to control its activity, potentially locking out HIV and stalling cancer's spread.

8 Oct 2010

ABMS awarded HHS contract to align meaningful use of HIT, ABMS MOC program

The American Board of Medical Specialties announced today a contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to align the meaningful use of health information technology and the ABMS Maintenance of Certification program, which was created by ABMS and its 24 Member Boards to promote lifelong learning and self assessment for physician specialists. The contract was awarded by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for HIT.

8 Oct 2010

HHS official: Medical loss ratio rules will allow 'flexibility'

A senior health official has promised insurers "discretion" - especially for "smaller" and "newer" plans - in pending regulation that will require them to spend at least 80 percent of premium dollars on health services, Insurance News Net reports.

8 Oct 2010

NIAID announces three new contracts to fund research on dengue, anthrax vaccines

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced three new contracts to fund research on vaccines to protect against emerging infectious diseases and biological threats that could be used in a terror attack. Each project focuses on simple and efficient vaccine delivery approaches that could be deployed quickly. The total funding for the three contracts could reach $68 million, depending on the successful completion of defined project milestones.

8 Oct 2010

AHRQ awards $1.2M grant to evaluate effectiveness of primary care transformation efforts

The Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has awarded a $1.2 million grant to Michigan State University to evaluate the effectiveness of primary care transformation efforts at Priority Health and Independent Health, a New York plan.

8 Oct 2010

Senate Dems criticize 'excessive' Medigap price hikes; Acos examined

Top Senate Democrats on Wednesday called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to protect seniors in Medigap plans from excessive rate hikes.

8 Oct 2010

University of Colorado receives $6.3 million for umbilical cord blood bank

The University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank, a component of ClinImmune Labs and the University of Colorado School of Medicine, has been awarded $6.3 million to collect and bank umbilical cord blood, with an emphasis on donors from minority groups.

8 Oct 2010

SAMHSA awards grants to improve mental health services

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced the award of 19 grants totaling 1.3 million for the first year and $3.9 million for up to three years to support consumer organizations in their work to improve mental health services for persons living with serious mental illnesses.

7 Oct 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

Estrogen therapy increases risk of kidney stone development in postmenopausal women

Pelosi issues statement on HHS announcement of $727 million in grants

The insurance straw man

First Edition: October 11, 2010

CCHIT certifies Health Care Systems' eMR Version 4

Health insurance: Coverage expands for children, young adults; not necessarily for retirees

BARDA awards $4.2 million contract to Menssana Research to develop breath test for radiation exposure

Minn. medical groups resist as Pawlenty shuts out Obama health plan

US Health and Human Services administration announces $320 million grants to strengthen healthcare workforce in America

HHS awards Sanofi Pasteur 3-year, $56.94M egg supply contract for pandemic vaccine preparedness

Administration's waivers of health law raise questions about 'mini-med' plans

HHS, PEPFAR to invest $130 million to transform African medical education

Biologists determine three-dimensional structure of molecule involved in HIV, cancer

ABMS awarded HHS contract to align meaningful use of HIT, ABMS MOC program

HHS official: Medical loss ratio rules will allow 'flexibility'

NIAID announces three new contracts to fund research on dengue, anthrax vaccines

AHRQ awards $1.2M grant to evaluate effectiveness of primary care transformation efforts

Senate Dems criticize 'excessive' Medigap price hikes; Acos examined

University of Colorado receives $6.3 million for umbilical cord blood bank

SAMHSA awards grants to improve mental health services

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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