Policy and Legislation
As the number of home health agencies and fraud cases related to home health agencies continues to skyrocket, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is exerting more pressure on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to fulfill an obligation that is 15 years old.
As lawmakers debate what to do to avoid the sequestration of the Budget Control Act, those getting hit with the mandated cuts, such as defense and healthcare, are making sure Congress understands what the cuts will mean for their industries.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is taking new steps towards reducing unnecessary and obsolete regulations on U.S. hospitals and healthcare providers. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebellius announced on Thursday the steps will save nearly $1.1 billion across the healthcare system in the first year and more than $5 billion over five years.
In a move that anticipates the increase in the number of people insured through state Medicaid programs as a result of the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday a two-year, $11 billion program that will help states bring Medicaid payments for primary care services in line with those paid by Medicare.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the availability of $75 million in funding for the construction and renovation of school-based health centers.
Two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese in the U.S., resulting in an annual cost of $190.2 billion for treating weight-related illness, according to the Institute of Medicine, which released a report Tuesday offering recommendations for combatting the problem.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Tuesday the first batch of organizations receiving Health Care Innovation awards, a program created by the Affordable Care Act. The awards total $122.6 million and will support 26 innovative projects nationwide that will save money, deliver high quality medical care and enhance the healthcare workforce.
Abbott Laboratories, a global healthcare company, has agreed to pay $1.6 billion to settle allegations that it improperly marketed its neurological drug, Depakote, for off-label uses.
Since the start of the year, a number of bills or amendments to bills targeting men's reproductive health have been submitted to state legislatures by mostly female Democratic state legislators.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week gave tentative approval to provide $1.9 billion in initial funding to help Oregon overhaul its Medicaid system, which the state says has the potential to save $11 billion over 10 years.