Health and Human Services News and Research

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ADRQ finds high increase in annual premium for employer-sponsored health plans

Employees of private-sector companies contributed up to 121 percent more in 2009 for their yearly share of their employer-sponsored health insurance coverage than they did in 2001, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

18 Jun 2011

Study shows increase in emergency department visits for drug-related suicide attempts among men

A new national study shows that from 2005 to 2009 there was a 55 percent increase in emergency department visits for drug related suicide attempts by men aged 21 to 34 -- from 19,024 visits in 2005 to 29,407 visits in 2009. In 2009, there were a total of 77,971 emergency department visits for drug-related suicide attempts among males of all ages.

18 Jun 2011

House appropriators ok measure that prohibits feds from enforcing individual mandate

By defunding this health law provision next year, even though it doesn't actually kick in until 2014, the measure could prevent the administration from hiring and training the necessary Internal Revenue Service personnel.

18 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: 'Two great dangers' of Obamacare; Sen. Klobuchar and Rep. Paulsen on wellness; 'McKinseyGate'

Obamacare poses two great dangers to our nation: lower quality of care and runaway costs. It will stifle innovation and lead to rationing. But the overwhelming cost and the damage it will do to our nation's finances at a pivotal moment in our history deserve greater scrutiny.

18 Jun 2011

Physician payment, home health out-of-pocket costs grab headlines

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's latest report casts the challenges surrounding Medicare physician payment as an "opportunity" to hasten needed reform. Additionally, an analysis by Avalere Health measures the impact of a proposal for home health co-payments.

17 Jun 2011

Children with head trauma after normal CT scans do not require neurosurgical intervention

A large, national multi-center study of thousands of children taken to emergency departments with minor blunt head trauma has found that most of those with normal computed tomography (CT) scans do not require hospitalization for further observation.

17 Jun 2011

HHS announces funding opportunity for national networks of community-based organizations

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced a funding opportunity for national networks of community-based organizations to apply for more than $4 million in cooperative agreements.

17 Jun 2011

Five institutions receive NIH grants to accelerate scientific discoveries into patient treatments

The National Institutes of Health announced that it will provide $200 million over five years to five health research centers to speed scientific discoveries into treatments for patients. The grants were awarded as part of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program, which is led by the NIH's National Center for Research Resources.

16 Jun 2011

GAO: HHS okayed waivers mostly when high cost increases were projected

Democrats view the report as evidence that waivers were not given out by the administration as political rewards to labor unions and other allies.

16 Jun 2011

Phosphate regulating hormone associated with increased risk of kidney failure and death among CKD patients

A high level of a hormone that regulates phosphate is associated with an increased risk of kidney failure and death among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, according to a recent study led by researchers at the University of Miami and funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at the National Institutes of Health.

16 Jun 2011

Bristol-Myers Squibb receives FDA approval for Nulojix to prevent organ rejection after kidney transplant

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Nulojix to prevent acute rejection in adult patients who have had a kidney transplant. The drug is approved for use with other immunosuppressants -- specifically basiliximab, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids.

16 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: Hiaasen on 'insane' insurance; residential facilities' budget nightmares; safety at VA hospitals

If Obama's healthcare plan is struck down in court, lots of politicians will celebrate it as a victory over big government. The dubious reward for taxpayers will be to continue footing the medical bills for 50 million uninsured Americans, and watching the dangerous deficit swell.

16 Jun 2011

Obama administration regulatory review won't include health law rules

An official from the Department of Health and Human Services told a House oversight subcommittee that the health law's regulations are too new for a second look. However, some Republican members of the panel disagreed, saying that the waivers that have been granted are reason enough for such examination.

15 Jun 2011

California adults increase fruit and vegetable consumption from 1997-2007

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2010 objectives, adequate fruit and vegetable consumption is a national public health priority for disease prevention and maintenance of good health.

15 Jun 2011

Ventana Medical receives FDA approval for new breast cancer genetic test

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new genetic test that will help health care professionals determine if women with breast cancer are HER2-positive and, therefore, candidates for Herceptin, a commonly used breast cancer treatment.

15 Jun 2011

Formaldehyde & other chemicals declared carcinogenic: Report

The government, last Friday added formaldehyde, a substance found in plastics and other commonly used products, to a list of known carcinogens and warned that the chemical styrene might cause cancer.

13 Jun 2011

HHS offers Medicaid guidance for same-sex couples

Late last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services clarified that same-sex couples are entitled to the same protections that exist for heterosexual couples when one member enters a nursing home.

13 Jun 2011

Policy issues related to dual-eligible patients, cancer medication coverage attract headlines

The Associated Press reports that seniors are facing Medicare cost barriers which sometimes lead them to not fill cancer drug prescriptions. Also, CQ HealthBeat reports that a special team within the Department of Health and Human Services is working on finding ways to save money and improve care for patients on both Medicare and Medicaid.

13 Jun 2011

HHS: Enrollment in high-risk pools tops 20,000

Figures released Friday reflect the number of participants in the health overhaul's high-risk pools as of April. Meanwhile, Modern Healthcare reports that Kansas has widened it's high-risk pool to allow child-only plans.

13 Jun 2011

HHS adds eight substances to 12th Report on Carcinogens

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services added eight substances to its Report on Carcinogens, a science-based document that identifies chemicals and biological agents that may put people at increased risk for cancer.

13 Jun 2011

Health and Human Services News and Research

ADRQ finds high increase in annual premium for employer-sponsored health plans

Study shows increase in emergency department visits for drug-related suicide attempts among men

House appropriators ok measure that prohibits feds from enforcing individual mandate

Viewpoints: 'Two great dangers' of Obamacare; Sen. Klobuchar and Rep. Paulsen on wellness; 'McKinseyGate'

Physician payment, home health out-of-pocket costs grab headlines

Children with head trauma after normal CT scans do not require neurosurgical intervention

HHS announces funding opportunity for national networks of community-based organizations

Five institutions receive NIH grants to accelerate scientific discoveries into patient treatments

GAO: HHS okayed waivers mostly when high cost increases were projected

Phosphate regulating hormone associated with increased risk of kidney failure and death among CKD patients

Bristol-Myers Squibb receives FDA approval for Nulojix to prevent organ rejection after kidney transplant

Viewpoints: Hiaasen on 'insane' insurance; residential facilities' budget nightmares; safety at VA hospitals

Obama administration regulatory review won't include health law rules

California adults increase fruit and vegetable consumption from 1997-2007

Ventana Medical receives FDA approval for new breast cancer genetic test

Formaldehyde & other chemicals declared carcinogenic: Report

HHS offers Medicaid guidance for same-sex couples

Policy issues related to dual-eligible patients, cancer medication coverage attract headlines

HHS: Enrollment in high-risk pools tops 20,000

HHS adds eight substances to 12th Report on Carcinogens

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