Study Shows Sharp Rise in the Cost of Diabetes Nationwide
February 28, 2003 - The annual cost of diabetes in medical expenditures and lost productivity climbed from $98 billion in 1997 to $132 billion in 2002, according to a study by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) published in the March issue of Diabetes Care. The direct medical costs of diabetes more than doubled in that time, from $44 billion in 1997 to $91.8 billion in 2002.

Low Dose Warfarin Prevents Recurrence of Blood Clots
February 24, 2003 - A study of long-term, low-dose warfarin to prevent the recurrence of the blood clotting disorders deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism resulted in such a high degree of benefit to the patients -- without significant adverse effects -- that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped the study early.

HHS to Provide Quality of Care Information on Home Health Agencies
February 21, 2003 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson yesterday announced a new home health quality initiative to help people who rely on Medicare and Medicaid programs and their family members find the best home health agency for their needs.

Global Aging: Opportunity or Threat for the U.S. Economy?
February 21, 2003 - Sen. Larry Craig, Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, announced today a hearing, titled "Global Aging: Opportunity or Threat for the U.S. Economy?" concerning the impacts of an aging world population. Panelists will include Alan Greenspan who will make his first public statements on this issue..

HHS Announces the Red Dress Project to Educate Women About Heart Disease
February 21, 2003 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today proclaimed the third Friday in February, February 21, as Women's Heart Day and announced "The Red Dress Project," the centerpiece of a national campaign to raise awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of American women.

Aspirin for Heart Attacks and Strokes - New Reports
February 20, 2003 - Recent medical research suggests that ibuprofen may diminish the protective effects of aspirin for heart disease. Another, unrelated study shows that the dose in baby aspirin is not effective as a blood-thinner to prevent strokes for the majority of users.

HHS Adopts Final Security Standards, Transaction Modifications for Electronic Health Information under HIPAA
February 13, 2003 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced the adoption of final security standards for protecting individually identifiable health information when it is maintained or transmitted electronically.  At the same time, he also announced the adoption of modifications to a number of the electronic transactions and code sets adopted as national standards.

Adult Stem Cell Level Seen as Indicator of Heart Disease Risk
February 13, 2003 - Levels of a type of adult stem cell in the bloodstream may indicate a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.

Health Care Costs Expected to Rise to $3.1 Trillion Over Next 10 Years 
February 10, 2003 - Health care spending in the United States is projected to reach $3.1 trillion in 2012, up from $1.4 trillion in 2001, according to a report issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

President Calls for More AmeriCorps and Senior Volunteers in 2004 Budget
February 10, 2003 - President Bush released a 2004 budget for the Corporation for National and Community Service that would provide opportunities for 2.5 million Americans to serve their communities and country through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America.

Medicare to Cover Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease
February 6, 2003 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today it intends to cover deep brain stimulation for patients with severe disabling symptoms from essential tremor disorder or Parkinson's disease.  Coverage for this procedure will be limited to patients who have received the best medical care but still have significant difficulty in performing daily activities.

DisasterHelp - New Government Portal Site
February 4, 2003 - DisasterHelp.gov is designed to assist victims of disasters in locating the resources they need.  The goal of the site is to combine the resources of all the federal agencies in our partnership in one central location.

Credit Card Scam Warning
February 4, 2003 - Portland, Maine - Verizon warned Maine consumers about a scam designed to trick them into giving out personal information such as their credit card or telephone calling card numbers. In the scam, a con artist posing as an operator calls, usually between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and tells the called party that there is "an emergency collect call" from a hospital or emergency room. If the customer accepts the call, the fraudster states that the call cannot be billed as a collect call, and asks the called party to provide a calling card or commercial credit card number to complete the call.

Latest News on How the Government is Reacting to Terrorist Threats
February 3, 2003 - The FDA has new regulations to deal with food bioterrorism and has urged the use of Prussian Blue to deal with radiation contamination.