Health and Human Services News and Research

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August is National Immunization and Cataract Awareness Month

Childhood immunizations keep our children safe from a number of serious diseases. This is a good time of year to make sure your child is up-to-date on all of his/her immunizations. Continue reading to find out which vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend for children 6 and under.

16 Aug 2010

Medicare fraudsters shift targets a la "whack-a-mole"

The Economist: In an effort to staunch the flow of up to $60 billion a year to Medicare fraudsters, federal officials are launching a series of new safeguards that target program areas favored by the con artists. "The Department of Health and Human Services is setting up data systems to monitor payments. A telephone-monitoring programme, with voice-recognition, will verify that health-care workers really are making home visits.

16 Aug 2010

National Mentor Holdings third-quarter revenue increases 6.1% to $259.7 million

National Mentor Holdings, Inc. today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended June 30, 2010.

16 Aug 2010

U.S. officials probing payments by drug and device makers to doctors overseas

The New York Times reports that federal officials are investigating whether a dozen drug and device makers "made illegal payments to doctors and health officials in foreign countries." Although pharmaceutical companies routinely contract with doctors in the United States to be consultants, experts say the situation is more complex overseas because "in much of the rest of the world, doctors are government employees. And even consulting arrangements that would be considered routine in the United States might violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, particularly if the payments are outsize or the arrangements are not disclosed to the governments.

16 Aug 2010

Researchers discover genetic alterations responsible for Kabuki syndrome

Using a new, rapid and less expensive DNA sequencing strategy, scientists have discovered genetic alterations that account for most cases of Kabuki syndrome, a rare disorder that causes multiple birth defects and mental retardation. Instead of sequencing the entire human genome, the new approach sequences just the exome, the 1-2 percent of the human genome that contains protein-coding genes.

16 Aug 2010

MeCP2 regulatory protein determines vulnerability to cocaine addiction: Research

A regulatory protein best known for its role in a rare genetic brain disorder also may play a critical role in cocaine addiction, according to a recent study in rats, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health. The study was published today in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

16 Aug 2010

Insurers defend less generous policies, medical loss ratio definitions; Obama to talk with insurance commissioners

Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with USA Today, reports on insurers who are defending less generous "limited-benefit" health policies as implementation of the health law proceeds. That law forbids annual dollar limits in such plans. "Starting this fall, most health care policies — except existing policies purchased by individuals on their own — will have to cover at least $750,000 in medical care per person.

13 Aug 2010

Behavioral health problems affect every community throughout America: Report

A new report shows that behavioral health problems affect every community throughout America - but in unique, and sometimes surprising ways. The report, based on a nationwide survey commissioned by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, offers detailed analyses of the substance use problems occurring within these smaller geographical areas.

13 Aug 2010

Activists, care providers, patients protest against Senator Nelson's silence on AIDS drug program

While Florida continues to add up to 300 people each month to its waiting list for its AIDS Drug Assistance Program, scores of AIDS activists, care providers and patients will gather at a protest and press briefing hosted by AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Friday, August 13th at 12:00 Noon outside the Tampa offices of United States Senator Bill Nelson (D, FL).

13 Aug 2010

Health 2.0 Developer Challenge initiative announces four new challenges

The Health 2.0 Developer Challenge, an initiative designed to stimulate new innovative application development and data use, announces its four newest challenges which include prize money of over $15,000.

13 Aug 2010

General Dynamics awarded $80.3M contract to support HHS Early Retiree Reinsurance Program

General Dynamics Information Technology's ViPS, part of its Health IT Solutions business sector, has been awarded a contract to support the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP). The total potential contract value is $80.3 million over four years if all options are exercised.

13 Aug 2010

Insurers' actions mirror credit card companies' interest rate increases ahead of new consumer rights

Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Media and Democracy today asked the Obama administration to investigate how the major for-profit health insurance companies are reducing their proportion of spending on health care in advance of health reform, even as premiums spike upward. In a letter to Health and Human Services chief Kathleen Sebelius, the groups compared insurers' actions to those of credit card companies, which spiked annual interest rates last year in advance of new federal regulations that would curb corporate abuses.

13 Aug 2010

AHRQ selects Outcome Sciences to study effects of different treatments for open angle glaucoma

Outcome Sciences, Inc. (OUTCOME), the leading provider of patient registries, studies, and technologies for evaluating real-world outcomes, today announced that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has selected Outcome as the DEcIDE Center for a study designed to compare the effectiveness of medications versus surgery for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma. The study will enroll 2,600 patients from 30 sites across the United States and is intended to provide new scientific information about the effects of different treatment approaches in individuals who have glaucoma.

13 Aug 2010

Stanley awards $15 million to provide operation, infrastructure support for Nationwide Health Information Network

Stanley, Inc., a leading provider of systems integration and professional services to the U.S. federal government, today announced that it was awarded two time-and-materials contracts valued at $15 million, with exercise of options, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). These two awards follow an award from DHHS that the company announced on August 2, 2010, to provide operation and infrastructure support for the Nationwide Health Information Network. All three awards fall under the company's Chief Information Officer – Solutions and Partners 2 Innovations contract with the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC).

13 Aug 2010

Insurers, small businesses and ER care all affected by overhaul

News outlets consider the impact of health reform on insurers — who are seeking flexibility on mandates — as well as changes to premiums, small businesses and emergency room care.

13 Aug 2010

Human Immune Phenotyping Centers to receive NIAID grants for research

A new nationwide research initiative has been launched to define changes in the human immune system, using human and not animal studies, in response to infection or to vaccination. Six U. S.-based Human Immune Phenotyping Centers will receive a total of $100 million over five years to conduct this research.Funding for the centers is provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Support for the first year of this initiative will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

12 Aug 2010

More Medicare Part D checks in the mail

The Department of Health and Human Services has mailed out a third round of $250 checks to help seniors who enter the Medicare Part D coverage pay gap for prescription drugs, WCAX [in Vermont] reports. "The one-time payment aims to close a gap in coverage for prescription medication. The rebates will go to about 9,000 Vermonters whose out-of-pocket expenses already total more than $940 for the year" (8/11).

12 Aug 2010

Emergency departments not crowded with non-urgent patients: Report

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention once again debunks the myth that emergency departments are crowded with non-urgent patients, a finding noted by the American College of Emergency Physicians.

11 Aug 2010

Third round of tax-free $250 rebate checks mailed to eligible Medicare beneficiaries

Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the third round of one-time, tax-free $250 rebate checks have been mailed to eligible Medicare beneficiaries whose drug costs are so high they have reached the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage gap known as the "donut hole."

11 Aug 2010

MAXIMUS Long-term Care Solutions to help states address growing numbers of people with disabilities

MAXIMUS, Inc., a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced today that it has launched its Long-term Care Solutions to help states address the growing numbers of elderly individuals and people with disabilities, while benefiting from the increased flexibility and funding offered under the Affordable Care Act.

11 Aug 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

August is National Immunization and Cataract Awareness Month

Medicare fraudsters shift targets a la "whack-a-mole"

National Mentor Holdings third-quarter revenue increases 6.1% to $259.7 million

U.S. officials probing payments by drug and device makers to doctors overseas

Researchers discover genetic alterations responsible for Kabuki syndrome

MeCP2 regulatory protein determines vulnerability to cocaine addiction: Research

Insurers defend less generous policies, medical loss ratio definitions; Obama to talk with insurance commissioners

Behavioral health problems affect every community throughout America: Report

Activists, care providers, patients protest against Senator Nelson's silence on AIDS drug program

Health 2.0 Developer Challenge initiative announces four new challenges

General Dynamics awarded $80.3M contract to support HHS Early Retiree Reinsurance Program

Insurers' actions mirror credit card companies' interest rate increases ahead of new consumer rights

AHRQ selects Outcome Sciences to study effects of different treatments for open angle glaucoma

Stanley awards $15 million to provide operation, infrastructure support for Nationwide Health Information Network

Insurers, small businesses and ER care all affected by overhaul

Human Immune Phenotyping Centers to receive NIAID grants for research

More Medicare Part D checks in the mail

Emergency departments not crowded with non-urgent patients: Report

Third round of tax-free $250 rebate checks mailed to eligible Medicare beneficiaries

MAXIMUS Long-term Care Solutions to help states address growing numbers of people with disabilities

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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