HHS WEEKLY REPORT
January 19 - 25, 2004

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

IN THIS ISSUE:
1) President Proposes Increase in Minority AIDS Funding
2) HHS To Expand Health Insurance Accessibility to Michigan Low-Income Families
3) Personal Health - What is complementary and alternative medicine?
4) Secretary Thompson's Public Schedule:

President Proposes Increase in Minority AIDS Funding

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced that President Bush's fiscal year 2005 budget request includes a 6 percent increase in the HIV/AIDS in Minority Communities Fund, during his visit to HIV/AIDS clinic in Alabama on January 16. The budget also includes a 5 percent increase in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) within the Ryan White Care Act.

"Minority communities are disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic," Secretary Thompson said. "We must be as flexible as possible in our treatment, research and prevention of HIV/AIDS to ensure that we are directing our energy and resources to the communities that are most seriously impacted by the disease."

For example, African-American men accounted for 43 percent of the new HIV infections reported in the U.S. in 2001, and African-American women nearly 64 percent.

The Ryan White Care Act program provides funding through cities, states, community health centers and other avenues to about 530,000 people each year who have little or no insurance. These services include medical care, access to lifesaving pharmaceuticals, dental care, outpatient mental health services, outpatient substance abuse treatment and home health care.

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HHS To Expand Health Insurance Accessibility to Michigan Low-Income Families

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced the approval of Michigan's request under the new, more flexible Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability (HIFA) Initiative to expand the use of SCHIP funds to offer health insurance to adults who are currently uninsured.

The state will expand health insurance coverage to childless adults with family incomes at or below 35 percent of the federal poverty level. Michigan is the ninth state to use the HIFA waiver to expand access to health care coverage. New Mexico, Oregon, Illinois, Colorado, New Jersey, Maine, Arizona and California also have been granted HIFA waivers.

"This new HIFA initiative gives states the flexibility they need to address the growing numbers of uninsured citizens," said Secretary Thompson. "It is not a cure for the problem of all citizens without coverage, but it's a first step."

Michigan expects to enroll nearly 62,000 adults who currently do not have access to health insurance, over the course of the five-year demonstration.

HIFA is an innovative Medicaid and SCHIP waiver approach that gives states greater flexibility to design programs that best meet the needs of their citizens. The Bush Administration is putting particular emphasis on broad statewide approaches to increase the number of citizens with health care coverage for low-income individuals. HIFA also encourages coordination between public and private coverage options for the uninsured.

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Personal Health

1. What is complementary and alternative medicine?

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be a part of conventional medicine.1 People use CAM therapies in a variety of ways. CAM therapies used alone are often referred to as "alternative." When used in addition to conventional medicine, they are often referred to as "complementary." The list of what is considered to be CAM changes continually, as those therapies that are proven to be safe and effective become adopted into conventional health care and as new approaches to health care emerge. For more about these terms, see the NCCAM fact sheet "What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?"

2. How can I get reliable information about a CAM therapy?

It is important to learn what scientific studies have discovered about the therapy in which you are interested. It is not a good idea to use a CAM therapy simply because of something you have seen in an advertisement or on a Web site or because someone has told you that it worked for them. (See sidebar for some tips on evaluating the information you see on a Web site.) Understanding a treatment's risks, potential benefits, and scientific evidence is critical to your health and safety. Scientific research on many CAM therapies is relatively new, so this kind of information may not be available for every therapy. However, many studies on CAM treatments are under way, including those that NCCAM supports, and our knowledge and understanding of CAM is increasing all the time. Here are some ways to find scientifically based information:

3. Are CAM therapies safe?

Each treatment needs to be considered on its own. However, here are some issues to think about when considering a CAM therapy.

4. How can I determine whether statements made about the effectiveness of a CAM therapy are true?

Statements that manufacturers and providers of CAM therapies may make about the effectiveness of a therapy and its other benefits can sound reasonable and promising. However, they may or may not be backed up by scientific evidence. Before you begin using a CAM treatment, it is a good idea to ask the following questions:

5. Are there any risks to using CAM treatments?

Yes, there can be risks, as with any medical therapy. These risks depend upon the specific CAM treatment. The following are general suggestions to help you learn about or minimize the risks.

6. Are CAM therapies tested to see if they work?

While some scientific evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of some CAM therapies, for most there are key questions that are yet to be answered through well-designed scientific studies--questions such as whether they are safe, how they work, and whether they work for the diseases or medical conditions for which they are used.

NCCAM is the Federal Government's lead agency on scientific research of CAM. NCCAM supports research on CAM therapies to determine if they work, how they work, whether they are effective, and who might benefit most from the use of specific therapies.

7. I am interested in a CAM therapy that involves treatment from a practitioner. How do I go about selecting a practitioner?

Here are a few things to consider when selecting a practitioner. If you need more information, see our fact sheet, "Selecting a Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioner."

8. Can I receive treatment or a referral to a practitioner from NCCAM?

NCCAM is the Federal Government's lead agency dedicated to supporting research on CAM therapies. NCCAM does not provide CAM therapies or referrals to practitioners.

9. Can I participate in CAM research through a clinical trial?

NCCAM supports clinical trials (research studies in people) of CAM therapies. Clinical trials of CAM are taking place in many locations worldwide, and study participants are needed. To find out more about clinical trials in CAM, see the NCCAM fact sheet "About Clinical Trials and Complementary and Alternative Medicine." To find trials that are recruiting participants, go to the Web site nccam.nih.gov/clinicaltrials. You can search this site by the type of therapy being studied or by disease or condition.

For more information on Complementary and Alternative Medicine please visit: http://nccam.nih.gov/

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Secretary Tommy G. Thompson's public schedule:

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Last updated: January 20, 2004
United States Department of Health and Human Services
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