Preterm Births Cost U.S. $26 Billion a Year;

Multidisciplinary Research Effort Needed to Prevent Early Births

WASHINGTON -- The high rate of premature births in the United States constitutes a public health concern that costs society at least $26 billion a year, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. The report also notes troubling disparities in preterm birth rates among different racial and ethnic groups. It recommends a multidisciplinary research agenda aimed at improving the prediction and prevention of preterm labor and better understanding the health and developmental problems to which preterm infants are more vulnerable. In addition, the report recommends that guidelines be issued to further reduce the number of multiple births -- a significant risk factor for preterm birth -- resulting from infertility treatments.

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CMS Announces 8M Beneficiaries Will Be Exempt From New Medicaid Proof-of-Citizenship Rules, Proposes Alternatives for Documentation

(Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, Friday July 07, 2006)

CMS on Thursday July 6th, announced that it will exempt people enrolled in the Supplemental Security Income or Medicare programs and other groups from regulations that took effect July 1 requiring Medicaid beneficiaries and applicants to provide proof of citizenship in order to receive benefits.

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