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Questions surround future of some troubled state exchanges

State insurance exchanges in Maryland, Oregon and Colorado are under the microscope and drawing criticism. Meanwhile, Republican state lawmakers in Tennessee and Texas propose legislation to undermine the health law in those states. And a cybersecurity official at the Department of Health and Human Services tells congressional investigators that testing of healthcare.gov, the federal online exchange, was inadequate.

16 Jan 2014

New research shows promise in helping combat novel drug-resistant H7N9 influenza virus

The novel avian H7N9 influenza virus has caused more than 130 human infections with 43 deaths in China. New research, conducted under the supervision of Kansas State University's Juergen Richt, is showing promise in helping to fight this deadly virus.

16 Jan 2014

Enrollment deadline extended for people in high-risk pools

A special insurance program for about 30,000 people with a history of cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses will be extended for an additional two months so enrollees can continue treatments while they search for other coverage, the Obama administration announced Tuesday.

15 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 15, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services that people who get their health insurance through high-risk insurance pools will have an extra two months before this program ends.

15 Jan 2014

Coalfire launches HIPAAcentral service to help manage healthcare regulatory compliance data

Coalfire announced today the launch of HIPAAcentral, a new compliance exchange that provides a comprehensive suite of services for covered entities and business associates and their subcontractors to manage, maintain and exchange healthcare regulatory compliance data.

15 Jan 2014

Study identifies 3 most significant risk factors for child obesity among preschoolers

A University of Illinois study has identified the three most significant risk factors for child obesity among preschoolers: (1) inadequate sleep, (2) a parental BMI that classifies the mom or dad as overweight or obese, and (3) parental restriction of a child's eating in order to control his weight.

15 Jan 2014

State-specific numbers highlight December enrollment surge

Various news outlets report on the enrollment totals through December -- and some demographic data -- for Alabama, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Georgia, California, Illinois and others.

15 Jan 2014

Insurance sign-ups skew older, spurring cost concerns

Halfway through the six-month enrollment period for private insurance under the health care law, just one in four adult enrollees are between ages 18 and 34, the crucial demographic group whose participation rates are key to keeping monthly premiums affordable.

15 Jan 2014

Smoking and cancer: an interview with Dr. Lewis Foxhall, VP of Health Policy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

The report Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General, identified tobacco as the predominant cause of lung cancer in men. This was the first widely disseminated report based on scientific studies showing the clear link between smoking tobacco and serious health conditions including cancer, chronic lung diseases and heart disease.

13 Jan 2014

Lung cancer incidence rates decrease more rapidly among U.S. men and women

Tobacco control efforts are having a major impact on Americans' health, a new analysis of lung-cancer data suggests. The rate of new lung cancer cases decreased among men and women in the United States from 2005 to 2009, according to a report in this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

10 Jan 2014

Viewpoints: Don't blame insurers for health system problems; Obama's 'management failure;' Texas abortion case heads to court

[The] problem with the Affordable Care Act isn't the insurance industry. In fact, the main benefits of nationalized health care can be achieved in systems with hundreds, even thousands, of for-profit insurers. ...

10 Jan 2014

Study: HIV-specific poison kills persisting HIV-infected cells during antiretroviral therapy

A team including University of North Carolina and NIH scientists has demonstrated in a mouse model that an HIV-specific poison can kill cells in which the virus is actively reproducing despite antiretroviral therapy.

10 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 9, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about how the politics of the health law continue to play out on Capitol Hill.

9 Jan 2014

UMMS assistant professor recognized with Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

University of Massachusetts Medical School Assistant Professor Thomas G. Fazzio, PhD, was recognized as a rising scientific star by President Obama with a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

9 Jan 2014

Health industry insiders analyze, predict and prescribe

Kaiser Health News checks in with former HHS chief Michael Leavitt while CQ HealthBeat details insights from another insider, Robert Laszewski.

9 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 8, 2014

Today's headlines include news from Capitol Hill about how current events offer a window into the dynamics of the 2014 campaign season.

8 Jan 2014

Hospitals with higher rates of readmissions may suffer cut in Medicare payments by 2015

Hospitals that treat more poor seniors who are on both Medicaid and Medicare tend to have higher rates of readmissions, triggering costly penalties from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, finds a new study in Health Services Research.

8 Jan 2014

Scientists believe that new links between brain cells help encode new memories and skills

In adults, some brain regions retain a "childlike" ability to establish new connections, potentially contributing to our ability to learn new skills and form new memories as we age, according to new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle.

8 Jan 2014

Hotspots of fuel consumption in adult brain also show key characteristics of developing brain

Although brain growth slows as individuals age, some regions of the brain continue to develop for longer than others, creating new connections and remodeling existing circuitry.

7 Jan 2014

Maryland's troubled exchange spurs political debate

Democratic and Republican critics of Maryland's dysfunctional exchange urged state officials to consider alternatives to the current online insurance marketplace. The issue has also become campaign fodder for gubernatorial candidates.

7 Jan 2014

Health and Human Services News and Research

Questions surround future of some troubled state exchanges

New research shows promise in helping combat novel drug-resistant H7N9 influenza virus

Enrollment deadline extended for people in high-risk pools

First Edition: January 15, 2014

Coalfire launches HIPAAcentral service to help manage healthcare regulatory compliance data

Study identifies 3 most significant risk factors for child obesity among preschoolers

State-specific numbers highlight December enrollment surge

Insurance sign-ups skew older, spurring cost concerns

Smoking and cancer: an interview with Dr. Lewis Foxhall, VP of Health Policy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Lung cancer incidence rates decrease more rapidly among U.S. men and women

Viewpoints: Don't blame insurers for health system problems; Obama's 'management failure;' Texas abortion case heads to court

Study: HIV-specific poison kills persisting HIV-infected cells during antiretroviral therapy

First Edition: January 9, 2014

UMMS assistant professor recognized with Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Health industry insiders analyze, predict and prescribe

First Edition: January 8, 2014

Hospitals with higher rates of readmissions may suffer cut in Medicare payments by 2015

Scientists believe that new links between brain cells help encode new memories and skills

Hotspots of fuel consumption in adult brain also show key characteristics of developing brain

Maryland's troubled exchange spurs political debate

Event guide: 6th Operationalize Expanded Access Programs Summit East eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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