Health and Human Services News and Research

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Smoking bans in two Minnesota cities not associated with significant economic impact

The passage of smoking bans in two large Minnesota cities was not associated with job losses at bars and may in fact have contributed to higher employment in restaurants, according to new research.

30 Jun 2010

Study: Near-normal glucose control does not delay risk of organ damage in diabetes patients

In people with longstanding type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for heart attack and stroke, lowering blood sugar to near-normal levels did not delay the combined risk of diabetic damage to kidneys, eyes, or nerves, but did delay several other signs of diabetic damage, a study has found. The intensive glucose treatment was compared with standard glucose control.

30 Jun 2010

Health law provisions kicking in; States prepare for high-risk insurance pool implementation

Three months after health reform was enacted, state leaders are beginning to make decisions about implementing the new law, Politico reports: "With the messy politics of health reform, the burden of balancing state budgets and the goal of expanding health coverage, lawmakers at the state level have had mixed reactions."

30 Jun 2010

AMP commends Advisory Committee for addressing genetic education, training needs

The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) commends the Secretary's Advisory Committee for recognizing the importance of professional and public education and training in genetics and addressing the needs in this area. AMP offers a number of continuing education programs for health professionals in genetics and genomics, including the AMP annual scientific meeting, outreach courses to health professionals, a review course in molecular genetic pathology, and online webinars geared to health professionals.

30 Jun 2010

Study indicates two treatment strategies can reduce progression of diabetic retinopathy

In high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes, researchers have found that two therapies may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age Americans.

30 Jun 2010

ACRO calls for sufficient resources for FDA to monitor foreign clinical trials

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations, which represents the global CRO industry, today released the following statement regarding a report from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) titled Challenges to FDA's Ability to Monitor and Inspect Foreign Clinical Trials.

30 Jun 2010

New strategies can improve continuity of primary care, shorten patient waiting time

A national shortage of primary care doctors plus a growing population of older adults, many with chronic diseases, is leading in some underserved areas to longer wait times to see a doctor and is reducing patients' chances of seeing their own physician, experts say.

30 Jun 2010

School-based program lowers obesity and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in high risk youth

An intervention in middle schools lowered the obesity rate in students at highest risk for type 2 diabetes, those who started out overweight or obese in sixth grade, an NIH-funded study has found. However, schools that implemented the program did not differ from comparison schools in the study's primary outcome-the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined-which had declined 4 percent in both groups of schools by the end of the three-year study.

29 Jun 2010

N.J. Gov. still undecided on whether to join lawsuit against overhaul while health care costs roil Mass. Governor's race

The Philadelphia Inquirer: N.J. "Gov. Christie says he has not decided whether to sign on to a 20-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the health-care law signed in March by President Obama. That makes New Jersey one of seven Republican-led states that have not joined the largely partisan fight. Interest groups on both sides of the debate are lobbying the governor, but some of his advisers say he should not join the suit.

29 Jun 2010

Health reform law this week: Some states to miss deadline on high-risk pools, tanning tax kicks in

USA Today: "The key early program of the nation's new health law aims to provide affordable coverage to about 200,000 people with pre-existing medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, through federal high-risk insurance pools. The law called for the program to be in place last week, 90 days after its enactment, though the Department of Health and Human Services had said the programs would launch Thursday to coincide with the start of states' fiscal years."

28 Jun 2010

Republicans start new effort to advance greater federal abortion funding restrictions

The Hill: House Minority Leader John Boehner will introduce legislation that would stop Congress from using taxpayer money to support abortions or abortion coverage.

28 Jun 2010

Saint Thomas Chest Pain Network awarded HRSA grant for placement of AEDs in 14 rural communities

The Saint Thomas Chest Pain Network, a network service provided by Saint Thomas Health Services, was recently awarded a $100,000 Health Resources and Services Administration grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services for the placement of full-rescue Automated External Defibrillators in 14 rural communities throughout the network.

28 Jun 2010

Hospital for Special Surgery announces receipt of $5M commitment from CA Technologies

Hospital for Special Surgery announced the receipt of a $5 million commitment from CA Technologies, an IT management software and solutions company, at its 27th Annual Tribute Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on June 21, 2010.

28 Jun 2010

High-risk health insurance pools opening soon

News outlets examine how states are coping with covering hard-to-insure people, confusion about insuring young adults and a COBRA subsidy extension.

28 Jun 2010

Mass. panel overturns cap on insurer's premiums; Calif. finds 'substantial' errors in planned premium increase

A Massachusetts "insurance appeals board yesterday overturned the state's cap on health premium increases for small business and individual customers covered by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care." The panel "found that rate increases Harvard Pilgrim initially sought in April are reasonable given what it must pay to hospitals and doctors. That ruling trumped the Insurance Division's earlier finding that the requested increases were excessive, a view that reflects Governor Deval Patrick's campaign to curb health costs. Insurers yesterday cheered the ruling" (Abelson and Wallack, 6/25).

25 Jun 2010

HHS Secretary to speak about benefits of Affordable Care Act for women

Today, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will speak to the National Partnership for Women and Families about how the Affordable Care Act will benefit women.

25 Jun 2010

SAMHSA study: Only 6% of substance abuse treatment facilities offer special programs for gays, lesbians

A new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reveals that only 777 of 13,688 (6 percent) substance abuse treatment facilities surveyed across the nation offer special programs for gay and lesbian clients.

25 Jun 2010

Thomson Reuters names Mayo Clinic as one of top 10 hospital systems in the country

Mayo Clinic, for the second year in a row, has been a named a top U.S. health system, according to a Thomson Reuters survey that analyzed the quality and efficiency of 255 health systems across the country. Mayo Clinic, as an enterprise organization operating in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, was ranked among the 10 top performers.

25 Jun 2010

News roundup: Judge approves $712 million settlement for 9/11 emergency workers' health problems; Missouri ballot measure on health overhaul challenged

A judge approved a $712 million health settlement for thousands of emergency workers who responded after the Sept. 11 attack, in spite of objections from some who complained that the deal was unfair. Some workers who say they got sick working at the Ground Zero site argued Wednesday that the settlement shortchanged those suffering from certain types of diseases. One of the key factors in how much workers get paid under the settlement, approved by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, depends on the type of disease the person contracted.

25 Jun 2010

Details emerge on young adults coverage, small business health law provisions

More details are emerging on what aspects of the new health reform law mean for coverage for young adults and how small businesses will be affected by the changes.

25 Jun 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

Smoking bans in two Minnesota cities not associated with significant economic impact

Study: Near-normal glucose control does not delay risk of organ damage in diabetes patients

Health law provisions kicking in; States prepare for high-risk insurance pool implementation

AMP commends Advisory Committee for addressing genetic education, training needs

Study indicates two treatment strategies can reduce progression of diabetic retinopathy

ACRO calls for sufficient resources for FDA to monitor foreign clinical trials

New strategies can improve continuity of primary care, shorten patient waiting time

School-based program lowers obesity and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in high risk youth

N.J. Gov. still undecided on whether to join lawsuit against overhaul while health care costs roil Mass. Governor's race

Health reform law this week: Some states to miss deadline on high-risk pools, tanning tax kicks in

Republicans start new effort to advance greater federal abortion funding restrictions

Saint Thomas Chest Pain Network awarded HRSA grant for placement of AEDs in 14 rural communities

Hospital for Special Surgery announces receipt of $5M commitment from CA Technologies

High-risk health insurance pools opening soon

Mass. panel overturns cap on insurer's premiums; Calif. finds 'substantial' errors in planned premium increase

HHS Secretary to speak about benefits of Affordable Care Act for women

SAMHSA study: Only 6% of substance abuse treatment facilities offer special programs for gays, lesbians

Thomson Reuters names Mayo Clinic as one of top 10 hospital systems in the country

News roundup: Judge approves $712 million settlement for 9/11 emergency workers' health problems; Missouri ballot measure on health overhaul challenged

Details emerge on young adults coverage, small business health law provisions

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