Tom Daschle and Howard Dean are rumored to be possible choices for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in president-elect Barack Obama's administration.

President-elect Barack Obama has laid out ambitious proposals in the area of healthcare reform. But such reform initially might be put on the back burner because of pressing economic concerns, industry observers say.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has failed to adequately protection patient information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), according to the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General.

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt in a speech Wednesday said continued preparation for a global flu pandemic should be a priority of his successor.

The presidential candidates' views of long-term care issues and funding will influence baby boomers' votes on Nov. 4, a new national survey by Genworth Financial Inc. found.

Sen. Barack Obama (D) recently accused his rival in the presidential race of planning to slice $882 billion from Medicare to fund his healthcare plan. It is a charge Sen. John McCain's (R) camp refutes.

U.S. Reps. Pete Stark (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) recently introduced a new version of the Nursing Home Transparency and Quality of Care Act of 2008 to the House.

Twenty-eight states will receive $36 million in grant programs to help older Americans, veterans and people with Alzheimer's receive home- and community-based care, the Department of Health and Human Services said Monday.

The Senate is likely to adopt a House version of an economic stimulus package that would infuse $14.7 billion into state Medicaid programs.

Democrats in the House and Senate last week released economic stimulus package proposals that would expand Medicaid funding to states.