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HHS WEEKLY REPORT
15-21 September 2002

THIS ISSUE AVAILABLE ONLINE WITH EXPANDED INFORMATION AND PHOTOS AT:
www.hhs.gov/news/newsletter/weekly

IN THIS ISSUE:
1) Secretary Thompson announces approval of new HIFA grants
2) HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson leads HHS employees in a ceremony to commemorate the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001
3) Americans Living Longer and Healthier
4) Secretary Thompson addresses the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

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Secretary Thompson announces approval of new HIFA grants

The Department of Health and Human Services has approved Illinois' request to expand health insurance coverage to as many as 300,000 state residents without health insurance under the Administration's Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability (HIFA) Initiative.

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson went to Illinois to announce this approval on Thursday, September 12th. He also went to Maine the following day to announce HHS approval of a similar initiative there.

"We've made it a priority to make it simpler and easier for governors to submit Medicaid and SCHIP waiver requests and to have those requests considered promptly. Since January 2001, HHS has approved waivers and plan amendments that have expanded health insurance eligibility to more than 2 million people and enhanced benefits for more than 6 million people," Secretary Thompson said.

Illinois will use unspent State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) dollars to offer health insurance to low-income, uninsured parents of children in SCHIP or Medicaid. In Maine, the approved waiver would expand their MaineCare program to cover 11, 500 adults at or below the poverty level who do not have dependent children.

"This approval will bring the security of health coverage to thousands of residents of Illinois and Maine who otherwise would be uninsured -- including parents whose children are already covered. By giving states greater flexibility in their Medicaid and SCHIP programs, we are creating new opportunities for low-income residents to obtain the health coverage that they need," Secretary Thompson said.

In addition to the expansion of full Medicaid benefits to uninsured parents, the states will receive federal subsidies to offer premium assistance to workers whose employer health plans are too expensive.

HIFA is a Medicaid and SCHIP waiver approach recently developed by the Bush Administration that gives states greater ability to design health insurance programs to meet the needs of their low-income populations.

Secretary Thompson launched the new HIFA initiative last year to encourage states to expand access to health care coverage for low-income individuals through Medicaid and SCHIP demonstrations. The initiative gives states more flexibility to coordinate these companion programs and offers a simpler application for states that commit to reducing the number of people without health insurance. HIFA also encourages coordination between public and private coverage options for the uninsured.

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HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson leads HHS employees in a ceremony to commemorate the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001

Secretary Thompson praised the work and leadership of VADM Bob Knouss, who led the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) in sending responders to New York and Pennsylvania, and he thanked the epidemiologists and scientists at the HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for their committed service, and the nearly 600 members of the uniformed Commissioned Corps who responded to the attacks and the anthrax mailings.

"It's important to remember what was lost. It's important to remember that we are confronted, still, by threats and danger. But it's equally important to remember the courage, the professionalism, and the generosity of our response." Secretary Thompson said. "The events of a year ago help us remember what people are capable of - the bad, yes - but more important, the good. There are many among us, in the HHS family, who were among the heroes on 9-11, and in the months that followed."

"And when I say 'the HHS family,' I mean all 63,000 of us," Thompson continued. "Because behind every visible hero are all those who carry out the daily tasks and make the heroism possible. And I also mean our extended family, the volunteer health professionals in the National Disaster Medical System, our partners in the states and cities, and the national associations we work with."

Joining Secretary Thompson in thanking employees were Surgeon General Ricard Carmona, CDC Director Julie Gerberding, OEP chief Bob Knouss, and Jerry Hauer, Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness.

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Americans Living Longer and Healthier

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson issued a new report showing how Americans' health has changed dramatically for the better over the past 50 years. The report details that Americans are living longer, fewer babies are dying in infancy, and the gap between white and black life expectancy is continuing to narrow over the past decade.

"When you take the long view, you see clearly how far we've come in combating diseases, making workplaces safer and avoiding risks such as smoking," Secretary Thompson said. "As we take better care of ourselves and medical treatments continue to improve, the illnesses and behaviors that once cost us the lives of our grandparents will become even less threatening to the lives of our grandchildren."

By 2000, infant mortality had dropped to a record low and life expectancy hit a record high, according to Health, United States, 2002, the 26th annual statistical report on the nation's health prepared by HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The U.S. has made significant progress in fighting heart disease, stroke, and injuries. Even deaths caused by AIDS, which spiked in the 1980s, have dropped since 1995 due to powerful new anti-viral drugs. However about 40,000 new AIDS cases were reported in 2000.

Among the key findings of the report:

The report also noted that three in five adults ages 20-74 are overweight. One in four Americans is considered obese and almost 40 percent engaged in no physical activity during leisure time. "We need to be a healthier nation," Secretary Thompson said. "So much of our progress in lengthening and saving lives has been due to technology, but we could be so much healthier if people just took care of themselves. Americans need to be physically active, just walking 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week can greatly improve a person's health."

More information, including an electronic version of the report that may be downloaded, is available on the FOIA¬ Privacy ¬ Disclaimers¬ Accessibility

Last updated 16 September 2002
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