Sebelius Touts $911 Billion For HHS In 2011 Budget

By Monique Cala - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Monday that President Barack Obama's proposed 2011 budget includes $911 billion for HHS.

“Whether fighting a pandemic, protecting food safety, or transforming the health care system with electronic medical records, the investments we’ve made have been guided by some of the finest scientific and medical experts in the world,” said Sebelius.

HHS has announced further investment in ‘next generation health care technologies,’ which includes a move to electronic health records by hospitals and doctors to help reduce medical errors, coordinate care and cut costs.

“What we have today is a sick care system, where we wait until something goes wrong to intervene,” said Sebelius.

According to the Secretary, HHS will work on prevention tactics by tackling obesity, which costs the U.S. health care system $150 billion a year, as well as fraud prevention with projected savings of $9.9 billion over ten years.

For more details on HHS's FY2011 budget visit FY2011 Budget.

Sebelius On The Public Option: Nothing Has Changed

By Laura Woodhead - Talk Radio News Service

The public option is still on the table Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday. Speaking at the US Administration on Aging's annual Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) conference, Secretary Sebelius said that her comment Sunday that the public option was "not an essential element" of health care reform, was misrepresented by the media.

"All I can tell you is that Sunday must have been a very slow news day, because here's the bottom line: absolutely nothing has changed," she said. "We continue to support the public option that will help lower costs, give American consumers more choice and keep private insurers honest."

The Secretary went on to address the scare tactics that she said opponents of health care reform were using in order to frighten the elderly into not supporting the administrations' proposed changes.

"Lots of information has been circulated causing fear among some seniors about cutting valuable medicare services or rationing care," Sebelius said. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

The comments came at the end of the Secretary's speech on how the administration is taking steps to tackle Medicare fraud. In any system were there was over $600 billion circulating, "you know that there are people around who want to get their mitts on the cash" Sebelius said. Efforts by the SMP would help "save medicare dollars" and cut waste within the health care system but it was reform that would make the real difference.

"Absent health care reform, doctors providing medicare are scheduled to be cut 21%," she warned. "You talk about losing your doctor. That will happen [unless we pass reform]."

Prevention Necessary Component Of Health Care Reform, Say Top HHS Officials

By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service

A focus on prevention and wellness is key to quality health care reform, according the the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and three top HHS officials participated in a webcast Friday to clarify the Obama administration's health care reform message.

“This is a public health opportunity, not just a physician opportunity. We believe prevention should occur not just between a doctor and a patient and not just at an individual level, but at the family level, the neighborhood level, the community level,” said Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. “Public health and prevention is now a major theme for every person in this country and we all have an investment in it.”

Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, said what seems like simple steps, such as, immunization or counseling for an addiction, can save money in the long-term.

The officials also highlighted aspects that the administration claims are essential to comprehensive health reform including: reducing long-term growth of health care costs, a guaranteed choice of doctors and health plans, improved patient safety and quality of care, affordable quality coverage, and the ability to maintain coverage when you change or lose your job.

“We’re not just focusing on saving costs, but saving lives,” Sebelius said.

Health And Human Services Department To Give Grants To Uninsured Children

Courtney Costello-Talk Radio News Service

Grant applications are now available through the Health and Human Services Department for organizations and state and local governments to receive between $25 thousand and $1 million to help uninsured children receive health care.

During a conference call with reporters, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, announced that that the funding will be coming from Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), which was passed in February. It will provide $40 million in grants this year and a total of $100 million in grants over the next four years.

“This grant opportunity is going to be a great help to states and communities that are working hard to ensure kids and families are getting health care that they need even in the down turn,” said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter.

According to Sebelius, the grants will be primarily awarded towards cities and rural areas where there are high populations of uninsured children. Sebelius predicts the program will also allow states to reach out to over 4 million children who are currently uninsured.

Priorities Named For The Health And Human Services Budget

By Mariko Lamb, Talk Radio News Service

On Tuesday, Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department Health and Human Services spoke to the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Eduacation, and Related Agencies about issues concerning her department’s FY 2010 Budget.

According to Sebelius, the Health and Human Services Budget priorities include: health reform, improving oversight over Medicare and Medicaid fraud, improving the quality of healthcare, combating healthcare disparities among U.S. populations, providing funds for the Health Resources and Services Administration and preparing for future outbreaks and pandemics.

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) expressed his concern about PAYGO, a pay-as-you-go program, applying to the Healthcare Reform Bill. According to Alexander, a full analysis of the costs and details of PAYGO must be evaluated before supporting the proposition.

Sebelius and Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) agreed to re-evaluate additional concerns of the committee such as the the effective management of overlapping Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture responsibilities, the use of a previously-tested Senior Care Program, and a strategy to ensure healthcare in rural communities.