Health and Human Services News and Research

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Sebelius: Plan coming to reduce minority health disparities

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday that the federal government will soon have a national plan to reduce health disparities between minorities and whites, The Associated Press reports.

16 Apr 2010

Idaho Technology receives USASMDC contract to develop flu tests for military personnel

Idaho Technology, Inc. has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) to develop tests for multiple flu strains on the Joint Biological Agent Identification and Diagnostic System (JBAIDS).

16 Apr 2010

Federal Research Public Access Act introduced in House of Representatives

Fueling the growing momentum toward openness, transparency, and accessibility to publicly funded information, the Federal Research Public Access Act of 2010 (FRPAA) has been introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) and a bi-partisan host of co-sponsors.

16 Apr 2010

Obama enforces visitation rights of same sex partners

President Obama passed a memo on Thursday while at a fundraiser in Miami which prohibits hospitals from discriminating against gay and lesbian couples in extending visitation rights. The decision seems to be inspired by the publicity given to the Lisa Pond and Janice Langbehn case. The hospital refused to allow Lisa Pond the visitation of Janice Langbehn and their children at her death bed.

16 Apr 2010

Exclusive licensing practices slows innovation in gene testing market

Exclusive licenses to gene patents, most of which are held by academic institutions and based on taxpayer-funded research, do more to block competition in the gene testing market than to spur the development of new technologies for gauging disease risk, say researchers at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP).

15 Apr 2010

HHS: Early retiree claim forms for new temporary program to help businesses will be ready in June

Business Insurance: The Department of Health and Human Services says that reimbursement forms to have the federal government help pay employers for early retiree health care claims will be available in June.

15 Apr 2010

Partners HealthCare offers $40 million to control health insurance costs in Massachusetts; Neb. Gov. signs new abortion law

Partners HealthCare, whose Boston teaching hospitals have been blamed for helping to drive up medical spending, is offering $40 million toward reducing double-digit health insurance rate increases for small businesses, part of a broader package that will be unveiled today by Senate President Therese Murray.

15 Apr 2010

People with disabilities may be unable to afford Medicare Advantage plan under healthcare provisions

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 are the most powerful developments in decades affecting healthcare coverage for people with disabilities, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.

15 Apr 2010

HHS quality report 2009 shows increase in hospital-acquired infections

"The Health and Human Services department's 2009 quality report to Congress found 'very little progress' on eliminating hospital-acquired infections and called for 'urgent attention' to address the shortcomings — first brought to light a decade ago." Specifically, the report found that, for three out of the five major types of serious hospital-related infections, the rate of illness increased.

15 Apr 2010

North Carolina lawmakers consider medical tax; Georgia insurance commission says state should reject high-insurance pools

The North Carolina legislature "socked it to retail customers, smokers, drinkers and big earners with higher taxes last year to help close a budget gap calculated by Democrats at more than $4 billion. Could hospitals or doctors' offices be next? Legislative leaders are returning to Raleigh early to begin adjusting the second year of the state's two-year budget and they're intrigued by a hospital or provider tax or fee because it could draw down three times as much extra money in federal matching funds for Medicaid.

15 Apr 2010

States examine role in health reform implementation, worry over scams

The federal government is turning to states to "to institute key components" of the health overhaul law, "some of which have never existed before."

15 Apr 2010

FDA approves J&JPRD's PANCREAZE NDA

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development (J&JPRD) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug application (NDA) for PANCREAZE™ (pancrelipase) delayed-release capsules for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis or other conditions. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is the inability to properly digest and absorb food due to a lack of enzymes made by the pancreas that are important in the digestion of fats, proteins, and sugars.

15 Apr 2010

HHS 2009 quality report shows increase in hospital-acquired infections

The Associated Press: "The Health and Human Services department's 2009 quality report to Congress found 'very little progress' on eliminating hospital-acquired infections and called for 'urgent attention' to address the shortcomings — first brought to light a decade ago."

15 Apr 2010

Hospital acquired infections on the increase

Despite being reported over a decade ago, little has been done in America to reduce hospital born infections as per a Health and Human Services department quality report for 2009 to Congress. Hospital acquired infections seem to be on the increase according to the report when compared with statistics available for 2007. The situation is being seen as critical by many health care experts.

14 Apr 2010

$15M grant to support research and development of new health care IT infrastructure

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School will lead the efforts of a $15 million grant recently announced from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology in the Department of Health and Human Services to support research and development of a new health care information technology infrastructure.

13 Apr 2010

False claims to Medicare: Los Angeles DME company owner pleads guilty

The owner and operator of a Los Angeles durable medical equipment (DME) company pleaded guilty today to submitting nearly one half of a million dollars in false claims to Medicare, announced the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services.

13 Apr 2010

Drug boosting production of immune system protein worsens TB

An experimental drug that boosts production of the immune system protein interferon worsens tuberculosis (TB) in mice, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The drug acts indirectly by drawing certain immune cells, in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacteria thrive, to the lungs. The findings may have potential implications for the care of people infected with TB, the authors note. The research is reported in the May 3 issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation, now available online.

13 Apr 2010

Researchers may be one step closer to slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers may be one step closer to slowing the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease. An animal study supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, shows that by targeting the blood-brain barrier, researchers are able to slow the accumulation of a protein associated with the progression of the illness.

13 Apr 2010

UPMC Health Plan to host training session on child health- We Can!

UPMC Health Plan will host a two-day training session designed to teach community leaders about We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition) April 27-28, 2010, at Marriott City Center Hotel, Uptown.

13 Apr 2010

IDF awarded NIH grant for advancing knowledge in PIDD through continuance of USIDNET program

The Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the grant "Resources to Assist Investigations in Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases" from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant will allow IDF to continue to advance the detection, understanding, diagnosis and treatment of primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDD) through their program, the United States Immunodeficiency Network (USIDNET).

13 Apr 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

Sebelius: Plan coming to reduce minority health disparities

Idaho Technology receives USASMDC contract to develop flu tests for military personnel

Federal Research Public Access Act introduced in House of Representatives

Obama enforces visitation rights of same sex partners

Exclusive licensing practices slows innovation in gene testing market

HHS: Early retiree claim forms for new temporary program to help businesses will be ready in June

Partners HealthCare offers $40 million to control health insurance costs in Massachusetts; Neb. Gov. signs new abortion law

People with disabilities may be unable to afford Medicare Advantage plan under healthcare provisions

HHS quality report 2009 shows increase in hospital-acquired infections

North Carolina lawmakers consider medical tax; Georgia insurance commission says state should reject high-insurance pools

States examine role in health reform implementation, worry over scams

FDA approves J&JPRD's PANCREAZE NDA

HHS 2009 quality report shows increase in hospital-acquired infections

Hospital acquired infections on the increase

$15M grant to support research and development of new health care IT infrastructure

False claims to Medicare: Los Angeles DME company owner pleads guilty

Drug boosting production of immune system protein worsens TB

Researchers may be one step closer to slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease

UPMC Health Plan to host training session on child health- We Can!

IDF awarded NIH grant for advancing knowledge in PIDD through continuance of USIDNET program

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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