Indiana Receives CMS Approval To Expand SCHIP

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Secretary Mitch Roob on Friday announced that CMS has approved an expansion of Hoosier Healthwise, the state's version of SCHIP, the AP/Chicago Tribune reports. Federal approval allows the state to increase eligibility to children in families with incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level.

Lilly Commits 1mm Dollars To World Medical Association To Support Innovative Tuberculosis Training Course

Eli Lilly and Company announced the scaling-up of an existing partnership with the World Medical Association (WMA) by providing a grant of $998, 773 to expand training courses for physicians on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Tuberculosis (TB) is a preventable disease that kills close to two million people every year and infects an estimated nine million more.

Updated Fact Sheets Provide Data About HIV AIDS Among Blacks, Latinos, Women

Updated fact sheets, Kaiser Family Foundation: The fact sheets provide information about the impact of HIV/AIDS on blacks, Latinos and women in the U.S. Each fact sheet includes data about trends and current cases, as well as population-specific information on HIV transmission patterns and access to care (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 5/12).

Chicago Tribune Magazine Examines HIV AIDS Among Children, Adolescents In U.S.

The Chicago Tribune Magazine on Sunday examined HIV/AIDS among children and adolescents in the U.S. According to the Tribune, there are about 6, 000 children and young adults living with HIV/AIDS in the country.

Hawaii Legislature Overrides Gov. Lingle's Veto Of Prescription Drug Importation Program

Hawaii lawmakers last week overrode Gov. Linda Lingle's (R) veto of a bill that will enroll the state in I-SaveRx, a program that allows residents to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs from other countries, the AP/Honolulu Advertiser reports. Hawaii is the sixth state to enroll in the program, which began in Illinois in 2004 and can provide savings of up to 55%.

Dennis Quaid Tells Lawmakers How Drug Mix Up Nearly Killed His Newborn Twins

American actor Dennis Quaid went to Capitol Hill today, Wednesday, and told a panel of lawmakers at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about how his baby twins Thomas and Zoe nearly died when they were accidentally given a dose of the blood thinner heparin that was 1, 000 times bigger than it should have been when they were 12 days old.

U.S. Adults Trust Democratic Presidential Candidate Obama More Than Presumptive GOP Nominee McCain On Health Care

Fifty-five percent of U.S. adults trust Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) more than presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) to address the issue of health care, compared with 31% who trust McCain more than Obama to address the issue, according to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, the Post reports.

Black-White Health Gap Should Be Addressed As A Race Issue, Not Class Issue, Author Says

The St. Petersburg Times last week featured a question and answer with Vernellia Randall -- an author, lawyer and professor of law at the University of Dayton School of Law -- that focused on racial health disparities.

Report Proposes Near-Universal Health Coverage System That Would Allow Individuals, Small Businesses To Purchase Insurance Through Private Plans

A national health insurance "connector" program that allows individuals and small businesses to buy public and private health coverage could provide insurance for up to 44 million uninsured U.S. residents, according to an article by the Commonwealth Fund published in the May/June issue of the journal Health Affairs, CQ HealthBeat reports.

Pediatric Society Leaders, Health Policy Experts Consider Disparities In Children's Health As Top Priority For Political Candidates

Top policy and research experts and leaders of seven pediatric societies last week convened in Hawaii at a public symposium about health care and poverty issues facing U.S. children and adolescents as part of an effort to make the issues a top priority for national and state election candidates this year, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports.