HHS Issues National Plan To Reduce Impact Of Diabetes On Women
March 25, 2003 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today introduced a national plan to address the growing health epidemic of diabetes in women.  Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and is a major contributor to heart disease, the number one killer of women.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
March 24, 2003 - Are you puzzled by the tax law and which credits and deductions you can take? If so, then why not take advantage of the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program or the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program, both of which offer free tax help?

Together Rx - a prescription savings program
March 24, 2003 - Together Rx provides savings to eligible Medicare enrollees on more than 150 widely prescribed medicines–right at the pharmacy counter. Multiple pharmaceutical companies participate in Together Rx, each with its individual savings program. There were recent reports in the news that this program is widely underused by the nation's seniors citizens.

CMS Creates Medical Technology Council
March 24, 2003 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has created a Medical Technology Council to facilitate timely and appropriate access for Medicare beneficiaries to new and emerging technologies, CMS Administrator Tom Scully announced today.

Federal eGov Health Information Exchange Standards
March 20, 2003 - The Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced the first set of uniform standards for the electronic exchange of clinical health information to be adopted across the federal government.

Social Security Trustees Annual Report
March 17, 2003 - The Social Security Board of Trustees released their 2003 report. They declared that the Social Security program is not sustainable over the long term. The 2003 Social Security Trustees Report does extend the projected solvency of the trust funds by one year. The full report is available in both text and portable document formats.

Medicare Trustees Annual Report
March 17, 2003 - The Medicare trustees today delivered their annual reports on the fiscal health of Medicare, finding that the financial outlook has declined from last year's estimate, due to lower-than-expected revenues and higher-than-expected hospital spending in 2002.

New CHAMPVA Policy to Benefit Surviving Spouses
March 14, 2003 - A new law will reinstate health care benefits for some surviving spouses covered by the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) if they apply by Feb. 4, 2004.

HHS Study Finds Life Expectancy In The U.S. Rose To 77.2 Years In 2001
March 14, 2003 - Americans' life expectancy hit an all-time high in 2001, while age-adjusted deaths hit an all-time low, according to a new report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were declines in mortality among most racial, ethnic and gender groups.

FDA Proposes Rules for Medication Bar Coding and Safety Reporting
March 13, 2003 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced two proposed rules from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that will improve patient safety by reducing medication errors and by more quickly identifying potential errors that may occur. 

FDA Proposes Labeling and Manufacturing Standards for All Dietary Supplements
March 13, 2003 - The Food and Drug Administration today took action to help consumers get accurately labeled and unadulterated dietary supplements by proposing a new regulation to require current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) in their manufacturing, packing, and holding.

Sustained Reduced Sleep Can Have Serious Consequences
March 13, 2003 - In a study on the effects of sleep deprivation, investigators at the University of Pennsylvania found that subjects who slept four to six hours a night for fourteen consecutive nights showed significant deficits in cognitive performance equivalent to going without sleep for up to three days in a row. Yet these subjects reported feeling only slightly sleepy and were unaware of how impaired they were.

HHS Acts to Reduce Potential Risks of Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedra
March 7, 2003 - The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a series of actions designed to protect Americans from potentially serious risks of dietary supplement products containing ephedra.

Administration on Aging Web Site Redesign
March 2003 - Have you visited their new web site? The depth of content is amazing and the revamped format is easy to navigate. Check the new section on Promoting Healthy Lifestyles.

High Doses of Vitamin D with Calcium Supplements Found Effective in Preventing Fractures
March 6, 2003 - A study in the British Medical Journal states that four monthly oral supplements of 100,000 IU vitamin D reduced fractures in men and women aged over 65 living in the general community. Total fracture incidence was reduced by 22% and fractures in major osteoporotic sites by 33%.

Small Business Counseling
March 2003 - The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is a nonprofit association dedicated to the formation, growth, and success of small businesses nationwide.  SCORE volunteers are retired executives and business owners who offer practical “how to” information to start or run a business.

New HHS Report Shows Problems In Health Care System Are Worsening
March 6, 2003 - The Department of Health and Human Services this week released a report showing that problems associated with medical litigation have significantly worsened in the past year.  In many states, the spiraling cost of insurance for health care providers is impairing patients' access to care, as well as the cost and quality of health care.

Special Fraud Alert: Telemarketing by Durable Medical Equipment Suppliers
March 6, 2003 - The HHS Office of Inspector General posted a document to its website on a new fraud scam.