2010-04-15
Historic Health Reform Legislation Signed Into Law
President Barack Obama signed a landmark health-care bill into law on March 23, enacting a sweeping overhaul of the nation's $2.5 trillion health system after a year-long effort. A summary of the major provisions of the new law and a time-line of when provisions will go into effect is available on the ASH Web site. Read more.
Medicare Physician Payment Cut Implemented April 15; Congress Working on Legislation to Restore Payments
Prior to the congressional Easter recess, the House and Senate were unable to reach agreement to avoid a 21 percent cut in Medicare physician payment. Although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) subsequently instructed its contractors to refrain from processing physician claims at the reduced rates for 10 working days, Medicare’s hold on physician claims officially expired on April 15. However, the Senate is expected to vote this week on legislation to restore the physician payment cuts. Read more.
ASH Approves Policy on Regenerative Medicine
The field of regenerative medicine represents a multidisciplinary approach to treat diseases and disorders by enabling the body to repair, replace, restore and regenerate damaged or diseased cells, tissues, and organs. The wealth of genomic information in the past several decades fostered the development of the field of regenerative medicine and targeted cell therapies that can lead to treatments and cures for many of the major medical issues. The ASH Policy Statement on Regenerative Medicine describes current challenges related to research in regenerative medicine and offers recommendations to advance the field.
Stem Cell Bill Introduced in House of Representatives
Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Mike Castle (R-DE) have introduced legislation “to ensure a lasting ethical framework” for human stem cell research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Stem Cell Research Advancement Act (HR 4808) builds on President Obama’s March 2009 Executive Order overturning former President Bush’s restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Read more.
New CDC Funding Opportunity for DVT and PE Surveillance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a new grant program, Population-Based Surveillance for Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE) (CDC-RFA-DD10-1016). The purpose of the program is to develop and evaluate pilot programs for population-based surveillance of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Applications are dueMay 11, 2010. Read more.
CDC Announces Additional Grant Opportunity for State-Based Surveillance for Hemoglobinopathies
The CDC announced a new grant program, State-Based Surveillance for Hemoglobinopathies (CDC-RFA-DD10-1017), to provide continued support in thalassemia and sickle cell disease surveillance. Read more.
NIH Office of Extramural Research Releases April 2010 Newsletter
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research (OER) has released its April 2010 newsletter, which includes an overview of the NIH Director's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Pathfinder Award to Promote Diversity in the Scientific Workforce; information on ARRA quarterly recipient reporting, NIH reporting, and no-cost extensions; and information on new resources from the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. Read more.
