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$19 million in grants to help 66 of the nation’s health centers expand capacity

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced more than $19 million in grants to help 66 of the nation’s health centers expand capacity to serve 270,000 more rural and inner-city Americans, including many without health insurance.

3 Aug 2004

Different types of cataracts produced identifiable and repeatable results using wavefront diagnostic equipment

A study published today in the August edition of the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery reports that wavefront technology, a new way of measuring how vision is distorted by irregularities in the eye, offers a widely accepted means for corroborating cataract patients' vision complaints, which may lead to earlier treatment with attendant enhanced patient safety and less loss of quality of life.

2 Aug 2004

There are about 200 million eligible voters. All of them have a stake in the U.S. health care system

The AMA has released a new ad during the Democratic National Convention in Boston urging Democratic Party leaders to work with the AMA to address critical issues facing U.S. health care.

29 Jul 2004

New publication looks at the immediate effects of the Medicare Modernization Act

Before the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), private plan options for beneficiaries had eroded substantially, with severely limited or no choice in most communities.

27 Jul 2004

New plan of action aims to reduce prescription drug costs by more than 50 percent

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has announced a new plan of action and regulatory mechanisms to deliver greater benefits. These benefits aim to reduce prescription costs by more than 50 percent for the average senior without coverage.

26 Jul 2004

Innovative treatment for cancer patients who have previously undergone chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy

At the inauguration of Hadassah's new day care center of the Sidney Weisner Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cancer Immunotherapy today, Prof. Shimon Slavin, head of the department, described an innovative treatment for cancer patients who have previously undergone chemotherapy, surgery and/ or radiotherapy.

26 Jul 2004

Will the insured sacrifice to help cover the uninsured? New study suggests the answer may be yes

One of the biggest questions facing Americans as the 2004 elections approach involves a tradeoff: Will those who currently have health insurance be willing to sacrifice in order to insure the 44 million people who don't?

21 Jul 2004

Benefits from Medicare approved drug discount cards won't affect Medicaid benefits

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for the $600 credit when they enroll in a Medicare-approved drug discount card will not have to worry that this help will be counted against them when they apply for Medicaid or other federal government benefit programs like housing and food stamps.

21 Jul 2004

Outreach boosts disease prevention at U.S./Mexico border

Personal contact by community health outreach workers increased Mexican-American women’s adherence to annual preventive medical exams by 35 percent, a new study finds.

17 Jul 2004

New ministerial advisory committee for prostheses

A new Australian committee has been established to advise the Minister for Health and Ageing on the listing and pricing of prostheses covered by private health insurance. Prostheses are items such as artificial hips, knees and lenses that can be implanted during a surgical procedure.

15 Jul 2004

New study on children's eligibility for public insurance

California's Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs provide health insurance coverage to children under the age of 18, one of the state's most vulnerable populations.

7 Jul 2004

Pfizer focuses on enabling America's 43 million uninsured to obtain medicines at significant savings

Pfizer Inc said today it will launch the pharmaceutical industry's most comprehensive initiative to significantly expand access to prescription medicines across the United States, with a specific focus on enabling America's 43 million uninsured to obtain Pfizer medicines at significant savings.

7 Jul 2004

Broadband technology for medical professionals in rural Australia

The Commonwealth Government hopes a new IT trial will improve communications between widely separated health providers.

6 Jul 2004

Health care spending per privately insured American increased 7.4 percent in 2003

Health care spending per privately insured American increased 7.4 percent in 2003—the first major slowdown in spending growth in nearly a decade.

2 Jul 2004

Of all families with medical bill problems, two-thirds have difficulty paying for basic necessities—rent, mortgage payments, transportation or food

Uninsured families are more likely to have medical bill problems, but two-thirds of families with problems paying medical bills—about 13.5 million families—have health insurance coverage, according to findings from HSC's Community Tracking Study 2003 Household Survey, a nationally representative survey involving information on about 25,400 families and 46,600 people.

2 Jul 2004

HHS approves Arkansas plan to expand prenatal care to low-income pregnant women and their unborn children

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved a request by the state of Arkansas to expand prenatal care to low-income pregnant women and their unborn children under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

1 Jul 2004

Ethical, social and legal aspects of human genetic testing

On 6th and 7th May 2004, the European Commission invited all interested parties to attend a European citizens' and stakeholders' conference, held in Brussels, to discuss the ethical, social and legal aspects of human genetic testing in research and healthcare applications.

30 Jun 2004

Red Cross supports 9/11 recovery with $50 million

Over the next two years, American Red Cross September 11th Recovery Grants will fund programs large and small which offer services in communities throughout the United States. Grants will be issued to organizations addressing a wide variety of recovery needs including: health; mental health and wellness; community-based recovery; children and youth; ensuring access to September 11 services; and more.

30 Jun 2004

Americans list lack of insurance coverage and cost as top reasons for not seeking mental health services

Insurance coverage problems and costs supplant stigma as the number one obstacle to accessing mental health services according to a survey commissioned by the American Psychological Association.

29 Jun 2004

Senior citizens cutting back on medications due to high costs

The findings are based on an in-depth study over a three-year period of nearly 8,000 older adults who were regularly taking prescription medicines at the beginning of the study.

25 Jun 2004