Health and Human Services News and Research

RSS

Obama, Romney exchange barbs on Medicare, abortion

The former Massachusetts governor, responding to charges of a GOP "war on women," says his state health overhaul provided health care for "all women and men." The president, meanwhile, fights back against charges that he is taking money out of Medicare by asserting he wants to strengthen and preverve the program. Both campaigns also debut new ads on Medicare.

27 Aug 2012

Roundup: Rate regulation on Calif.'s 2014 ballot; Ga. state workers facing health premium hike; Kan. Medicaid overhaul recruiting providers

An initiative that would bring health insurance rate regulation to California has qualified for the November 2014 ballot, setting the stage for a vigorous and costly battle between insurers and consumer groups. The measure, sponsored by Consumer Watchdog, would give the state insurance commissioner the power to deny certain premium increases if they are deemed excessive.

26 Aug 2012

Kansas officials promise smooth transition for Medicaid overhaul

State officials and health insurance providers on Tuesday promised a smooth transition into KanCare, the proposed overhaul of Kansas' $2.9 billion Medicaid program. "There is nothing simple about Medicaid," said Joe Ewert, commissioner of survey and certification with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

24 Aug 2012

Roundup: Ore. lawmakers examine 'disclosure' as way to limit malpractice claims; $2.8M in fraudulent public assistance given in Mass.; Md. exchange announcement Thursday

Lawmakers are expected to take up tort reform when the Oregon Legislature convenes next February. To get those discussions moving, a Patient Safety and Defensive Medicine Workgroup is developing draft legislation that includes issues such as confidentiality, mediation, dispute resolution, litigation, discovery and patient safety. Disclosure -- informing patients when a serious medical event has occurred in a hospital setting -- is also on the table.

24 Aug 2012

SAMHSA announces 2012 Minority Fellowship Program grant

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Administrator Pamela S. Hyde today announced the award of a minority fellowship grant of up to $1.6 million to expand the behavioral health workforce in order to reduce health disparities and improve health care outcomes for traditionally underserved populations.

23 Aug 2012

CMS announces participation of PCPs in Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today praised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for its announcement of primary care practices to participate in a historic public-private partnership to strengthen primary care, the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative (CPCI).

23 Aug 2012

State roundup: Restraining order issued in Mo. health exchange fight

A judge issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday against Missouri's secretary of state, Robin Carnahan, to prevent her from finalizing the language of a ballot question on health insurance exchanges. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a Republican, sought the restraining order while a state court considers whether the language of the ballot question is biased, a claim leveled by Kinder and the state's top Republicans.

23 Aug 2012

U.S. Marshals seize products at San Francisco Herb & Natural Food Company’s warehouse

U.S. Marshals have seized food products stored in a Fremont, Calif., company's warehouse after inspectors from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found widespread and active rodent infestation.

23 Aug 2012

Metta World Peace to receive special recognition award from SAMHSA

Metta World Peace of the Los Angeles Lakers is receiving a special recognition award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for his work to raise awareness about mental health issues and for his financial support of nonprofit organizations that provide mental health awareness and treatment services for children.

23 Aug 2012

FDA warns consumers about potential health risks of two natural dietary supplements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a new warning to consumers about the potential health risks of two products marketed as natural dietary supplements for treating arthritis, muscle pain, osteoporosis, bone cancer, and other conditions.

22 Aug 2012

NIAID announces 14 grants for basic research to identify new HIV vaccine approaches

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded 14 grants totaling $7.8 million in first-year funding for basic research to identify new approaches for designing a safe and effective HIV vaccine.

22 Aug 2012

Roundup: Texas insurance regulator pulls out-of-network notice rules; Bay-Area Komen fundraising suffers after flap; Mass.'s Steward pushing to buy Maine hospital

Texas' top insurance regulator has rescinded new rules designed to help consumers avoid a common pitfall when they seek medical treatment -- big bills for out-of-network care -- a move that angers consumer advocates and doctors groups. The rules were meant to give more than 4 million Texans covered by preferred provider organization health plans, or PPOs, more information about whether they'd pay the higher out-of-network costs if they were hospitalized and seen by a specialist.

22 Aug 2012

New tools can help assess culturally competent and health-literate care

The latest additions to a set of surveys for evaluating patient experiences with medical care provide new tools for assessing culturally competent and health-literate care, according to a special September supplement to Medical Care.

21 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: Insuring medical treatments are well researched; GOP Govs reluctance on exchanges may backfire

By 1990, many doctors were recommending hormone replacement therapy to healthy middle-aged women and P.S.A. screening for prostate cancer to older men. Both interventions had become standard medical practice. But in 2002, a randomized trial showed that preventive hormone replacement caused more problems (more heart disease and breast cancer) than it solved. ... Then, in 2009, trials showed that P.S.A. screening led to many unnecessary surgeries and had a dubious effect on prostate cancer deaths.

21 Aug 2012

Majority of Californians support health reform, Poll says; Gov. Brown plans special legislative session on health law

Californians support health reform, a new polls says, even as Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown seeks a special session from state lawmakers to deal with health reform issues, which he says can go no further without more federal guidance.

21 Aug 2012

Obama, Ryan make pitches for Medicare plans

After several days in which he mentioned only generalities on the campaign trail, Representative Paul D. Ryan sought on Saturday to play offense on Medicare, attacking in detail President Obama's health care plan, seizing an issue that has the potential to be one of Mr. Ryan's biggest liabilities in joining the Republican presidential ticket.

20 Aug 2012

Mylan Pharmaceuticals receives FDA approval for pioglitazone tablets to treat type 2 diabetes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first generic version of Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride) tablets. Along with diet and exercise, pioglitazone is used to improve blood glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

18 Aug 2012

Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim receive FDA approval for Tradjenta sNDA to treat type 2 diabetes

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Tradjenta (linagliptin) tablets for use as add-on therapy to insulin.

18 Aug 2012

HHS using pharmacies to sell health law benefits to seniors

The Department of Health and Human Services is touting a partnership with major retail pharmacies to tell seniors about health law benefits.

17 Aug 2012

A view from the field: How Medicare is playing in congressional, Senate races

From Texas to Connecticut, members of Congress and their challengers are pressing their views on the federal health program for seniors.

17 Aug 2012

Health and Human Services News and Research

Obama, Romney exchange barbs on Medicare, abortion

Roundup: Rate regulation on Calif.'s 2014 ballot; Ga. state workers facing health premium hike; Kan. Medicaid overhaul recruiting providers

Kansas officials promise smooth transition for Medicaid overhaul

Roundup: Ore. lawmakers examine 'disclosure' as way to limit malpractice claims; $2.8M in fraudulent public assistance given in Mass.; Md. exchange announcement Thursday

SAMHSA announces 2012 Minority Fellowship Program grant

CMS announces participation of PCPs in Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative

State roundup: Restraining order issued in Mo. health exchange fight

U.S. Marshals seize products at San Francisco Herb & Natural Food Company’s warehouse

Metta World Peace to receive special recognition award from SAMHSA

FDA warns consumers about potential health risks of two natural dietary supplements

NIAID announces 14 grants for basic research to identify new HIV vaccine approaches

Roundup: Texas insurance regulator pulls out-of-network notice rules; Bay-Area Komen fundraising suffers after flap; Mass.'s Steward pushing to buy Maine hospital

New tools can help assess culturally competent and health-literate care

Viewpoints: Insuring medical treatments are well researched; GOP Govs reluctance on exchanges may backfire

Majority of Californians support health reform, Poll says; Gov. Brown plans special legislative session on health law

Obama, Ryan make pitches for Medicare plans

Mylan Pharmaceuticals receives FDA approval for pioglitazone tablets to treat type 2 diabetes

Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim receive FDA approval for Tradjenta sNDA to treat type 2 diabetes

HHS using pharmacies to sell health law benefits to seniors

A view from the field: How Medicare is playing in congressional, Senate races

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

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Latest News