Health and Human Services News and Research

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State budgets improve but not enough to spare Medicaid; Calif. Gov. Brown pressing for co-pays

State budget shortfalls for the coming year total about $47 billion, the smallest aggregate deficit since the Great Recession, a report says. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found deficits in 29 states for the fiscal year ahead and another 10 states reported revenue for the current year fell $3.2 billion short of budget. ... A marked improvement from the $106 billion this year (so far) and $430 million the prior three years.

29 Feb 2012

Genome sequencing helps characterize S. aureus ST398-NM strain

Using genome sequencing and household surveillance, National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists and their colleagues from Columbia University Medical Center and St. George's University of London have pieced together how a newly emerging type of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria has adapted to transmit more easily among humans.

29 Feb 2012

Minn. Senate takes on anti-abortion bills; Texas to cut women's health programs; 'Personhood' initiatives advance

Across the nation, state legislatures are considering various bills to restrict access to abortion and contraception services.

29 Feb 2012

Actuarial value, health disparities draw attention as part of health law implementation

The Department of Health and Human Services offered a bulletin last week to provide guidance on how insurers should calculate actuarial value. Also, some health policy experts are beginning to question whether the health law's quality provisions might exacerbate the nation's health disparities.

28 Feb 2012

Sebelius casts doubt on Calif. Medi-Cal changes; Other Medicaid changes around America scrutinized

Medicaid cuts in California, Washington and Texas prove controversial, while changes or proposed changes in Florida, Georgia and Minnesota get closer looks.

27 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 27, 2012

Among today's health policy headlines, a new Politico poll highlights the deep divide in public opinion that exists regarding the repeal of the health law.

27 Feb 2012

State roundup: Calif. prison medical facilities; New Ore. Rx dispensing rules

David Martin, who helped write Governor Deval Patrick's health care payment reform bill, is leaving. Martin, the Director of Health Care Policy and Strategy in the office of Health and Human Services, is taking a job at Covidien as Senior Director of Health Care Economics and Policy.

24 Feb 2012

Seven states file lawsuit to block Obama administration birth control coverage rule

The states joined with Catholic groups and individuals to file the first major lawsuit challenging these regulations.

24 Feb 2012

Texas bars abortion providers from Medicaid, endangering federal money

Texas is barring abortion providers from the state's Medicaid program in defiance of the federal government, sparking a showdown that could close the state's Women's Health Program.

24 Feb 2012

Depressive symptoms of fathers lead to mental health problems in children

Voluminous research literature attests to the multiple negative consequences of maternal depression and depressive symptoms for the health and development of children. In contrast, there is a profound paucity of information about depressive symptoms in fathers according to a follow up study by NYU School of Medicine researchers in the February 23rd online edition of Maternal and Child Health Journal.

24 Feb 2012

Draft national plan to fight Alzheimer's released

A framework for the plan was unveiled in January. This more fleshed-out version builds on that outline, makes treatment a top priority and focuses on the burden the disease places on families and caregivers.

24 Feb 2012

Feds award health exchange grants to 10 states

The Department of Health and Human Services is sending $229 million in exchange establishment grants to 10 states -- half of which are receiving this funding for a second time around. However, an Associated Press analysis found that progress among states in setting up these health insurance marketplaces remains uneven.

24 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: A missing contraception question, Obama's budget blind spot, NEJM on Medicare Advantage

David Brooks and Gail Collins discuss the surprising role debates over contraception, abortion and unwed mothers have played so far in the campaign.

23 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 23, 2012

Today's headlines include coverage of the health policy flashpoints during last night's GOP presidential primary debate.

23 Feb 2012

AFA applauds nation's first National Alzheimer's Plan

The following is a statement by Eric J. Hall, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA), in response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' release today of its "Draft National Plan To Address Alzheimer's Disease."

23 Feb 2012

QHN to provide health care providers with new registry services

Long a pioneer in regional health information exchange (HIE) development, Quality Health Network (QHN) is developing a "registry of registries," powered by The Advisory Board Company's Crimson Care Registry, for QHN's participants in 20 western Colorado counties.

23 Feb 2012

States propose more Medicaid cuts, changes to save money

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is proposing cutting $2.7 billion from that state's Medicaid program. Also, New Mexico's governor is proposing Medicaid patients pay more out of pocket if they go to the ER for care that's not an emergency. Georgia may drug-test Medicaid patients, and California Medicaid changes are questioned by patient advocates.

23 Feb 2012

HHS releases first draft of National Alzheimer's Plan

The release of the first draft of the National Alzheimer's Plan is another positive step toward the nation's first ever strategic plan for Alzheimer's.

23 Feb 2012

Health Fidelity to participate in BluePrint Health IT Innovation Exchange Summit

Health Fidelity, Inc., provider of a breakthrough natural language processing (NLP) platform for healthcare, has been selected to participate with major health systems as one of 10 Innovator Finalists at the West Coast BluePrint Health IT Innovation Exchange Summit.

23 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Real 'doc fix,' Saint Santorum and why Supreme Court TV is 'a bad idea'

In last week's flurry of budget deals, Congress patched together yet another temporary fix for a flawed formula used to calculate the fees paid to doctors by Medicare. It will hold payments flat for the next 10 months instead of cutting them by 27 percent as the formula required, and the $18 billion to pay for it will be taken from other health care programs. But the fix only lasts until the end of the year. On Jan. 1, doctors will face another big cut unless Congress again steps in.

23 Feb 2012

Health and Human Services News and Research

State budgets improve but not enough to spare Medicaid; Calif. Gov. Brown pressing for co-pays

Genome sequencing helps characterize S. aureus ST398-NM strain

Minn. Senate takes on anti-abortion bills; Texas to cut women's health programs; 'Personhood' initiatives advance

Actuarial value, health disparities draw attention as part of health law implementation

Sebelius casts doubt on Calif. Medi-Cal changes; Other Medicaid changes around America scrutinized

First Edition: February 27, 2012

State roundup: Calif. prison medical facilities; New Ore. Rx dispensing rules

Seven states file lawsuit to block Obama administration birth control coverage rule

Texas bars abortion providers from Medicaid, endangering federal money

Depressive symptoms of fathers lead to mental health problems in children

Draft national plan to fight Alzheimer's released

Feds award health exchange grants to 10 states

Viewpoints: A missing contraception question, Obama's budget blind spot, NEJM on Medicare Advantage

First Edition: February 23, 2012

AFA applauds nation's first National Alzheimer's Plan

QHN to provide health care providers with new registry services

States propose more Medicaid cuts, changes to save money

HHS releases first draft of National Alzheimer's Plan

Health Fidelity to participate in BluePrint Health IT Innovation Exchange Summit

Viewpoints: Real 'doc fix,' Saint Santorum and why Supreme Court TV is 'a bad idea'

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