Congressional Research Service Reports - 555 Matching Results
Search Results
- The Veterans Health Administration and Medical Education: A Fact Sheet
- This report supplies facts about the Veterans Health Administration and its medical education. It describes the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and its involvement in the medical training of health care professionals. The report also gives details on the VA's academic affiliations, its funding of physician training, and its ongoing graduate medical education (GME) expansion. Figure 1 on page 3 shows the amount the VA spent on education and training from FY2010 to FY2015.
- Health Insurance: A Primer
- This report provides information about Health Insurance where people buy insurance to protect themselves against the possibility of financial loss in the future. Americans obtain insurance in different settings and a variety of methods.
- Animal Identification: Overview and Issues
- This report provides information about animal identification and proposed solutions. Livestock industry groups, animal health officials, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been working to establish a nationwide identification (ID) system capable of quickly tracking animals from birth to slaughter, to deal with animal diseases and/or to satisfy foreign market specifications. Some consumer groups are among those who believe ID also would be useful for food safety or retail labeling purposes.
- The 2009 Influenza A(H1N1) "Swine Flu" Outbreak: U.S. Responses to Global Human Cases
- This report discusses the April 2009 outbreak of the influenza strain known as H1N1, or swine influenza. This report describes the distribution of the virus and the statistics of affected areas, as well as international and U.S. efforts to treat infected persons, respond to outbreaks in various countries, and prepare for a possible influenza pandemic.
- Genetic Information: Legal Issues Relating to Discrimination and Privacy
- On June 26, 2000, in a special ceremony at the White House, the completion of the "rough draft" of the human genome was announced. This milestone, which has been compared to the discoveries of Galileo, and other advances in genetics have created novel legal issues relating to genetic information.
- Walter Reed Army Medical Center: Realignment Under BRAC 2005 and Options for Congress
- This report details the BRAC Commission recommendation to create the WRNMMC, and the concomitant realignment of the WRAMC. It describes the concerns raised by the community before the BRAC Commission regarding the closure of the WRAMC main post and explains each of the 13 parts of the overall recommendation.
- U.S. Response to the Global Threat of Malaria: Basic Facts
- This report outlines basic facts related to global malaria, including characteristics of the epidemic and U.S. legislation, programs, funding, and partnerships related to the global response to malaria.
- TRICARE and VA Health Care: Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
- This report addresses key questions concerning how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) affects TRICARE and VA health care.
- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues regarding the H1N1 influenza, including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
- Veterans Affairs: Presumptive Service Connection and Disability Compensation
- The purpose of this report is to examine the very complex and sometimes controversial policy issue of establishing presumptive service connection. The material in it is based in large part on VA's "Analysis of Presumptions of Service Connection," and IOM's "Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans" reports.
- Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans through three major operating units, one of which is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), on which this report focuses. This report will track the FY2011 appropriations process for funding VHA, and will be updated as legislative activities warrant.
- Veterans Affairs: Presumptive Service Connection and Disability Compensation
- This report discusses presumptive service connection, its legislative history, and current challenges in making evidence-based determinations of presumptions. It also discusses the Agent Orange Act (P.L. 102-4) and suggests implications of the process established by the act for future presumptive service-connected determinations.
- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- Recent human cases of infection with a novel influenza A(H1N1) virus have been identified both internationally and in the United States. Since there has been human to human transmission and the new virus has the potential to become pandemic, it is timely to examine legal issues surrounding this emerging public health threat. This report will provide a brief overview of selected legal issues.
- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- Recent human cases of infection with a novel influenza A(H1N1) virus have been identified both internationally and in the United States. Since there has been human to human transmission and the new virus has the potential to become pandemic, it is timely to examine legal issues surrounding this emerging public health threat. This report will provide a brief overview of selected legal issues.
- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
- The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues
- This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues regarding the H1N1 influenza, including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
- Follow-On Biologics: Intellectual Property and Innovation Issues
- This report reviews doctrinal and policy issues pertaining to follow-on biologics. The report first introduces the application of federal food and drug legislation to follow-on biologics. It next turns to the patent implications of marketing follow-on biologics. Following this review of substantive law, the remainder of the report introduces innovation policy issues pertaining to follow-on biologics.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- Medicare's Skilled Nursing Facility Benefit
- No Description Available.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- The Hatch-Waxman Act: Proposed Legislative Changes Affecting Pharmaceutical Patents
- This report describes the Proposed Legislative Changes Affecting Pharmaceutical Patents on Hatch-Waxman Act. The Hatch-Waxman Act provides the FDA with certain authorities to offer periods of marketing for a pharmaceutical independent of the rights conferred by patents.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- Genetic Information: Legal Issues Relating to Discrimination and Privacy
- This report discusses current federal law, state statutes, and current legislation. It will be updated as needed.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- Stem Cell Research
- No Description Available.
- AIDS: An Overview of Issues
- This report discusses the many difficult policy dilemmas associated with the AIDS epidemic, including past Congressional funding to support AIDS research and education efforts, strategies for controlling the spread of the AIDS virus, and methods and resources available for the care and treatment of persons with AIDS.
- AIDS: An Overview of Issues
- This report discusses the many difficult policy dilemmas associated with the AIDS epidemic, including past Congressional funding to support AIDS research and education efforts, strategies for controlling the spread of the AIDS virus, and methods and resources available for the care and treatment of persons with AIDS.
- AIDS: International Problems and Issues
- This issue brief discusses the AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) virus and its effects on the world, especially with regard to the welfare of developing nations and various facets of general international relations. Also discussed are the related issues for Congress and U.S. contributions to international AIDS relief efforts led by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Prescription Drug Coverage Under Medicaid
- Medicaid is a joint federal-state entitlement program that pays for medical services on behalf of certain groups of low-income persons. It is the third largest social program in the federal budget, exceeded only by Social Security and Medicare and is typically the second largest spending item for states. This report discusses prescription drug policies under the program.
- Hospital Cost Containment
- This report provides an overview of the dimensions of the problem of rising expenditures for hospital care, the reasons for rising hospital costs, general information on methods of controlling hospital costs and specific programs which have been developed, and some of the issues involved.
- Authorized Generic Pharmaceuticals: Effects on Innovation
- The practice of “authorized generics” has recently been the subject of considerable attention by the pharmaceutical industry, regulators, and members of Congress alike. An “authorized generic”–sometimes termed a “branded,” “flanking,” or “pseudo” generic–is a pharmaceutical that is marketed by or on behalf of a brand name drug company, but is sold under a generic name. Although the availability of an additional competitor in the generic drug market would appear to be favorable to consumers, authorized generics have nonetheless proven controversial. Some observers believe that authorized generics potentially discourage independent generic firms both from challenging drug patents and from selling their own products.
- The Virus-Serum-Toxin Act: A Brief History and Analysis
- The Viruses, Serums, Toxins, Antitoxins, and Analogous Products Act (21 U.S.C. 151-159), also known as the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act (VSTA), is intended to assure the safe and effective supply of animal vaccines and other biological products. The act and its applicable regulations are administered by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
- Veterans' Benefits Issues in the 109th Congress
- This report presents a brief overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs for veterans as well as some of the issues that have been or likely will be subjects of congressional attention during the 109th Congress. In particular, it outlines the veterans benefits provisions that have seen legislative action. Issues concerning the Veterans Health Administration and health care issues are discussed in a companion report, CRS Report RL32961, Veterans’ Health Care Issues in the 109th Congress, by Sidath Viranga Panangala.
- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Military Manpower Policy
- This issue brief will discuss issues dealing with military manpower policy and the AIDS virus, including the level of the AIDS infection or HIV infection rates in the military; efforts to control the spread of AIDS to and among military personnel; and AIDS in the context of military personnel stationed overseas.
- Immigration Policies and Issues on Health-Related Grounds for Exclusion
- This report discusses the criteria that foreign nationals must meet before admission to the United States, including the reasons why a foreign national might be denied admission, most particularly on health-related grounds. This report discusses such issues in relation to the recent outbreak of the 2009 H1N1 ("swine flu") virus, and how the outbreak has affected various government agencies, such as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This report also discusses efforts to confront and address such issues on a legislative front.
- U.S. Response to the Global Threat of Tuberculosis: Basic Facts
- This report outlines basic facts related to global tuberculosis (TB), including characteristics of the epidemic and U.S. legislation, programs, funding, and partnerships related to the global response to TB.
- Former NFL Players: Disabilities, Benefits, and Related Issues
- This report discusses professional football players' injuries and health conditions that might have long-term consequences for their health.
- Immigration Policies and Issues on Health-Related Grounds for Exclusion
- This report discusses the criteria that foreign nationals must meet before admission to the United States, including the reasons why a foreign national might be denied admission, most particularly on health-related grounds.
- The 2014 Ebola Outbreak: International and U.S. Responses
- This report discusses the Ebola virus disease (Ebola or EVD), which is a severe, often fatal disease that was first detected near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1976.
- Safe at Home? Letting Ebola-Stricken Americans Return
- This report examines the U.S. practice of isolation and quarantine for citizens arriving in the country who have been infected with or exposed to a dangerous communicable disease. The report frames this information in the context of the two American healthcare workers who were brought back into the U.S. for treatment after contracting the Ebola virus in West Africa in the Summer of 2014.
- Ebola: 2014 Outbreak in West Africa
- This report gives a overview of the West African Ebola outbreak that began in March, 2014. The report discusses the nature of the disease as well as local and international responses to it. The report also briefly examines U.S policy and congressional actions in the wake of the outbreak.
- FDA Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS): Description and Effect on Generic Drug Development
- This report provides a brief history of FDA drug regulation, describes FDA's early risk management programs, and focuses on the agency's current risk management authorities, specifically risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS). The report also discusses issues that have arisen as a result of REMS, particularly the impact on generic drug competition. It does not discuss antitrust issues raised by restricted distribution systems.
- Telehealth Services Proposed for Medicare Part B Reimbursements, 2018: Fact Sheet
- This report discusses telehealth services covered under Medicare and describes the five conditions that a telehealth service must meet to be covered and paid for under Medicare Part B, provides an overview of how the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adds telehealth services to Medicare's reimbursable list, and includes a table listing the proposed telehealth services to be added to the CY2018 list for Medicare reimbursement.
- Genetic Ancestry Testing
- From Summary: This report describes genetic ancestry testing, outlines the basic scientific limitations of the testing currently, and provides an overview of the policy issues this testing may raise.
- FDA’s Authority to Ensure That Drugs Prescribed to Children Are Safe and Effective
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for adult use many drugs never tested in children. Yet clinicians often prescribe them for children believing that the safety and effectiveness demonstrated with adults probably reasonably transfers to younger patients. The data show that this is not always true. To encourage industry to develop drugs and medical devices for pediatric use, Congress has established three programs. The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA, P.L. 110-85) reauthorized and strengthened two laws addressing drugs—the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) of 2002 and the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) of 2003—and enacted a new law addressing devices—the Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act (PMDSIA) of 2007. The historical approach of this report allows an understanding of how and why Congress took these steps.
- U.S. Response to the Global Threat of Tuberculosis: Basic Facts
- Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most widespread infectious diseases in the world, infecting an average of 9 million people annually. Although TB is curable, more than 1 million TB-related deaths occur each year. Due in part to a growing global response to TB, progress has been made in combating the disease. Globally, new TB infection rates have begun to slowly decline and TB mortality rates have decreased significantly since 1990. At the same time, absolute numbers of people infected with TB, particularly in Asia and Africa, continue to rise. Congress has recognized TB as an important humanitarian issue and increasingly as a potential threat to global security. In its second session, the 112th Congress will likely debate the appropriate funding levels and optimum strategy for addressing the continued challenge of global TB.