department of health

Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama describe their proposal to make patient safety a key to medical malpractice reform in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. The proposal envisions the creation of an Office of Patient Safety and Health Care Quality within the Department of Health and Human Services. A National Medical Error Disclosure and Compensation (MEDiC) program would encourage providers to report errors promptly and push claimants to settle cases quickly. Article

The Department of Health and Human Services said it wants to bar Tenet's Alvarado Medical Center in San Diego from participating in federal programs over charges that the hospital broke anti-kickback laws by paying doctors large relocation bonuses. The step would prevent the provider from participating in Medicare and Medicaid, effectively eliminating a major revenue stream. Such threats are often considered largely symbolic, however. HHS rarely imposes the punishment, as doing so is …

A group of 24 Tennessee hospitals, including Vanderbilt Medical Center, is suing the Department of Health and Human Services to recoup $200 million in payments they say they are owed for treating low-income Medicaid patients. Lawyers for the group say the government reneged on an earlier commitment to pay back the hospitals for care that had been provided to low-income patients who did not qualify for TennCare, the state's program for the disadvantaged. The hospitals say they're being …

The General Accounting Office is expected to release a report questioning the computer security protecting data collected by Medicare, Medicaid and other programs run by the department of Health and Human Services, USA Today reports. The GAO review concludes that financial and personal information for millions of Americans may be at risk as it passes through the elaborate Medicare claims processing system. The report also points at possible problems with security protecting data …

 Bush administration orders antiviral drugs
The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered 14 million doses of antiviral drugs to treat victims in the event of a pandemic flu. The agency said yesterday that it has placed orders for 12.4 million doses of Tamiflu and 1.75 million doses of Relenza. The purchase will add to the existing stockpile of 5.5 million doses. The announcement drew criticism from Democrats in Washington, who say the government isn't acting quickly enough. Article

The Bush administration released a much-anticipated report outlining steps it wants to take to improve the nation's disaster preparedness in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Near the top of the list is an expanded role for the department of Health and Human Services, which the White House wants to take the lead in providing medical assistance in future disasters. The report also recommends that FEMA maintain a larger stockpile of emergency supplies and medicines.

In response to the …

President Bush continued his drive for changes in the healthcare system, participating in a panel discussion hosted by the Department of Health and Human Services. The President continued to stress ownership themes, arguing that patients need to take responsibility for their healthcare choices and that injecting market forces into the healthcare system will radically reduce costs. "When somebody else pays the bills, rarely do you ask price or ask the cost of something," Bush said. "The …

A new report suggests Part D may not succeed in enrolling as many seniors as organizers had hoped, despite projections to the contrary. About half of seniors (53 percent) said they have no plans to sign up for the benefit. Healthcare research group DSS released its conclusions yesterday. Meanwhile, health officials in Baltimore raised eyebrows--and prompted wisecracks--from journalists covering the Medicare Part D roll out last month when they announced that they would use the city's …

Diabetes has reached "epidemic" proportions in New York, health officials said. The New York Times examines the toll of the disease and New York City's efforts to deal with it in a Sunday special. One-in-eight New Yorkers has the disease, which has emerged as a leading killer in the city, particularly in minority and low-income neighborhoods. Officials fear that demographic changes over the next decade will lead to an explosion of new cases that could overwhelm the city's …

The Department of Health and Human Services hosted a meeting with state and local officials in Washington, DC, on Monday to discuss preparations for an influenza pandemic. Based on CDC projects, the agency warns that US hospitalizations could range from 865,000 for a mild pandemic to 9.9 million for a serious one like the 1918 pandemic. Article