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Indian Health Service loses equipment at alarming rate

The Associated Press reports that "the Indian Health Service is continuing to lose equipment at an alarming rate despite efforts to better account for the agency's property, according to congressional investigators.

4 Jun 2009

Baucus: Obama open to taxing health benefits to pay for health reform

On the same day President Obama expressed the urgent need for health care reform, he also met with two dozen Senate Democrats and suggested that he is open to considering taxing employer-provided health benefits to pay for health care reform, The Washington Post reports.

3 Jun 2009

Sebelius, DeParle ready to tackle health care overhaul

The friendship between "working moms" Kathleen Sebelius and Nancy-Ann DeParle "could pay big dividends for President Obama now," USA Today reports.

2 Jun 2009

Cindy Mann to lead Center for Medicaid and State Operations

CQ HealthBeat reports on reactions to Cindy Mann’s appointment as Director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations, noting that liberals are hailing her appointment and "saying she'll counter steps taken by the Bush administration to tighten eligibility and alter benefits."

2 Jun 2009

Daschle gives health reform 50-50 chance of passing

Even as President Barack Obama set August as a "make-or-break" deadline for overhauling the health care system, Tom Daschle, initally tapped by Obama to run the reform effort, predicted a "50-50 chance that something's going to pass."

2 Jun 2009

Nevada Assembly passes bill to protect physicians on J-1 visas

The Nevada Assembly last week voted to approve a bill (SB 229) that would authorize the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services to stop the exploitation of foreign physicians who have come to the state to provide care to residents in underserved areas, the Las Vegas Sun reports.

31 May 2009

Sanofi Pasteur receives U.S. Government order to produce new influenza A(H1N1) vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur announced today it has received the first of what is expected to be a series of orders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to commence production of a vaccine to help protect against the new influenza A(H1N1) virus.

25 May 2009

Health information technology lobby group rallies support for certification group; critics question group's ties

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has asked HHS to give the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology authorization to determine which electronic health records systems can receive funding from the economic stimulus package, the Washington Post reports. In a letter dated April 27 to HHS officials, HIMSS officials wrote, "To ensure continuity, recognize CCHIT as the certifying body" of EHRs.

22 May 2009

Department of Justice, HHS boosts number of investigators, prosecutors looking at Medicare, Medicaid fraud

HHS and the Department of Justice on Wednesday launched the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team to detect and prevent fraud in Medicare and Medicaid, the Washington Post reports (Johnson, Washington Post, 5/21).

22 May 2009

Senate HELP committee approves bill that would allow FDA to regulate tobacco

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday voted 15-8 to approve a bill (S 982) giving FDA authority to regulate tobacco products, the Wall Street Journal reports.

22 May 2009

New Democrat coalition proposes independent panel to oversee comparative effectiveness research

Members of the moderate New Democrat Coalition on Tuesday proposed legislation (HR 2502) that would establish a non-governmental, independent office to oversee research efforts to compare the effectiveness of medical treatments, CQ HealthBeat reports.

20 May 2009

Experts warn of dangers of swine flu with almost 10,000 now infected, forecasts 4.9 billion doses needed

The latest figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has the worldwide influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) tally fast approaching 10,000 human cases.

19 May 2009

California Governor outlines cuts to address State's budget deficit problems

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) outlined two budget proposals to address the state's budget problems, and both plans would affect health care, the Los Angeles Times reports.

18 May 2009

American Indian tribes to get $500 million in stimulus funds for health projects

Newly appointed IHS Director Yvette Roubideaux on Friday announced that American Indian tribes will receive $500 million as part of the $787 billion economic stimulus package to fund health care projects, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports.

18 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee holds second closed-door meeting on health care reform; details of House Energy and Commerce Committee overhaul plan leaked

The Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday both worked on health care proposals aimed at overhauling the U.S. health care system, CQ Today reports.

15 May 2009

Industry groups say White House overstated pledge to reduce health spending growth

Groups representing hospitals and insurers on Thursday said that President Obama considerably overstated their pledge to rein in health care spending, the New York Times reports.

15 May 2009

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

As President Obama on Monday met with health care industry groups regarding their pledge to reduce $2 trillion in expected health care spending increases over the next 10 years, many health care advocates expressed skepticism about the promise, the Hartford Courant reports (Levick, Hartford Courant, 5/12).

12 May 2009

Obama calls for additional taxes to offset budgeting mistakes that overstated revenue for health reform

The Obama administration on Monday proposed $58 billion worth of new taxes in response to findings that returns from the original funding mechanism for President Obama's health care plan were overstated, the AP/Boston Globe reports (Ohlemacher, AP/Boston Globe, 5/11).

12 May 2009

Hospitals' efforts to reduce readmissions not recognized under current payment model

Hospitals' efforts to reduce the portion of patients who are readmitted for follow-up care are proving successful in many cases, but even though the moves often result in savings for insurers, the hospitals do not necessarily benefit financially, the New York Times reports. Because insurer payments are based on treatments provided rather than the health of patients, hospitals can "actually lose money by providing better care," the Times reports.

12 May 2009

HHS will release guidance on 'meaningful use' of health IT this summer, Blumenthal says

HHS soon will issue guidance and specifications on the definition of "meaningful use" of health information technology, National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal said on Friday, CongressDaily reports (Noyes, CongressDaily, 5/8). "Meaningful use is very much on our mind," he said, adding, "We hope to provide a direction and some specifications in the late spring, early summer" (Goldstein, "Health Blog," Wall Street Journal, 5/8).

12 May 2009

Health and Human Services News and Research

Indian Health Service loses equipment at alarming rate

Baucus: Obama open to taxing health benefits to pay for health reform

Sebelius, DeParle ready to tackle health care overhaul

Cindy Mann to lead Center for Medicaid and State Operations

Daschle gives health reform 50-50 chance of passing

Nevada Assembly passes bill to protect physicians on J-1 visas

Sanofi Pasteur receives U.S. Government order to produce new influenza A(H1N1) vaccine

Health information technology lobby group rallies support for certification group; critics question group's ties

Department of Justice, HHS boosts number of investigators, prosecutors looking at Medicare, Medicaid fraud

Senate HELP committee approves bill that would allow FDA to regulate tobacco

New Democrat coalition proposes independent panel to oversee comparative effectiveness research

Experts warn of dangers of swine flu with almost 10,000 now infected, forecasts 4.9 billion doses needed

California Governor outlines cuts to address State's budget deficit problems

American Indian tribes to get $500 million in stimulus funds for health projects

Senate Finance Committee holds second closed-door meeting on health care reform; details of House Energy and Commerce Committee overhaul plan leaked

Industry groups say White House overstated pledge to reduce health spending growth

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

Obama calls for additional taxes to offset budgeting mistakes that overstated revenue for health reform

Hospitals' efforts to reduce readmissions not recognized under current payment model

HHS will release guidance on 'meaningful use' of health IT this summer, Blumenthal says

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