Health and Human Services News and Research

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Keeping firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill

The New York Times reports on the challenge of keeping firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill, while The Wall Street Journal explores the difficulty finding treatment for many people because of a lack of providers in many places.

23 Dec 2013

First Edition: December 23, 2013

The early morning highlights from the major news organizations examine today's deadline for enrolling for health insurance that would begin Jan. 1, as well as a variety of other health law stories and several articles on mental health issues:

23 Dec 2013

Death rates two times higher in postmenopausal women with anti-CCP and RA antibodies

New research shows mortality rates are two times higher in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies. Findings published in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, soon to be called Arthritis & Rheumatology, indicate the higher mortality rates persisted after adjusting for age, positive rheumatoid factor, positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) use.

23 Dec 2013

Report: Examine high-billing docs' Medicare billing to root out fraud

A report from the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general to be released Friday will call for closer scrutiny of doctors' total billing. Elsewhere, ProPublica looks at how ineffective federal oversight is in looking for fraud in Medicare prescribing.

23 Dec 2013

Research finding could lead to development of vaccine and therapies for mucormycosis

Mucormycosis is a deadly infection that strikes people with weakened immune systems when certain types of fungi, called Mucorales, invade the patients' cells. A novel protein on the surface of the Mucorales cells, called CotH, makes this invasion possible.

22 Dec 2013

People with canceled plans exempted from insurance mandate

In addition, the administration said Thursday that those with canceled plans will be able to buy bare-bones catastrophic plans, regardless of their age, under a hardship exemption.

22 Dec 2013

Researchers make new breakthrough in HIV vaccine research

A vaccine study in monkeys designed to identify measurable signs that the animals were protected from infection by SIV, the monkey version of HIV, as well as the mechanism of such protection has yielded numerous insights that may advance HIV vaccine research.

20 Dec 2013

First Edition: December 20, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the action taken by the administration to relax a health law requirement just four days before the deadline.

20 Dec 2013

Researchers discover way to identify artemisinin-resistant malaria

An international team of researchers has discovered a way to identify, at a molecular level, malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum parasites that are resistant to artemisinin, the key drug for treating this disease.

20 Dec 2013

Joint initiative aims to eradicate health disparities among communities of color in the U.S.

The world's first and largest group medical practice and one of the nation's premier volunteer service organizations of professional African American women are joining forces to eradicate health disparities among communities of color in the United States. Mayo Clinic and The Links, Incorporated have established a formal collaboration that aims to develop a more diverse health care workforce.

20 Dec 2013

National Mentor Holdings revenue increases to $15.6 million in Q4 2013

National Mentor Holdings, Inc. today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.

19 Dec 2013

Ex-Microsoft exec takes over HealthCare.gov fixes

Kurt DelBene, who previously was president of the Microsoft Office Division, was named by President Barack Obama to replace Jeffrey D. Zients and oversee efforts to rescue the federal government's health care website.

19 Dec 2013

First Edition: December 18, 2013

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the former Microsoft executive who has been tapped by the Obama administration to take over the repairs of healthcare.gov.

18 Dec 2013

Texas navigators in the hot seat during congressional 'field hearing'

After allegations of wrongdoing, a congressional hearing held Monday in Richardson, Texas, focused on the required training, and the lack of background checks and fingerprinting for those who were on the job.

17 Dec 2013

New projects advance treatments for radiation syndrome, cardiac arrest-induced brain injury and rare blood disorder

The National Institutes of Health today has launched three pre-clinical projects to advance potential new treatments for acute radiation syndrome, brain injury following cardiac arrest and a rare blood disorder called beta thalassemia.

17 Dec 2013

Exposure to dust from homes with dogs may alter immune response to allergens

A new study suggests that exposure to dust from homes with dogs may alter the immune response to allergens and other asthma triggers by affecting the composition of the gut microbiome-the community of microbes that naturally colonize the digestive tract.

17 Dec 2013

MAXIMUS to manage IPA program to support West Virginia's health insurance marketplace

MAXIMUS, a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced today that it has signed a new contract with the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner to develop, manage and maintain an In-Person Assister program to support the state's health insurance marketplace. The $4.5 million contract began on July 15, 2013 and will run through July 15, 2014.

17 Dec 2013

Investigators, CTUs chosen to lead five HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks through 2021

Principal investigators and clinical trials units have been chosen to lead and conduct the research of five HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks through 2021. The effort is directed and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. Total funding for the networks' leadership and the CTUs is expected to reach $225 million in 2014, the first year of operation.

17 Dec 2013

Viewpoints: Health law still facing major challenges; Ky. gov. questions McConnell's assessment of overhaul; Pa.'s Medicaid experiment is a 'sham'

The White House is claiming that the Healthcare.gov website is mostly fixed, that the millions of Americans whose health plans were canceled thanks to government rules may be able to keep them for another year, and that in any event these people will get better plans through ObamaCare exchanges. Whatever the truth of these assertions, those who expect better days ahead for the Affordable Care Act are in for a rude awakening. The shocks - economic and political - will get much worse next year and beyond (Michael J. Boskin, 12/15).

17 Dec 2013

Report: Health law regs were delayed ahead of Obama's reelection

These rules, along with others related to the environment and worker safety, were delayed to avoid introducing contentious issues into the 2012 campaign, The Washington Post reports.

17 Dec 2013

Health and Human Services News and Research

Keeping firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill

First Edition: December 23, 2013

Death rates two times higher in postmenopausal women with anti-CCP and RA antibodies

Report: Examine high-billing docs' Medicare billing to root out fraud

Research finding could lead to development of vaccine and therapies for mucormycosis

People with canceled plans exempted from insurance mandate

Researchers make new breakthrough in HIV vaccine research

First Edition: December 20, 2013

Researchers discover way to identify artemisinin-resistant malaria

Joint initiative aims to eradicate health disparities among communities of color in the U.S.

National Mentor Holdings revenue increases to $15.6 million in Q4 2013

Ex-Microsoft exec takes over HealthCare.gov fixes

First Edition: December 18, 2013

Texas navigators in the hot seat during congressional 'field hearing'

New projects advance treatments for radiation syndrome, cardiac arrest-induced brain injury and rare blood disorder

Exposure to dust from homes with dogs may alter immune response to allergens

MAXIMUS to manage IPA program to support West Virginia's health insurance marketplace

Investigators, CTUs chosen to lead five HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks through 2021

Viewpoints: Health law still facing major challenges; Ky. gov. questions McConnell's assessment of overhaul; Pa.'s Medicaid experiment is a 'sham'

Report: Health law regs were delayed ahead of Obama's reelection

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