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Some House Democrats press for 'essential benefits' to be federal decision

These House Democratic lawmakers are concerned that the Department of Health and Human Services is allowing states significant latitude in determining the definition of "essential benefits." Also in the news, the Office of Management and Budget has begun its review of the long-awaited final regulations for the establishment of state exchanges.

8 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: GOP dragging heels on payroll tax, doc fix plan; Opinions still heated on contraception rule

Republicans in Congress seem to have forgotten the embarrassment they suffered late last year for trying to block a payroll tax cut for millions of wage-earners.

7 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Religious freedom and insurance coverage for contraception

In an election-year hothouse, the issue has quickly become caricatured as the Obama administration's "war on Catholics" versus the Republicans' "war on contraception." It is neither. The administration tried to strike a balance and simply failed. The First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom deserves more weight than the administration allowed.

7 Feb 2012

Positive data from Chimerix CMX001 Phase 2 study on CMV disease

Chimerix, Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel antiviral therapeutics, today announced positive results from CMX001 Study 201, a Phase 2 study evaluating CMX001 for the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) recipients.

6 Feb 2012

Dust-up continues over Obama administration's contraception rule

Although administration officials defend the rule and some political strategists see limited political damage, the Catholic Church continues a counterattack.

6 Feb 2012

Positive results from Chimerix CMX001 study for CMV in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

6 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 6, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about the continuing fall out from the Obama administration's birth control rule and the latest on the Komen foundation's efforts to bounce back from the Planned Parenthood funding flap.

6 Feb 2012

State developments: Florida hospitals dodge budget bullet

Spending cuts to health programs will be less than half as much as forecast in the Senate budget, that chamber's health-spending chief announced today. Now, the Senate Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Appropriations will have to cut only $390 million from current spending levels, rather than the more-draconian $850 million that had originally been assigned, said Sen. Joe Negron, chair of the panel.

6 Feb 2012

Medicaid news: Kansas insurer says 'no' to Medicaid

The state of Kansas' largest insurance company has decided it doesn't want to participate in Gov. Sam Brownback's plan to move Medicaid patients into privatized managed-care programs. In a letter addressed "Dear provider," Angie Strecker, director of institutional relations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, said the insurer "has decided not to submit a proposal to the state to be a Medicaid contractor."

6 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Komen takes a lashing; Is the safety net really intact?; Romney assails HHS' rule on contraception

With its roster of corporate sponsors and the pink ribbons that lend a halo to almost any kind of product you can think of, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation has a longstanding reputation as a staunch protector of women's health. That reputation suffered a grievous, perhaps mortal, wound this week from the news that Komen, the world's largest breast cancer organization, decided to betray that mission.

5 Feb 2012

AARP applauds AZ Department of Insurance for rate reviews of health plans

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, health insurance companies in Arizona are pursuing double-digit premium increases for more than 30 insurance health plans in the state.

4 Feb 2012

QR-code real-time care experience feedback technology wins 2012 REACH Developer Challenge

"Real-Time Care Experience Feedback Using QR Codes," a Penn State project that allows hospital patients to inform hospital personnel of their experiences -- good or bad -- in real time, is the winner of the 2012 REACH Developer Challenge, sponsored by AcademyHealth and part of the Health 2.0 Developer Challenge.

3 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Censoring flu research; Assailing Komen's move to cut Planned Parenthood funding

In December, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity made an unprecedented request: it asked the editors of the journals Nature and Science not to publish certain details in two papers describing experiments in which scientists created a highly transmissible form of the deadly H5N1 influenza virus. ... Such caution, though well intentioned, is misplaced.

3 Feb 2012

HHS essential benefits 'bulletin' draws tide of comments

As the official window of time allowed for groups to react to the Department of Health and Human Services essential benefits proposal closed, a variety of objections, concerns and common themes became clear.

3 Feb 2012

Medicare Advantage enrollment climbs, premiums fall

Medicare Advantage enrollments have risen a bigger-than-expected 10 percent since this time last year as average premiums have fallen 7 percent, the Department of Health and Human Services disclosed Wednesday.

3 Feb 2012

Medical device industry, FDA reach agreement in principle on user fee program

The FDA and representatives from the medical device industry have reached an agreement in principle on proposed recommendations for the third reauthorization of a medical device user fee program.

2 Feb 2012

Religious protests continue in response to Obama administration birth control rule

The White House continues to defend its new insurance coverage rule, which requires religiously affiliated nonprofit groups to provide free birth control coverage to women. Also in the news, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is considered to be on the GOP short list for vice president, introduced legislation Tuesday that would vastly expand the opt-out ability of religious or faith-based employers.

2 Feb 2012

HHS: Medicare Advantage trends -- enrollment up, premiums down

Premiums for the Medicare program that allows recipients to choose private insurance have dropped an average of 7% while enrollment has grown by 10%, according to Department of Health and Human Services statistics to be released today.

2 Feb 2012

NHLBI's The Heart Truth to showcase Red Dress Collection 2012 on Feb. 8

As part of American Heart Month, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI's) The Heart Truth campaign, with the support of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), will showcase its signature event, the Red Dress Collection 2012 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City.

2 Feb 2012

Experimental application to track patients' care experiences in real time wins REACH Developer Challenge

AcademyHealth today announced that an experimental application to track patients' care experiences in real time is the winner of the Relevant Evidence to Advance Care and Health (REACH) Developer Challenge.

1 Feb 2012

Health and Human Services News and Research

Some House Democrats press for 'essential benefits' to be federal decision

Viewpoints: GOP dragging heels on payroll tax, doc fix plan; Opinions still heated on contraception rule

Viewpoints: Religious freedom and insurance coverage for contraception

Positive data from Chimerix CMX001 Phase 2 study on CMV disease

Dust-up continues over Obama administration's contraception rule

Positive results from Chimerix CMX001 study for CMV in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

First Edition: February 6, 2012

State developments: Florida hospitals dodge budget bullet

Medicaid news: Kansas insurer says 'no' to Medicaid

Viewpoints: Komen takes a lashing; Is the safety net really intact?; Romney assails HHS' rule on contraception

AARP applauds AZ Department of Insurance for rate reviews of health plans

QR-code real-time care experience feedback technology wins 2012 REACH Developer Challenge

Viewpoints: Censoring flu research; Assailing Komen's move to cut Planned Parenthood funding

HHS essential benefits 'bulletin' draws tide of comments

Medicare Advantage enrollment climbs, premiums fall

Medical device industry, FDA reach agreement in principle on user fee program

Religious protests continue in response to Obama administration birth control rule

HHS: Medicare Advantage trends -- enrollment up, premiums down

NHLBI's The Heart Truth to showcase Red Dress Collection 2012 on Feb. 8

Experimental application to track patients' care experiences in real time wins REACH Developer Challenge

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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