This month’s U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vital Signs publication highlights asthma in children, showing a decrease in asthma attacks, missed school days, and hospital visits. More children with asthma are improving their ability to control their asthma condition with an asthma action plan. However, more than half of children with asthma…
Read More »This week, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Brenda Fitzgerald resigned over reports that she purchased tobacco company shares while serving as the nation’s top public health official. One day after purchasing stock in Japan Tobacco, Fitzgerald reportedly toured the CDC’s Tobacco Research Laboratory, which is tasked with studying the impacts of…
Read More »After a brief shutdown and short-term continuing resolution that was passed in mid-January, less than one week remains before federal government funding expires on Thursday, February 8. Negotiations between Congressional leaders and the White House have continued, though an agreement has yet to be struck. Congress will be forced once more to pass another short-term…
Read More »Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar granted approval to Indiana to incorporate state Medicaid modifications, including work requirements, lockout provisions, and premium increases. Indiana’s waiver now requires able-bodied individuals younger than 60 years of age to work at least 20 hours per week on average, be enrolled in…
Read More »After a stalemate in negotiations over government funding and immigration, the U.S. Government entered partial federal government shutdown beginning at midnight last Friday. Senate Republicans and Democrats spent a fair amount of the weekend directing blame toward one another over the shutdown after not enough votes were secured to pass a four week continuing resolution…
Read More »On Wednesday, Alex Azar was confirmed as the next U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. Azar was confirmed on a 55-43 vote with all but one Republican, six Democrats, and one Independent senator voting in support of the appointee. HHS has been without a permanent leader for nearly four months after then-Secretary…
Read More »This week, the Trump Administration renewed its public health emergency declaration related to the national opioid epidemic. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a notice signed by HHS Acting Secretary Eric Hargan renewing the declaration for another 90 days. The initial emergency declaration was declared by Hargan on October 26, 2017,…
Read More »With hours remaining until the federal government enters a partial shutdown beginning at midnight, a government funding deal has yet to be struck among Congressional leaders and the White House. In what is reported to be a highly volatile situation, Congressional Republicans are beginning to place blame on Senate Democrats for forcing the political standoff…
Read More »This week, CHEAC signed onto a Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) letter to Congressional leaders expressing disappointment in and opposition to the recent $750 million cut to the federal Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF). Recall, the cut was made as part of the December short-term government funding measure and was used to offset temporary…
Read More »On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the formation of the new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division in the HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR). The new division was created to protect doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals who refuse to take part in certain medical procedures, such as…
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