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National summit on coordinated effort to fight health care fraud

Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today joined private sector leaders, law enforcement personnel and health care experts for a landmark National Summit on Health Care Fraud. The summit is the first national gathering on health care fraud between law enforcement and the private and public sectors and is part of the Obama Administration's coordinated effort to fight health care fraud.

29 Jan 2010

Experimental vaccine protects mice and monkeys against chikungunya virus

An experimental vaccine developed using non-infectious virus-like particles (VLP) has protected macaques and mice against chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne pathogen that has infected millions of people in Africa and Asia and causes debilitating pain, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found.

29 Jan 2010

ECRI Institute publishes Health Devices guidance article for hospitals

Electronic health records (EHRs) are the future of medical record keeping. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes incentive payments for hospitals that adopt an EHR, but the timetable for implementation is especially tight.

29 Jan 2010

Patients with hearing, vision and speech disabilities to be provided with auxiliary aids and services

Patients with hearing, vision, and speech disabilities, who receive care at University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics, will be screened and provided with auxiliary aids and services as required by federal law under a Resolution Agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

29 Jan 2010

Jeffrey Modell Foundation urges government to implement SCID screening for all newborns

Vicki and Fred Modell, co-founders of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation, today called upon governors, state public health officials, and legislators, in all states, to implement screening of newborns with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID).

28 Jan 2010

National summit to focus on new ways of eliminating health care fraud

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder will convene a “National Summit on Health Care Fraud” on Thursday January 28, bringing together leaders from the public and private sectors to identify and discuss innovative ways to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in the U.S. health care system.

28 Jan 2010

Transplant tourism: Ethical issues

A recent case study by doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York examined the ethical issues posed by transplant tourism, an offshoot of medical tourism, which focuses solely on transplantation surgery. Many American transplant professionals frown on the practice of transplant tourism where patients travel to countries such as China, India, and the Philippines for their transplantation.

28 Jan 2010

Software tool helps medical service providers respond to serious incidents and disasters affecting children

A statistical study by a specialist group at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California indicates that the victims of the January 12 quake include an extraordinarily high number of children- more than 110,000, nearly half of the estimated total.

28 Jan 2010

Medicare false claims: 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 $1 million in false claims to Medicare, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney George S. Cardona for the Central District of California.

28 Jan 2010

Home health care fraud: Detroit-area physical therapist pleads guilty

Detroit-area resident Jessica Vigil pleaded guilty today for her role in a Detroit-area home health care fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade; Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI's Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General's (HHS-OIG) Chicago Region.

27 Jan 2010

MAXIMUS recognized as 'Certified Center of Excellence' by BenchmarkPortal

MAXIMUS (NYSE: MMS), a leading provider of government services, announced today that its New York Medicaid CHOICE project call center has once again been recognized as a “Certified Center of Excellence” by BenchmarkPortal in collaboration with the Center for Customer-Driven Quality (CCDQ) at Purdue Research Park.

27 Jan 2010

Montana DPHHS approves Rethink Autism to provide services as part of Children's Autism Waiver

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has approved the use of Rethink Autism (http://www.rethinkautism.com), a web-based autism treatment platform, to provide services as part of the State's Children's Autism Waiver.

27 Jan 2010

ALEC congratulates Pennsylvania legislators for filing House Bills to protect the right of individuals

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) -- the nation's largest nonpartisan individual membership association of state legislators -- congratulates Pennsylvania State Representatives Matthew Baker and Curt Schroder for filing House Bills 2053 and 2179, which protect the right of individuals to make their own health care choices.

27 Jan 2010

New contract gives U.S. Naval hospitals access to ECRI Institute's medical equipment advisory service and product safety alerts

ECRI Institute®(www.ecri.org), an independent nonprofit that researches the best approaches to improving patient care, announces a new contract, awarded by the U.S. Navy to ECRI Institute, to offer its comprehensive advisory service for managing medical equipment procurement, maintenance, and safety to all U.S. Naval hospitals and medical centers worldwide.

27 Jan 2010

Budget realities are rippling through states' health institutions

The (Raleigh, N.C.) News-Observer: "The state's drug assistance program for HIV patients has been capped at its current enrollment, with budget cuts hitting at the same time more people need help, state officials said Monday." Because patients with HIV are more likely to spread the virus when not on medications, public health officials are worried about denying medications (Avery, 1/26).

27 Jan 2010

AIDS Healthcare Foundation bans Merck's sales representatives for unwarranted pricing of Isentress

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest global AIDS organization which operates free AIDS treatment clinics in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe, including 18 healthcare centers in California, Florida, and Washington, DC, has banned pharmaceutical sales representatives from Merck and Co. Pharmaceuticals, from calling on AHF’s medical providers and staff in its US healthcare centers.

27 Jan 2010

Idaho Technology commences clinical trials of FilmArray RP

Idaho Technology, Inc. (ITI) announced today that clinical trials of the FilmArray Respiratory Panel (RP) have commenced at three US Hospital Laboratories.

27 Jan 2010

Obama acknowledges mistakes in health overhaul politics and processes

President Barack Obama acknowledged Monday in an interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer that mistakes were made in the health reform debate, among the biggest "was the confusing way in which the health bill was shaped." Obama said: "'I think the healthcare debate as it unfolded legitimately raised concerns not just among my opponents, but also amongst reporters that we just don't know what's going on,' and that some 'stray cats' got in the bill." Obama also said he "didn't make a bunch of deals" and "I am happy to own up to the fact that I have not changed Congress and how it operates the way I would have liked" (Mooney, 1/25).

27 Jan 2010

Applied Biosystems signs cross-licensing agreement with Idaho Technology

Applied Biosystems LLC, part of Life Technologies Corporation, and Idaho Technology, Inc. have signed a cross-licensing agreement which covers a broad range of products including hardware, software and reagents.

27 Jan 2010

ACF and SAMHSA notify that TANF funds can be used to help families treat short term mental health

In the face of growing need for mental health and substance abuse treatment, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are notifying states about how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds can be used to help families in their communities in need of short term mental health or substance use treatment services.

23 Jan 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

National summit on coordinated effort to fight health care fraud

Experimental vaccine protects mice and monkeys against chikungunya virus

ECRI Institute publishes Health Devices guidance article for hospitals

Patients with hearing, vision and speech disabilities to be provided with auxiliary aids and services

Jeffrey Modell Foundation urges government to implement SCID screening for all newborns

National summit to focus on new ways of eliminating health care fraud

Transplant tourism: Ethical issues

Software tool helps medical service providers respond to serious incidents and disasters affecting children

Medicare false claims: Los Angeles DME company owner pleads guilty

Home health care fraud: Detroit-area physical therapist pleads guilty

MAXIMUS recognized as 'Certified Center of Excellence' by BenchmarkPortal

Montana DPHHS approves Rethink Autism to provide services as part of Children's Autism Waiver

ALEC congratulates Pennsylvania legislators for filing House Bills to protect the right of individuals

New contract gives U.S. Naval hospitals access to ECRI Institute's medical equipment advisory service and product safety alerts

Budget realities are rippling through states' health institutions

AIDS Healthcare Foundation bans Merck's sales representatives for unwarranted pricing of Isentress

Idaho Technology commences clinical trials of FilmArray RP

Obama acknowledges mistakes in health overhaul politics and processes

Applied Biosystems signs cross-licensing agreement with Idaho Technology

ACF and SAMHSA notify that TANF funds can be used to help families treat short term mental health

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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