Health and Human Services News and Research

RSS

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

Our system of long-term care does not provide adequate or coordinated human services and medical treatment for our growing aging population. … Thanks to a provision of the new health care law known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program, tomorrow's continuum of care does not have to be so unforgiving. For the first time, a voluntary public insurance program will be available to help adults and families pay for long-term care services (Bruce Chernof, 7/23).

26 Jul 2010

St. John Providence Health System to migrate to eClinicalWorks comprehensive EHR solution

eClinicalWorks®, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that St. John Providence Health System, the largest provider of inpatient care in southeast Michigan, will be offering eClinicalWorks comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) solution for its approximately 3,000 employed and affiliated physicians.

26 Jul 2010

Vical's prophylactic Vaxfectin-formulated pDNA vaccine effective against HSV-2 in animal model

Vical Incorporated today announced that its prophylactic Vaxfectin®-formulated plasmid DNA (pDNA) vaccine against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) protected mice against lethal challenge, provided sterilizing immunity and inhibited viral counts at both the primary and latent infection sites. The Vaxfectin® adjuvant substantially improved vaccine effectiveness. A related vaccine significantly reduced the recurrence of HSV-2 lesions in a therapeutic model using guinea pigs with latent infection.

26 Jul 2010

HHS Secretary announces 15 awards to support Preventive Medicine Residency Programs

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced 15 awards totaling $9 million to support Preventive Medicine Residency Programs at accredited schools of public health, schools of medicine, and hospitals. Of these funds, nearly $6.7 million is part of the $200 million appropriated to HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to address the nation's health care workforce shortages.

26 Jul 2010

Insurers scrambling to get expenses defined as patient care

The New York Times looks at current efforts by state insurance officials to set regulations requried under the new health overhaul about insurance company spending. "The legislative battle over the health care overhaul ended months ago, but it is hard to tell from the intense effort now under way by insurance companies to retool a critical provision.

26 Jul 2010

GOP questions math of HHS' premium hike estimates; Abortion issue defining implementation

Senate Republican leaders are questioning an estimate by the Department of Health and Human Services that the effect of the new health law on insurance premiums will likely be less than 1 percent, The Hill reports.

23 Jul 2010

MAXIMUS operates health care appeal programs for state regulatory agencies

The United States Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury announced yesterday a new internal claims and appeals and external review process for group health plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

23 Jul 2010

Achieving meaningful use of inpatient EHR is top priority of hospital executives: Survey

According to a survey of U.S. hospital executives released today by CSC, steps to meet meaningful use requirements were already a priority for hospitals before the final rules to establish an incentive program for electronic health records were announced by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on July 12.

23 Jul 2010

New appeal regulations empower consumers to better control their health care decisions

Today, the Obama Administration is announcing both new regulations to empower consumers to appeal decisions made by their health plans or insurance companies and the availability of resources that will be used to help give consumers more control of their health care decisions. These provisions of the Affordable Care Act will help support and protect consumers and help end some of the worst insurance company abuses.

23 Jul 2010

Annual premium for employer sponsored family health plan costs 54% more in 2009 than in 2000: AHRQ

The annual premium for a family health plan sponsored by an employer cost about 54 percent more in 2009 than it did in 2000, $13,027 and $8,437 (adjusted for inflation), respectively, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

23 Jul 2010

Early HAART during TB treatment prolongs survival of untreated HIV-infected adults: CAMELIA study

A clinical trial in Cambodia has found it possible to prolong the survival of untreated HIV-infected adults with very weak immune systems and newly diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) by starting anti-HIV therapy two weeks after beginning TB treatment, rather than waiting eight weeks, as has been standard.

23 Jul 2010

Human Genome Sciences second-quarter revenues increase to $38.8 million

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. today announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010, and provided highlights of recent key developments.

23 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: The challenge of medicare spending; Two views of Massachussets; Regulating premiums

Health reform can be assessed from the perspective of four groups that collectively include most Americans. For those who are now in Medicaid or who are uninsured, reform will be a major gain. For those who obtain health insurance in the individual and small-group markets, reform should bring improvements. For those who have health insurance from midsize- and large-group insurers, reform will bring little change. Finally, for Medicare beneficiaries, reform promises to bring positive change.

23 Jul 2010

Study investigates abusive use of drugs on children

Child abuse is a serious problem that affects nearly one million children a year in the United States alone. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Department of Health and Human Services classify child abuse into four categories including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. None of these categories, however, clearly includes the abusive use of drugs on children. A study soon to be published in the Journal of Pediatrics investigates the malicious use of pharmaceuticals and attempts to shed light on this under-recognized problem.

22 Jul 2010

Elan total revenue increases 10% to $579.4 million for first half of 2010

Elan Corporation, plc today reported its second quarter and first half 2010 financial results.

22 Jul 2010

Ingen revenues increase 1,139% for year ending May 31, 2010

Ingen Technologies, Inc., an emerging medical device manufacturer developing innovative solutions for the respiratory market, with a new patented and proprietary medical product line targeting the $8B respiratory market, announced today that the company revenues have increased from $10,401 reported in May 31, 2009, to $128,917 ending May 31, 2010. This is an increase of 1,139%.

22 Jul 2010

SAIC-F selects SAIC-F selects Precision Antibody to provide characterization for reference antibody resource development

Precision Antibody announced today its selection by Science Applications International Corporation-Frederick to provide antibody and antigen characterization, including surface plasmon resonance analysis, for the National Cancer Institute's "Clinical Proteomic Technologies for Cancer" initiative. A goal of the CPTC is to develop a standardized resource of very high-quality, renewable reference antibodies generated against cancer-related proteins. The antibodies will be made available to proteomics researchers, along with characterization data and other information intended to support replication and standardization.

22 Jul 2010

Enrollment jump helps UnitedHealth Group profits soar 31 percent

Health insurer UnitedHealth Group reported a second quarter profit jump of 31 percent as enrollment in the insurer's plans went up, The Associated Press/The New York Times reports. "The company's total enrollment grew about 1 percent, to 32.5 million compared with last year, with gains in Medicare and Medicaid businesses offsetting commercial health insurance losses." The company's commercial enrollment fell 440,000 as the sector deals with job cuts and the recession (7/20).

22 Jul 2010

Study marks significant milestone for microbicide research field, HIV prevention

Today we congratulate the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa and the people of South Africa on the positive findings from the CAPRISA 004 microbicide study, which marks a significant milestone both for the microbicide research field and HIV prevention as a whole.

22 Jul 2010

'Meaningful use' guidelines under fire from Republicans

NextGov: Recently released requirements for physicians and hospitals to earn cash rewards for the "meaningful use" of electronic medical records are not tough enough to justify an investment of billions of dollars, House Republicans said Tuesday. "In a hearing of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, officials from the Health and Human Services Department defended the recently released standards.

22 Jul 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

St. John Providence Health System to migrate to eClinicalWorks comprehensive EHR solution

Vical's prophylactic Vaxfectin-formulated pDNA vaccine effective against HSV-2 in animal model

HHS Secretary announces 15 awards to support Preventive Medicine Residency Programs

Insurers scrambling to get expenses defined as patient care

GOP questions math of HHS' premium hike estimates; Abortion issue defining implementation

MAXIMUS operates health care appeal programs for state regulatory agencies

Achieving meaningful use of inpatient EHR is top priority of hospital executives: Survey

New appeal regulations empower consumers to better control their health care decisions

Annual premium for employer sponsored family health plan costs 54% more in 2009 than in 2000: AHRQ

Early HAART during TB treatment prolongs survival of untreated HIV-infected adults: CAMELIA study

Human Genome Sciences second-quarter revenues increase to $38.8 million

Today's OpEds: The challenge of medicare spending; Two views of Massachussets; Regulating premiums

Study investigates abusive use of drugs on children

Elan total revenue increases 10% to $579.4 million for first half of 2010

Ingen revenues increase 1,139% for year ending May 31, 2010

SAIC-F selects SAIC-F selects Precision Antibody to provide characterization for reference antibody resource development

Enrollment jump helps UnitedHealth Group profits soar 31 percent

Study marks significant milestone for microbicide research field, HIV prevention

'Meaningful use' guidelines under fire from Republicans

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

Latest News