Politics. On Point.

We couldn't help but notice (while looking to see how many people of color, in prominent roles, work for the Obama administration) that 'former' Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is still being featured on the White House Profiles pages . Does Kathleen Sebelius still work for the White House as SHHS? Ms. Sebelius was said to have resigned amid the embattled roll out of the Affordable Care Act website  that ended up being a nightmare for the administration, and those wanting to sign up for health care coverage. You may recall incidents with the website crashing , security issues , and more . [ Sebelius' White House blog posts ]. Despite those 'glitches', more than 7 million Americans have enrolled - a feat the administration calls "historical." Silvia Matthews Burwell (Office of Management and Budget) was announced as the replacement for Sebelius, and praised by President Obama.  Burwell was confirmed by the Sena...

From White House Press Release   U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius joined the NAACP on Wednesday in an online video conversation to discuss the benefits of enrolling in the Health Insurance Marketplace. During the Google+ Hangout , moderated by NAACP Senior Director of Health Programs Shavon Arline-Bradley, Secretary Sebelius addressed questions related to important Affordable Care Act deadlines, out-of-pocket expenses and health coverage for college students.   Secretary Sebelius also discussed the millions of people who could gain affordable coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. She highlighted the protections for consumers, including Insurance companies that can no longer charge women more or deny anyone coverage because of pre-existing health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.   “Those days are over. It’s a brand new day. And we’re in the middle of an open enrollment period right now so people ...

National Plan to Fight the Disease. HHS Secretary Sebelius outlines research funding, tools for health care providers, awareness campaign and new website Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released an ambitious national plan to fight Alzheimer’s disease. The plan was called for in the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), which President Obama signed into law in January 2011. The National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease sets forth five goals, including the development of effective prevention and treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by 2025. As many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and that number is likely to double in the coming years. At the same time, millions of American families struggle with the physical, emotional and financial costs of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. In February 2012, the administration announced that it would take immediate action to implement parts of the pla...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will announce the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). USDA and HHS DGA policy document, is the federal government's evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity. The policy document assists policy makers, nutrition professionals, food assistance program administrators, food industry, scientists and academics, and the nutrition-focused media with a consistent, science-based foundation for their nutrition efforts. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are reviewed and updated every five years by USDA and HHS as mandated by law . Consumer materials which support and reflect the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans will be released at a later date. The announcement will be made at GWU on Monday, January 31st.  It wi...

Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius is adamantly against any GOP attempts to repeal President Obama's health care bill. She writes in today's Chicago Tribune in an op-ed piece : "Unless we want to take coverage away from cancer patients, reduce oversight for insurance companies, raise prescription drug costs for seniors, weaken Medicare, add $1 trillion to the deficit and undo dozens of other reforms that are improving health around the country, we can't afford repeal. Repeal would also rip up the new Patient's Bill of Rights , which outlaws the worst abuses of health insurers. Thanks to the new law, insurance companies can no longer cancel your coverage without cause when you get sick. They may no longer put lifetime dollar limits on your benefits — limits that often meant your coverage was gone when you needed it most. And by 2014, most annual dollar limits on benefits will be a thing of the past." Another notably positive of t...

White House To Go Pink With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month , the White House is getting involved. Both the White House and the Main Gate of the U.S. Naval Observatory will be lit pink Thursday night at 6:29pm ET.  White House donning pink in honor of BCAM.  WH Photo/Lawrence Jackson.  Also, this Friday, October 15th, Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will host a conference call with women’s groups and breast cancer survivors and advocates to discuss the importance of screenings and early detection services, such as mammograms and related benefits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Other organizations in our area supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month  include the Washington Redskins who held a breast cancer survivor luncheon and glam fest out at Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va; and the Susan G. Koman for the Cure Foundation 's annual five mile walk in DC. Related National Breast C...

Patient Care Information With A Stroke Of A Key Vice President Joe Biden, along with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the selection of 15 communities across the country to serve as health information technology  pilot programs through the Beacon Community  Cooperative Agreement Program. The program will include $220 million in grants to build and strengthen health IT infrastructure and health information exchange capabilities, including strong privacy and security measures for data exchange, within 15 communities. An additional $15 million will be provided for technical assistance to the communities and to evaluate the success of the program. “Health information technology will make our health care system more efficient and improve care for every American,” Secretary Sebelius said. “The Beacon Community Program is a critical step forward as we work to expand the use of health information technology in hospitals and doctor’s office...