Blogs

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of a 2018 agreement that undermined the interests of children and had a chilling effect on potential sponsors (usually a parent or close relative) from stepping up to sponsor an unaccompanied child placed in the care of HHS. In its place, DHS and HHS signed a new Memorandum of Agreement that promotes the safe and timely transfer of children. The new agreement does not change safeguards designed to ensure unaccompanied children are unified with properly vetted sponsors who can safely care for them while they await immigration proceedings.

As part of President Biden’s commitment to ensure the nation’s underserved communities and those disproportionately affected by COVID-19 are equitably vaccinated, this week the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is announcing that an additional 700 HRSA-supported health centers will be invited to join the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program. These health centers will have the opportunity to join the program over the next six weeks, increasing the total number of invited health center participants to 950.

Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces a 45-day extension of the public comment period for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule.

HHS Office of Minority Health Will Offer Localities Funding to Partner with Community Organizations to Connect Minority, Underserved Populations with Vital Services, Promote Pandemic Safety Measures

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights ("HHS OCR") and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan have entered into a Voluntary Resolution Agreement with Great Lakes Surgical Associates ("GLSA") to protect patients from discrimination on the basis of HIV status. The Complainant, an African American man and a Medicare beneficiary, initially filed a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ), reporting that his primary care physician referred him to GLSA for bariatric surgery to address his high blood pressure and diabetes. However, GLSA allegedly refused to fully evaluate him for bariatric surgery or to provide him with the surgery due to the Complainant's HIV status.

President Biden Invokes Defense Production Act to Support Measures to Accelerate Vaccine Development

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced additional Biden- Harris Administration appointments, building on an experienced team committed to President Biden’s mission to end the COVID-19 pandemic, expand affordable health care, and advance equity.

Pregnancy-related high blood pressure can have life-changing impacts on mothers and babies, and that’s why the Office on Women’s Health (OWH) remains committed to improving blood pressure control in women of reproductive age.

ADM Brett P. Giroir, M.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Health; Dorothy Fink, M.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health and Director, Office on Women's Health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women's Health (OWH) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health announced an $8 million nationwide contract with Premier, Inc. to improve maternal health data and create a network of at least 200 hospitals to deploy clinical, evidence-based best practices in maternity care. This announcement builds upon HHS's Improving Maternal Health in America Initiative as outlined in the President's FY 2021 Budget. This vital data will inform policy and validate evidence-based practice to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.