The new rules would give federal health officials more power to identify fraud early and help them reduce an estimated $55 billion in improper payments made annually through Medicare and Medicaid. The new rules also would give CMS increased oversight on nearly $900 billion in annual spending on the three health care programs.

Program will focus on providing creative and innovative education research experiences for new scientists in basic behavioral and social science research (b-BSSR).

The settlement covers clinicians who filed out-of-network claims not only with UnitedHealth Group but also its subsidiaries and affiliates, which include Oxford Health Plans, Golden Rule Insurance, Mid-Atlantic Medical Services, and PacifiCare Health Systems.

A Maryland-based sleep services provider entered into a $500,000 settlement with the federal government over billing questions for home sleep testing services provided to patients with insurance coverage through TRICARE (military dependants) and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP).

The proposed regulations would eliminate the current distinctions between domestic and international operations, expand the concept of pilot duty hours, recognize fatigue issues that arise based on the time of day and the time zone when and where pilots are working, and address the likelihood of being able to sleep under different circumstances.

On Wednesday first lady Michelle Obama urged Congress to reauthorize childhood nutrition legislation that would help implement some of her "Let's Move!" campaign initiatives, the New York Times reports.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Basic Behavioral and Social Science Opportunity Network (OppNet) has issued a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) soliciting Research Conference Grant (R13) applications for scientific meetings aimed at building interdisciplinary research teams in basic behavioral and social science research (b-BSSR).

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced that the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) and the Drummond Group Inc. are the first technology review bodies that have been authorized to test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for compliance with the standards and certification criteria that were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the availability of a new website section on the Electronic Prescribing Incentive (eRx) program.

For nearly 10 years the LRPs have supported early stage investigators by repaying up to $35,000 of educational debt annually for investigators who commit to at least two years of research funded by a domestic nonprofit, university or government entity.