A project of the George Washington University's Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Department of Health and Human Services

Applications open for Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant Program

Posted on June 25, 2010

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families and the Health Resources and Services Administration are accepting applications for fiscal year 2010 for the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant Program.

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Administration announces health reform patient protection rules

Posted on June 23, 2010

The Obama Administration has announced new rules aimed at protecting patients under the health reform law, which target preexisting condition exclusions for children, rescissions, and coverage limits.

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HHS announces $250 million in public health investments

Posted on June 21, 2010

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced $250 million in investments in public health, including building state and local capacity, research and tracking, and training. This is the second allocation from the health reform law’s Prevention and Public Health fund

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HHS holds “webchat” on health care workforce

Posted on June 21, 2010

Health and Human Services has posted the latest in a series of “webchats,” this one focused on the health care workforce.

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IRS announces providers in underserved communities may be eligible for tax refund

Posted on June 17, 2010

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that providers working in underserved areas may be eligible for a refund on their 2009 taxes because the health reform law expanded the tax exclusion “to include any state loan repayment or loan forgiveness programs intended to increase the availability of health care services in underserved areas or health professional shortage areas.”

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HHS announces $250 million investment in primary care workforce

Posted on June 16, 2010

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced $250 million in investments to develop the primary care workforce under the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the health reform law. The Obama Administration also posted a fact sheet at HealthReform.gov outlining how this funding fits into efforts designed to expand capacity and bring providers to medically underserved communities.

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HHS issues interim final rule on “grandfathered” health plans

Posted on June 14, 2010

The Department of Health and Human Services has released the interim final rule on “grandfathered” health plans under the health reform law. A fact sheet connected to this rule’s release was also published on HealthReform.gov.

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Health agencies launch fraud prevention education campaign

Posted on June 8, 2010

The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Administration on Aging have launched a one million-dollar public-education campaign to combat fraud timed to coincide with the issuing of $250 “donut hole rebate” checks created by the health reform law. This includes radio ads in English, Spanish, Korean, and Armenian.

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Sebelius says “excessive” premium increases could lead to Medicare Advantage denials

Posted on June 8, 2010

In a letter to WellPoint CEO Angela Braly, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned that HHS could deny Medicare Advantage bids if “they appear to include excessive increases,” citing authority under the health reform law. “The Affordable Care Act strengthens the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ authority to ensure bids for Medicare Advantage plan benefit designs, such as what copayment applies to what service, are not discriminatory or unfairly priced.”

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HHS and DOJ send letter to combat Medicare fraud

Posted on June 8, 2010

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder have sent a letter to state attorneys general on new efforts to combat Medicare fraud. The letter is timed to coincide with the mailing of the $250 “donut hole rebate checks” authorized by the health reform law and pledges to “use the new tools and resources provided by the Affordable Care Act to further crack down on fraud.”

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