Search Results for agency_names:"Health and Human Services Department"

The Administration for Children and Families has issued a final rule permitting State and Tribal child support agencies to use federal funds to provide employment and training services to eligible noncustodial parents. These services aim to help parents find and keep jobs to ensure consistent child support payments. Effective January 13, 2025, the rule allows noncustodial parents with open child support cases to receive assistance such as job search help, skills training, and work support services. The initiative also seeks to enhance coordination with existing federal employment and training programs to prevent duplication and maximize benefits.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has updated the poverty guidelines to reflect a 1.2% increase in prices from 2019 to 2020, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. These guidelines help determine eligibility for federal programs like Medicaid. In some cases, due to adjustments in the formula, the guidelines may remain the same as the previous year despite inflation changes. The guidelines are mandated by law and are published annually by HHS, not the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as some might mistakenly believe.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is updating an existing system of records managed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and renamed it to "NIH Loan Repayment Records." This update also includes proposed exemptions for some records from certain requirements of the Privacy Act, intended to protect the identity of those who provide information in confidence. The system is used to manage and evaluate educational Loan Repayment Programs, which help repay loans for individuals conducting biomedical and behavioral research. Public comments on these changes can be submitted until March 15, 2021, and the new system will be effective after any feedback is addressed.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed new rules to revise health insurance standards under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These changes focus on improving the integrity of insurance marketplaces, especially concerning eligibility and enrollment systems. Key revisions include stricter policies on past-due premium payments and a proposal to exclude Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from health coverage through marketplaces. Additionally, the proposal aims to strengthen oversight on agents and brokers to prevent improper enrollments, which are believed to have cost taxpayers billions of dollars in recent years.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is updating the definition of the term "healthy" as it applies to food labeling to align with current nutrition science and dietary guidelines. This new rule outlines what food manufacturers must meet to label their products as "healthy," focusing on food groups and limiting certain nutrients like added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium. The rule aims to help consumers make better choices for maintaining a nutritious diet and to reduce diet-related chronic diseases. It is designed to ensure that foods labeled as "healthy" provide accurate and helpful information, promoting overall health and nutrition equity.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final rule establishing new guidelines for nonprescription drugs that require an "Additional Condition for Nonprescription Use" (ACNU). This rule allows drugs that can't be safely used with labeling alone to be sold without a prescription if the manufacturer implements an approved ACNU to ensure proper use. It aims to expand consumer access to certain drugs that would otherwise need a prescription and outlines specific requirements for drug application, labeling, and reporting failures of the ACNU process. The rule will take effect on January 27, 2025, and is intended to improve public health by making more medications safely available as nonprescription options.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an order permanently banning Jerrod Nichols Smith from providing services related to drug product applications. This decision follows his conviction on multiple felony counts of mail fraud and obstruction of justice, connected with the unlawful distribution and misrepresentation of prescription drugs. Smith's company, Cumberland Distribution, was involved in distributing drugs illegally obtained from unlicensed sources, leading to significant profit from falsified documents and drug mislabeling. After being notified, Smith did not respond or request a hearing, resulting in his debarment which prohibits him from engaging in drug product services.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set January 1, 2024, as the uniform compliance date for food labeling regulations that were published between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022. This means any new food labeling rules released during this timeframe must be followed by the start of 2024 to reduce the economic impact of labeling changes on the food industry. The FDA states that while these regulations don't immediately introduce new costs, they allow businesses time to adjust their labeling practices. The rule also specifies that special circumstances may justify a different compliance date, which will be detailed as needed.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule detailing changes to regulations associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for the year 2026. This rule covers various elements such as payment parameters, risk adjustment programs, and changes to user fee rates for health plans offered through Exchanges. It also introduces modifications to how quality improvement and medical loss ratio reporting are managed, aiming to enhance health equity, reduce health disparities, and minimize the administrative burden on healthcare providers. These updates are part of ongoing efforts to ensure consumers have access to quality and affordable health coverage.

The final rule from the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services allows Veterans Affairs (VA) practitioners to prescribe controlled substances to VA patients via telemedicine without needing an in-person medical evaluation by the prescribing practitioner. This is permissible if another VA practitioner has conducted an in-person evaluation. This change provides greater access to care for veterans, especially those in rural or underserved areas, while still implementing safeguards against the misuse of controlled substances. The rule includes requirements for reviewing the patient's electronic health record and state prescription drug monitoring program data before prescribing.