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Healthcare News (26) Medicare/Health Insurance (14)

Executive Order Expanding Approved Stem Cell Lines
Complete text of an executive order issued on June 20, 2007 by President George W. Bush expanding the approved line of stem cells available for medical research from sources other than human embryos or fetuses.

The Centers for Disease Control
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is on the front lines of battling bugs, combating everything from the common cold to the emergence of a new human influenza virus with pandemic potential.

About the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
From common colds to the Ebola virus, when Americans think of diagnosing and treating outbreaks of deadly diseases, or battling acts of bioterrorism, they think of the CDC - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Senate to Weigh Future of US Stem Cell Research
The U.S. Senate debates three bills that could determine the limits of human stem cell research allowed in the United States for years to come.

A.D.A.M. Illustrated Health Care Encyclopedia
What you need to know to take ownership of your health care concerns.

Fluoride in Water Not Protective, Finds National Academies
Current EPA standards for the maximum amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water do not protect against adverse health effects, says a new report from the National Academies' National Research Council.

At Issue: Nationalized Health Insurance
Should the United States adopt a nationalized health insurance plan in which doctors, hospitals and the health care delivery system would be under the control of the federal government?

Close-knit Neighborhoods Yield Trimmer Kids: Report
Kids living in “close-knit” U.S. neighborhoods, where they are watched over by supportive adults who actively work to positively mold their behavior, have a 50 percent better chance of avoiding obesity than other children, according to a new study by the RAND Corporation think tank.

FDA Warns of Paxil Birth Defect Risks
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an alert to physicians and patients warning of potential risks of birth defects resulting from the use Paxil, a drug prescribed for depression and several other psychiatric disorders.

Bush Touts Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
Calling the benefit "the greatest advance in health care for seniors and Americans with disabilities since the creation of Medicare 40 years ago," President Bush, in his nationwide radio address, touted the new Medicare prescription drug plan.

HHS Releases Pandemic Influenza Plan
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has released his agency’s Pandemic Influenza Plan, “a detailed guide for how our nation's health care system can prepare and respond to an influenza pandemic.”

Women's Medical Costs Due to Domestic Violence Twice that of Men's: CDC
Largely due to the costs and impact of domestic violence, the average cost of health care services for women exceeds twice the average cost for men, according to a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

GAO Finds Food Stamp Program Efficiency Improving
A report released by the General Accounting Office (GAO) shows that efficiency in management of the federal Food Stamp program has reached its best level in history, and that continued improvements are expected when new data is released by USDA. In addition, the GAO report showed a significant reduction in the number of ineligible families receiving food stamps.

Hard Facts About Marijuana Grab Parents' Attention
From shortened attention span, to thoughts of suicide and even cancer, a new media blitz produced by the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign purports to present scientific facts about marijuana risks and harms for parents of teens.

How to Spot a Health Fraud
How can consumers avoid being scammed by a worthless health product? Though health fraud marketers have become more sophisticated about selling their products, the FDA warns that these charlatans often use the same old phrases and gimmicks to gain consumers' attention--and trust. You can protect yourself by learning some of their techniques.

Ten Steps to a Healthy Father's Day
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services encourages America's children to give their dads the gift of good health this Father's Day by reminding them of the importance of healthy living. Here are 10 important tips to share to ensure your Dad remains healthy and fit for life.

Avoiding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: CDC
Most carbon monoxide poisoning deaths and injuries occur during the fall and winter, according to the CDC. During 2001-2003, alone, 480 Americans died from non-fire-related carbon monoxide poisoning. In this article, CDC offers some sound advice for preventing exposure to carbon monoxide.

Few Smokers Use Modern Aids When Trying to Quit
Antidepressant medicines, nicotine replacement products, and counseling can all help a smoker stick with that New Year's resolution to kick the habit. But a smoking cessation study by American Cancer Society researchers finds that few smokers make use of the help that is available.

Federal Report: Nursing Home Care Improving
The quality of care delivered by America's nursing homes shows marked improvements in key indicator areas, according to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson.

White House Outlines Anti-lawsuit Abuse Reform Effort
The White House has outlined President Bush's framework for making health care more affordable by stopping the sky-rocketing costs associated with frivolous medical liability lawsuits.

Married Adults Are Healthiest, Says CDC Report
Married adult Americans are healthier than divorced, widowed or never married adults, according to a December 2004 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Few Americans Are Aware They Have Chronic Kidney Disease
Ten to 20 million people in the United States have kidney disease but most don't know it, according to researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at the National Institutes of Health.

Sexual Activity Among Young Teens Declines Significantly
Sexual activity declined significantly for younger teenage girls and for teenage boys between 1995 and 2002, and teen contraceptive use improved in significant ways, according to a new study from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Almost Half of Americans Take At Least One Prescription Drug
Is America the most medicated nation on Earth? Could be, according data just released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) showing that at least half of all Americans takes at least one prescription drug, with one in six taking three or more medications.

Where Do U.S. Kids Get Their Cigarettes?
While statistics show fewer American teens are smoking, a new report revealing where 8th - 12th grade smokers get their cigarettes may come as big surprise to parents.

Consumer Group Claims CDC Overstates Obesity Costs
A Wall Street Journal report that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has admitted to serious statistical errors in calculating that obesity kills 400,000 Americans each year is only the tip of the iceberg of gross exaggerations and miscalculations, according to The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF).

U.S. Teen Birth Rate Lowest in Almost 60 Years
The U.S. birth rate among young adolescents aged 10-14 has fallen to the lowest level since 1946 according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Three States Approve Higher Tobacco Taxes
Voters on Nov. 2, 2004, handed anti-smoking advocates major victories by approving statewide ballot initiatives to increase tobacco taxes in Colorado, Montana and Oklahoma, as well as strong smoke-free workplace ordinances in communities across the nation.

Americans Getting Taller, Bigger, Fatter, Says CDC
Average adult Americans are about one inch taller, but nearly a whopping 25 pounds heavier than they were in 1960, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bad news, says CDC is that average BMI (body mass index, a weight-for-height formula used to measure obesity) has increased among adults from approximately 25 in 1960 to 28 in 2002.

HHS Offers Flu Vaccine Shortage Recommendations
In reaction to the recent announcement of the loss of the Chiron flu vaccine supply in the United States for the 2004-2005 flu season, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a series of recommendations designed to help distribute the remaining available doses of vaccine to the persons considered most susceptible to the flu virus.

NIH Has Strategy to Fight U.S. Obesity
After investing over $1.2 billion in the government's "war on obesity," the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released the final version of its strategy combat obesity in American.

Dietetic Association Hails New Medicare Obesity Policy
The announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services eliminating terminology that previously restricted Medicare coverage of obesity as a disease represents a significant step toward providing high-quality treatment of obesity and its related conditions to millions more people in the United States, according to the American Dietetic Association.

Ranks of Cancer Survivors Growing, CDC Reports
With the ever-increasing number of cancer survivors in the United States having reached 9.8 million, the need to provide survivors with services, support and a high quality of life has become a new health care challenge, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

158 New Medicines for Children Being Developed
Treatments for asthma, cancer and cystic fibrosis are just a few of the one hundred and fifty-eight new medicines for children are now being tested in clinical trials or awaiting review by the Food and Drug Administration, according to a survey prepared by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

Most U.S. Teens Try Marijuana for First Time During Summer
"In the good-old summertime," more American kids try marijuana for the first time than at any other time of year, according to a report from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. According to the report, during each day in June and July, an average of 6,300 youths try marijuana for the first time.

List of Organs Damaged by Smoking Expanded
Smoking causes diseases in nearly every organ of the body, according to a comprehensive report on smoking and health from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Medicare Drug Card Prices Beat Internet & Mail-order
Prices available from Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards are lower than current Internet and mail-order pharmacy prices, according to a study by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Travelers' Health Warning System from CDC
Traveling abroad? What to come home healthy? Then before you even pack, you need to check the Centers For Disease Control's system for providing travelers with the latest information about potential health hazards and the steps they can take to protect themselves when traveling abroad.

Medicare Drug Cards a 'Must' for Low-income Beneficiaries
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is advising some seven million Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes that a Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card could save them between 29 and 77 percent on the price of their brand name drugs and as much as 92 percent on generic drugs over the next seven months.

About Medicare-approved Drug Discount Cards
As early as May 2004, almost anyone with Medicare will be eligible to enroll in the new Medicare-approved drug discount card program. The discount cards will be good until at least December 31, 2005.

US Signs First-Ever Global Tobacco Control Treaty
The United States has become a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first-ever global public health treaty dedicated to tobacco prevention and control.

About the EEOC's Retiree Health Benefit Rule
A new federal rule being proposed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) would allow employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for their retired employees who qualify for Medicare. Here are the background and facts surrounding this controversial action that could affect the health benefits of millions of American retirees.

Details of Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
This article presents the most current information regarding the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 that you will need to help you make the best decisions regarding your Medicare coverage.

Don't Let Green Hornet Sting Your Kids
The FDA is warning consumers not to purchase or consume products that claim to provide "safe legal highs" or that are marketed as "street drug alternatives," such as Green Hornet, marketed by Cytotec Solutions. Products by this company have been promoted and sold on the Internet and in stores as legal versions of illicit street drugs.