Health and Human Services News and Research

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States, federal officials confront health law public education challenges, exchange implementation

States are dealing with the ramifications of the health law's federally or state-run health insurance exchanges and the essential health benefits. Also, officials confront the challenge of educating the public on the health law's provisions.

6 Oct 2012

Medicaid news: Transition in Texas to new managed care plan hurts caregivers; S.C. moves to enroll 65,000 children

Meanwhile, California develops plans to move 875,000 kids from its Healthy Families program to the state's Medicaid rolls.

6 Oct 2012

91 charged with $430 million Medicare billing fraud

The nationwide sweep involved arrests of doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals.

6 Oct 2012

Emergent receives BARDA contract to advance development of novel rPA anthrax vaccine

Emergent BioSolutions announced today that, after completion of an inter-agency In Process Review, the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority (BARDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has exercised a contract option to further advance the development of PreviThrax (Recombinant Protective Antigen Anthrax Vaccine, Purified), the company's novel rPA anthrax vaccine candidate.

5 Oct 2012

Survey finds seniors satisfied with Medicare Part D

The national survey of 2,363 seniors, which was conducted by Medicare Today, found 90 percent are satisfied with their Medicare prescription drug coverage.

5 Oct 2012

A flood of post-debate fact checking follows points and counterpoints

News outlets examined a range of issues brought up during last night's presidential face-off, ranging from discussions of the $716 billion Medicare cut to talk of death panels and whether the health law promise of lower health insurance costs came true.

5 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 4, 2012

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, working in collaboration with the PBS Newshour, reports: "The future of Medicaid -- the state-federal workhorse of the nation's health system that provides health coverage to the poorest and sickest Americans -- hangs in the balance on Election Day. President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney have vastly different approaches to the program."

4 Oct 2012

States ask, answer questions on health law implementation

Even as some states didn't meet the target set by the Department of Health and Human Services for submitting their "benchmark" plans regarding the health law's essential health benefits, others offered specifics about what would be covered and what plans would be their choice.

4 Oct 2012

Bunker Hill Community College receives HRSA grant to support education of nursing students

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) a four-year, $1,050,000 grant to support the education of nursing students.

4 Oct 2012

Preterm births fell for the fifth straight year in 2011

Preterm births fell for the fifth straight year in 2011, and the improvement was across the board -- every racial and ethnic group benefited, and there were fewer preterm babies born at all stages of pregnancy, according to preliminary birth data released today by the National Center for Health Statistics.

4 Oct 2012

Obama administration urges states to pursue the health law's Medicaid expansion

Even as federal officials push states to expand Medicaid programs, at least a dozen states are not ready or not willing to set up state-based health exchanges -- another aspect of the health law that is key to expanding insurance coverage.

3 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: A need for sacrifice on health care; Health law's conservative heritage; HSAs foster competition

Private insurance companies should be leading the way in the struggle to control health care costs. They know about every contact a patient has with the health care system and can see how much is wasteful or redundant. By altering the way they pay doctors and hospitals, they can potentially push providers to reduce costs, improve quality and even transform the whole culture of American medicine.

2 Oct 2012

Issa threatens to subpoena HHS documents related to Medicare Advantage bonuses

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, alleges that the Department of Health and Human Services is using an $8 billion Medicare bonus payment demonstration project to mask the health law's cuts to Medicare Advantage plans in advance of the election.

29 Sep 2012

FDA launches campaign to raise public awareness on prevalence of fraudulent Internet pharmacies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched a national campaign to raise public awareness about the prevalence of fraudulent Internet pharmacies, which can be dangerous to patient health, and to help consumers make safe purchases.

29 Sep 2012

AVEO submits tivozanib NDA with FDA for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma

AVEO Oncology and Astellas Pharma Inc. today announced that AVEO has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval for tivozanib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

29 Sep 2012

Cameron Health receives FDA approval for subcutaneous implantable defibrillator system

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a heart defibrillator that helps to restore regular heart rhythms with leads that can be implanted just under the skin (subcutaneously) instead of connected directly into the heart.

29 Sep 2012

Abbott receives FDA approval for Humira to treat ulcerative colitis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved use of Humira (adalimumab) to include treatment of moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis in adults.

29 Sep 2012

More onscreen tobacco use in movies aimed at young viewers

Top box office films last year showed more onscreen smoking than the prior year, reversing five years of steady progress in reducing tobacco imagery in movies, according to a new UCSF study.

28 Sep 2012

New understanding about function of MYC proteins

Scientists may have discovered why a protein called MYC can provoke a variety of cancers. Like many proteins associated with cancer, MYC helps regulate cell growth. A study carried out by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and colleagues found that, unlike many other cell growth regulators, MYC does not turn genes on or off, but instead boosts the expression of genes that are already turned on.

28 Sep 2012

HHS to states, lawmakers: Federal exchange will be ready on time

A pair of stories from CQ HealthBeat examines emerging issues in the implementation of health exchanges.

28 Sep 2012

Health and Human Services News and Research

States, federal officials confront health law public education challenges, exchange implementation

Medicaid news: Transition in Texas to new managed care plan hurts caregivers; S.C. moves to enroll 65,000 children

91 charged with $430 million Medicare billing fraud

Emergent receives BARDA contract to advance development of novel rPA anthrax vaccine

Survey finds seniors satisfied with Medicare Part D

A flood of post-debate fact checking follows points and counterpoints

First Edition: October 4, 2012

States ask, answer questions on health law implementation

Bunker Hill Community College receives HRSA grant to support education of nursing students

Preterm births fell for the fifth straight year in 2011

Obama administration urges states to pursue the health law's Medicaid expansion

Viewpoints: A need for sacrifice on health care; Health law's conservative heritage; HSAs foster competition

Issa threatens to subpoena HHS documents related to Medicare Advantage bonuses

FDA launches campaign to raise public awareness on prevalence of fraudulent Internet pharmacies

AVEO submits tivozanib NDA with FDA for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma

Cameron Health receives FDA approval for subcutaneous implantable defibrillator system

Abbott receives FDA approval for Humira to treat ulcerative colitis

More onscreen tobacco use in movies aimed at young viewers

New understanding about function of MYC proteins

HHS to states, lawmakers: Federal exchange will be ready on time

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