Health and Human Services News and Research

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Study on substance abuse patterns, treatment needs among minority groups

A new national study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reveals that Hispanic-American adults have lower levels of current alcohol use than the national average (46.1 percent versus 55.2 percent). Hispanic-American adults also have lower levels of current illicit drug use than the national average (6.6 percent versus 7.9 percent), but a slightly higher level of current binge drinking (26.3 percent versus 24.5 percent).

3 Aug 2010

Iowa Department of Human Services awards CSG contract for HIPAA compliance management services

CSG Government Solutions, a national leader in providing public sector strategy, quality management and systems modernization services, today announced that it has been awarded a multi-year contract by the Iowa Department of Human Services to provide a full suite of HIPAA compliance management services.

3 Aug 2010

Pairing adolescents with college student mentors keeps kids healthy, fit

A program pairing healthy young adults with urban middle school students helped the adolescents adopt healthy habits, active lifestyles and a healthy weight, according to a new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The study, published August 2 in the journal Pediatrics, found that linking African American, inner city adolescents in Baltimore with one-on-one mentorship from college students prevented the schoolchildren from becoming overweight for at least two years after the mentorship experience. Researchers found the adolescents ate fewer snacks and desserts, and engaged in active play more often. The rate of overweight/obesity in the group declined five percent.

3 Aug 2010

White House report predicts immediate health law benefits for Medicare's solvency; GOP lawmaker reacts

In a report released Monday, the Obama administration said "[t]he new health overhaul law will start producing savings for Medicare right away, and over time add 12 years of solvency to the program's giant trust fund for inpatient care." According to the report, Medicare savings by the end of next year will tally about $8 billion. Savings for rest of the decade would be an estimated $575 billion.

3 Aug 2010

Sebelius tries to soothe state worries about health reform

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is trying to soothe the fiscal and administrative concerns of officials in states who have considerable power in implementing the nation's attempt at health reform, The Wall Street Journal reports. "The law puts heavy demands on Ms. Sebelius — it has more than 1,000 references to actions that the 'secretary shall' take. But much of the responsibility for actually implementing the changes falls to states, so the Obama administration's top health official has been working to guide them."

3 Aug 2010

Ketamine reduces depression in treatment-resistant bipolar disorder: Study

A single intravenous dose of the anesthetic agent ketamine appears to reduce symptoms of depression within 40 minutes among those with bipolar disorder who have not responded to other treatments, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

3 Aug 2010

Repligen receives three additional grants to develop HDAC inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases

Repligen Corporation today announced that the Company has received three additional grants to support its research program to develop HDAC inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases. Repligen has received $436,000 in research funding to support the ongoing development of histone deacetylase inhibitors for Friedreich's ataxia.

2 Aug 2010

Keane Optimum 3.1 receives Preliminary ARRA IFR Stage 1 certification

Keane, Inc., a U.S.-based IT services and healthcare information technology firm, today announced Keane OptimumTM 3.1 has been inspected by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology and is certified EHR technology, IFR Stage 1 as part of the organization's Preliminary American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 certification program.

2 Aug 2010

K-V Pharmaceutical receives NYSE non-compliance notification

K-V Pharmaceutical Company announced today that the Company received notification from the New York Stock Exchange on July 27, 2010 of non-compliance regarding the Company's quantitative continued listing standards. The NYSE informed the Company that its Class A Common Stock equity issue has fallen below criteria for the average closing price of a NYSE security of not less than $1.00 over a consecutive 30-trading day period.

2 Aug 2010

Pseudo-reforms of health insurance industry will bar strong regulation of health insurers: Consumer Watchdog

Consumer Watchdog has called on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to withdraw weak pseudo-reforms of the health insurance industry that would bar strong regulation of health insurers. Schwarzenegger sent his proposals this month to lawmakers who are seeking stronger state regulation modeled on the successful market reforms of auto and homeowner insurance under Proposition 103, demanding that they substitute his legislation for their bills.

31 Jul 2010

HHS anounces availability of $1M in grants per state and calls for public input on health insurance Exchanges

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced two key steps in the process of partnering with states and other stakeholders to begin establishing health insurance Exchanges. HHS announced the availability of up to $1 million in grants per state to help states begin work to establish Exchanges and published a request for comment calling for public input as HHS develops standards for the Exchanges.

31 Jul 2010

Rep. Chris Smith applauded for introducing legislation to enact government-wide abortion funding ban

D.C. Family Research Council Action today praised U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) for introducing bipartisan legislation to codify federal abortion funding restrictions that have been greatly undermined this year. With passage of a health care law that will fund and subsidize abortion, and with efforts by pro-abortion senators to open up military bases to abortion, Rep. Smith is introducing legislation to enact a government-wide abortion funding ban.

31 Jul 2010

Idaho Technology signs licensing agreement with E. I. du Pont de Nemours

Idaho Technology, Inc. has signed a licensing agreement with E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company acting through its DuPont Qualicon Business covering reagents or methods using SYBR® Green I technology and post-PCR melting curve analysis.

31 Jul 2010

Blumenthal defends hew health IT rules to Utah leaders

David Blumenthal, the national coordinator for health information technology for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "defended the administration's new plans against critics who say the watered-down rules miss an opportunity to lower costs and improve patient care," The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

31 Jul 2010

Abortion rights supporters, children's groups, GOP pushing back on various health law provisions

"Elective abortions will be prohibited and people with pre-existing conditions will be able to get comprehensive benefits without paying any more than healthy people, under new federal regulations for high-risk health insurance pools released ... by the Obama administration," according to Kaiser Health News.

31 Jul 2010

McKesson first-quarter revenues increase to $27.5 billion

McKesson Corporation today reported that revenues for the first quarter ended June 30, 2010 were $27.5 billion compared to $26.7 billion a year ago. First-quarter earnings per diluted share was $1.10 compared to $1.06 per diluted share a year ago.

30 Jul 2010

Amerigroup second-quarter total revenues increase 11.3% to $1.4 billion

Amerigroup Corporation today announced that net income for the second quarter of 2010 was $67.2 million, or $1.31 per diluted share, versus net income of $49.6 million, or $0.94 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2009. Second quarter of 2009 results were positively impacted by a tax adjustment of $0.43 per diluted share related to litigation settled in 2008. Excluding the tax adjustment, second quarter of 2009 net income would have been $27.2 million, or $0.51 per diluted share.

30 Jul 2010

Treating back problems cost Americans more than $30 billion in 2007: AHRQ

Treating back problems, one of the most bothersome medical problems, cost Americans more than $30 billion in 2007- up from $16 billion in 1997 (in 2007 dollars), according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

30 Jul 2010

Securian Foundation awards 60 grants to civic, healthcare, education and arts organizations

The Securian Foundation awarded 60 grants during the first half of 2010 worth a total of $428,555 to Twin Cities civic, healthcare, education and arts organizations.

30 Jul 2010

Insurers Aetna, WellPoint look for their place in health reform; WellPoint profit up

Aetna President Mark Bertolini said Wednesday that his company has seen much slower sales of national insurance accounts where large employers pay Aetna to administer plans for employees, The Associated Press reports. Under the new health overhaul, Bertolini said he expected less movement in that market because of the uncertainty in the law.

30 Jul 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

Study on substance abuse patterns, treatment needs among minority groups

Iowa Department of Human Services awards CSG contract for HIPAA compliance management services

Pairing adolescents with college student mentors keeps kids healthy, fit

White House report predicts immediate health law benefits for Medicare's solvency; GOP lawmaker reacts

Sebelius tries to soothe state worries about health reform

Ketamine reduces depression in treatment-resistant bipolar disorder: Study

Repligen receives three additional grants to develop HDAC inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases

Keane Optimum 3.1 receives Preliminary ARRA IFR Stage 1 certification

K-V Pharmaceutical receives NYSE non-compliance notification

Pseudo-reforms of health insurance industry will bar strong regulation of health insurers: Consumer Watchdog

HHS anounces availability of $1M in grants per state and calls for public input on health insurance Exchanges

Rep. Chris Smith applauded for introducing legislation to enact government-wide abortion funding ban

Idaho Technology signs licensing agreement with E. I. du Pont de Nemours

Blumenthal defends hew health IT rules to Utah leaders

Abortion rights supporters, children's groups, GOP pushing back on various health law provisions

McKesson first-quarter revenues increase to $27.5 billion

Amerigroup second-quarter total revenues increase 11.3% to $1.4 billion

Treating back problems cost Americans more than $30 billion in 2007: AHRQ

Securian Foundation awards 60 grants to civic, healthcare, education and arts organizations

Insurers Aetna, WellPoint look for their place in health reform; WellPoint profit up

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