Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Affinity Empowering Enrolls First School in New Hampshire for No-Cost COVID-19 Tests Through Operation Expanded Testing

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 13, 2021
OET, CDC, Program, School, PCR, K-12, Nose, Mental health, Prison, Melissa, Health, Historically black colleges and universities, Affinity, Child, DOD, Recruitment, Television, U.S. Department of Defense Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace, COVID-19, HHS, Curriculum, COVID-19 testing, NORTH, University, Black Ivy League, Learning, Population, Parent, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Time, Enrollment, Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, Student, Tutoring, Pharmaceutical industry

The school enrolled in OET to provide an important layer of COVID-19 protection for those students whose parents have consented to testing.

Key Points: 
  • The school enrolled in OET to provide an important layer of COVID-19 protection for those students whose parents have consented to testing.
  • The surveillance COVID-19 testing began on Wednesday, September 8 and will occur weekly on Tuesdays.
  • "We commend The Children's Path for enrolling into Operation Expanded Testing and setting an example for COVID-19 safety in the state of New Hampshire," said Anne Haslerud, Vice President of Recruitment and Enrollment at Affinity Empowering.
  • Affinity will then provide the resources and training necessary to establish a COVID-19 testing program at your institution.

SIGA Announces BARDA Exercise of Procurement Option Valued at $112.5 Million for Oral TPOXX®

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 13, 2021
Risk, SIGA Technologies, Government, Smallpox, CEO, Vaccination, FDA, Forward-looking statement, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Company, Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, BARDA, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Assistant, Human services, Infection, Policy, Development, Vaccine, NASDAQ, COVID-19, Interest, GLOBE, IV, Human, Organization, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Defense Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace, Time, Research, Exercise, Pharmaceutical industry

This option exercise, in combination with international orders, highlights the global importance of smallpox preparedness, said Phil Gomez, CEO of SIGA.

Key Points: 
  • This option exercise, in combination with international orders, highlights the global importance of smallpox preparedness, said Phil Gomez, CEO of SIGA.
  • With the option exercised under the 19C BARDA contract, SIGA has received orders valued at a total of approximately $123 million for the year to date for the procurement of oral TPOXX.
  • TPOXX is a novel small-molecule drug and the U.S. government maintains a stockpile of TPOXX for treatment of smallpox.
  • Over the past decade, the U.S. government has procured, or has current orders for, approximately $705 million of TPOXX for national preparedness.

United Language Group Awarded $1.1 Million to Support Populations with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in Accessing Health Care Coverage

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 10, 2021

Consumers across the United States especially those within vulnerable populations often face challenges when signing up for health insurance.

Key Points: 
  • Consumers across the United States especially those within vulnerable populations often face challenges when signing up for health insurance.
  • United Language Group has been chosen as one out of the 60 organizations awarded to receive a $1.1 million portion of $80 million in grant awards over the next three years.
  • With this support, ULG will provide certified Navigators to help uninsured LEP consumers get access to affordable health care coverage in the state of North Carolina.
  • ABOUT United Language Group: United Language Group is one of the worlds largest and most innovative Language Service providers in the world.

Norfolk Southern Grants $400,000 to Food Banks to Combat Food Insecurity

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 9, 2021

ATLANTA, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today announced $400,000 in grants to 31 food banks located across the states served by the company.

Key Points: 
  • ATLANTA, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today announced $400,000 in grants to 31 food banks located across the states served by the company.
  • The funds will directly support local efforts to combat food insecurity, as well as other assistance initiatives supporting children, families, and senior citizens.
  • The funds will help combat food insecurity and support other initiatives for children, families, and senior citizens
    "Food insecurity impacts every community in our country and disproportionately children and senior citizens.
  • Norfolk Southern is proud to partner with these food banks as a way to help make a difference by feeding and assisting those in need," said LaSandra Boykin, director of corporate giving at Norfolk Southern.

ATL Awarded $2.4 Million Contract to Provide Civil Survey and Subsurface Investigations for Hanford Tank Farms

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 9, 2021

Work in support of the Hanford Tank Operations Contractor (TOC) will be performed at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State.

Key Points: 
  • Work in support of the Hanford Tank Operations Contractor (TOC) will be performed at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State.
  • As the TOC, WRPS has primary oversight and responsibility for operating and managing the Hanford 200 Area Tank Farm facilities for the DOEs Office of River Protection (ORP).
  • Under this contract, ATL will provide essential services including conducting subsurface investigations (ground scanning), dome deflection surveys, and civil surveying to support the Hanford Site environmental cleanup mission.
  • ATL is recognized for its proven expertise in health physics, occupational health and safety, nuclear and laboratory operations, radiological and civil survey, data mining, and machine learning.

OptumHealth Education Launches LGBTQ+ Education Program for Providers

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 9, 2021
Other Health, Continuing, Radiology, Practice Management, Pharmaceutical, Education, Managed Care, General Health, Women, Hospitals, Teens, Men, LGBTQ+, Nursing, Consumer, Health

OptumHealth Education , in partnership with OutCare Health , has launched an accredited, no-cost, and publicly available education program to teach health care professionals about the unique health care needs and disparities experienced by the LGBTQ+ community.

Key Points: 
  • OptumHealth Education , in partnership with OutCare Health , has launched an accredited, no-cost, and publicly available education program to teach health care professionals about the unique health care needs and disparities experienced by the LGBTQ+ community.
  • The program is an on-demand, publicly available webcast on OptumHealthEducation.com at no cost, and is eligible for continuing education credits.
  • OptumHealth Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
  • OptumHealth Education is dedicated to providing interprofessional continuing education that improves patient outcomes and positively impacts the delivery of health care.

REI Wins HHS HRSA's $250M IDIQ Program to Develop and Enhance Grants Management and Performance Reporting System

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 8, 2021

STERLING, Va., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded REI Systems the Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) Development and Enhancement Support Services contract that is valued at $250 million over five years. The single-award contract will support HRSA in enhancing the EHBs mission-critical system that manages the performance and oversight for more than $12 billion in grants annually. HRSA grants funding improves health outcomes and achieves health equity by providing access to quality health services, a skilled health workforce, and investing in innovative, high-value programs.

Key Points: 
  • The single-award contract will support HRSA in enhancing the EHBs mission-critical system that manages the performance and oversight for more than $12 billion in grants annually.
  • The EHBs system interfaces with HHS's Grants Management Systems and helps HRSA meet strategic goals and objectives.
  • Under this contract, REI Systems will continue to enhance HRSA's performance reporting capabilities and provide data analysis and dashboard solutions for greater visibility into the performance of grants that enhances overall decision-making.
  • These improvements will enable HRSA to better utilize the EHBs investment in response to legislative, policy, management, and technology changes.

Sage Growth Partners Selected to Collaborate with National Minority Health Association to Mobilize Home Health Workers in fight against COVID-19

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 8, 2021

"We are honored to be selected as the NMHA's marketing and communications partner in this critically important endeavor," said Boh Hatter, SGP's chief marketing officer.

Key Points: 
  • "We are honored to be selected as the NMHA's marketing and communications partner in this critically important endeavor," said Boh Hatter, SGP's chief marketing officer.
  • Sage Growth Partners accelerates commercial success for B2B, B2B2C, and B2C healthcare organizations through a singular focus on growth.
  • Founded in 2005, Sage Growth Partners is located in Baltimore, MD, and serves clients such as Pyx Health, ProgenyHealth, the National Minority Health Association, Philips Healthcare, U.S. Renal Care, Quest Diagnostics, Livongo, Olive, and iN2L.
  • Become a member of the NMHA Health Equity Action Leaders network (HEAL) and join the fight for health equity.

FGA Economic Outlook Following the Expiration of the Unemployment Bonus

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 8, 2021

FGA supported the decision made by 26 governors to end increased benefits in their states before the expiration deadline.

Key Points: 
  • FGA supported the decision made by 26 governors to end increased benefits in their states before the expiration deadline.
  • FGA looks forward to the inevitable economic recovery that will follow the end of this program.
  • "Since July 2020, FGA research has proven the need to end increased unemployment benefits to empower Americans to return to work.
  • More than half of states opted out of the unemployment bonus, and those states are beginning to see the same economic recovery our research predicted," said Joe Horvath, Senior Fellow at FGA.

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and Health Gorilla Announce a Public-private Partnership

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Once a Veteran has authorized access to their health information using a VA-approved authentication method they will be able to retrieve their electronic health records at any time through Health Gorilla's national network which currently encompasses 92% of all healthcare organizations in the United States.

Key Points: 
  • Once a Veteran has authorized access to their health information using a VA-approved authentication method they will be able to retrieve their electronic health records at any time through Health Gorilla's national network which currently encompasses 92% of all healthcare organizations in the United States.
  • They will also be able to revoke the privileges they've granted the application at any time through their account settings on VA.gov .
  • "This partnership is another example of the Department of Veteran Affairs continuing to leverage innovative technology to implement top of the line healthcare interoperability for our nation's veterans and their care teams," said Steve Yaskin, CEO and Co-founder of Health Gorilla.
  • Founded in 2014, Health Gorilla is a secure interoperability solution that enables the entire health care ecosystem patients, payers, providers, digital health solutions, and labs to seamlessly share health data and aggregate each patient's entire clinical history in one place.