XAVIER BECERRA

President Joe Biden’s top health official says that “every option is on the table” when it comes to helping women access abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Health Secretary Becerra directed federal health agencies to ensure victims of rape and incest have ready access to abortion.

The Biden administration has started shipping testing kits for monkeypox to commercial laboratories, in a bid to speed diagnostic tests for suspected infections for the virus that has already infected at least 142 people in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending tests to commercial labs, including Aegis Science, Labcorp, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics and Sonic Healthcare, which it said would significant expand the nation’s health system’s capacity to...

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the face of America’s pandemic response through two White House administrations, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

President Joe Biden’s top health official has again tested positive for COVID-19, less than a month after he came down with virus symptoms while on a trip to Germany.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, less than a month since he previously contracted the virus.

President Joe Biden says he wasn't briefed on the prospect of nationwide shortages of infant formula for about two months.

Medicare officials have determined that a mid-year change is not feasible, despite significant cost savings related to coverage of Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm.

Medicare recipients will get a premium reduction — but not until next year.

Medicare recipients will get a premium reduction — but not until next year — reflecting what Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Friday was an overestimate in costs of covering an expensive and controversial new Alzheimer's drug. Becerra’s statement said the 2022 premium should be adjusted downward but legal and operational hurdles prevented officials from doing that in the middle of the year. Medicare Part B premiums jumped by $22 a month, to $170.10, for 2022, in part because of the cost of the drug Aduhelm, which was approved despite weak evidence that it could slow the progression of Alzheimer's.

The Biden administration announces the third flight to retrieve foreign baby formula, this time from Australia.

Another member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet has tested positive for COVID-19.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra pledged to devote "far more resources towards mental health care" in wake of the pandemic's toll.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services continues to evaluate the Part B premium, given changes that have occurred since the monthly amount was set.

The Food and Drug Administration said eliminating menthol cigarettes could prevent between 300,000 and 650,000 smoking deaths over 40 years.

The agency says the proposal has the potential to significantly reduce disease and death from tobacco by "reducing youth experimentation and addiction."

Jennifer Tolbert, an expert at KFF, said the uninsured will likely faced reduced testing, treatment and vaccine services.

Former President Barack Obama will be returning to the White House on Tuesday for his first public event there since he left office in 2017.

When the end of the COVID-19 pandemic comes, it could create major disruptions for U.S. health care.

Thousands of patients in Ukraine are receiving lifesaving medicines to treat HIV and opioid addiction through a U.S.-funded group still operating amid the Russian invasion.

A federal agency says it's running out of money to cover medical bills for COVID tests and treatments for uninsured people and will stop taking claims at midnight Tuesday.

COVID-19 patients now have new treatments they can take at home to stay out of the hospital — if doctors get the pills to them fast enough.

The deaths come sharp contrasts emerge in the global battle with the virus.

With the nation yearning for a new normal after its long struggle with the coronavirus, U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra is warning that vaccines, tests and treatments will be “stuck on the ground” unless Congress provides additional funds the White House has demanded.

Biden said Abbott's actions “callously threaten to harm children and their families just to score political points.”

Plan would allow other countries to replicate American scientific breakthroughs, intended to boost supplies to fight pandemic.

The Biden administration is telling Congress it needs an additional $30 billion to press ahead with the fight against COVID-19.

The Biden administration says it has purchased enough doses of a yet-to-be approved antibody drug to treat 600,000 patients with COVID-19.

The Biden administration says a government grant program to help prevent additional harm to people who use illicit drugs will not pay for safer pipes to smoke crack or meth.

Following outrage on the political right, the Biden administration said Wednesday that a grant program to help prevent additional harm to people who use illicit drugs will not pay for safer pipes to smoke crack or meth. “No federal funding will be used directly or through subsequent reimbursement of grantees to put pipes in safe smoking kits,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and White House drug policy adviser Rahul Gupta said in a statement. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said separately that was never the intention, complaining that impression was created by “inaccurate reporting.”

President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the powerful Food and Drug Administration has stalled in the narrowly divided Senate.

The Health Resources and Services Administration is distributing $66.5 million to community groups working across 38 states and Washington, D.C. to help with local vaccine outreach.

They urge additional investment, saying the risk of new variants remains high as long as billions of people are unvaccinated.

Most uninsured Americans are eligible for subsidized health coverage, but surveys show many still aren't aware of it.

People looking for health insurance in the grip of the omicron surge have through Saturday to sign up for taxpayer-subsidized private coverage under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.

You're now entitled to up to eight over-the-counter at-home tests per month, and it must be fully paid for by your health insurer.

Medicare says it will limit coverage of a $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned.

Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for those on their plans.

Medicare officials were instructed Monday to reassess the standard monthly amount due to a reduction in the cost of a drug that caused half the premium jump.

U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra is ordering Medicare to reassess a big premium increase facing millions of seniors this year.

U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra on Monday ordered Medicare to reassess a big premium increase facing millions of seniors this year, attributed in large part to a pricey new Alzheimer's drug with questionable benefits. Becerra's directive came days after drugmaker Biogen slashed the price of its $56,000-a-year medication, Aduhelm, to $28,200 a year — a cut of about half. “With the 50% price drop of Aduhelm on Jan. 1, there is a compelling basis ... to reexamine the previous recommendation,” Becerra said in a statement about his directive to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Federal health officials are pressing nursing home workers to get their booster shots amid a spike in COVID-19 cases among staffers and a concerning lag in booster vaccination for residents and staff.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo accused the Biden administration Tuesday of "actively preventing the effective distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments" in the United States.

People in crisis and those trying to help them will have a new three-digit phone number, 988, to reach the national suicide prevention network starting in July.

The Biden administration is asking the Supreme Court to block lower court orders that are keeping President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for health care workers from going into effect in about half of the states.

The Biden administration’s plan for health insurers to reimburse consumers for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests is recalling the model of a bygone era when the companies processed large volumes of claims from individuals — with paper receipts.

Consumers seeking government-subsidized health insurance for next year have through Wednesday to sign up if they want their new plan to start Jan. 1.

The head of a Senate panel that oversees Medicare says the Biden administration should cut back a hefty premium increase soon to hit millions of enrollees.

The head of a Senate panel that oversees Medicare says the Biden administration should use its legal authority to cut back a hefty premium increase soon hitting millions of enrollees, as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers call for action amid worries over rising inflation. Last month, Medicare announced one of the largest increases ever in its “Part B” monthly premium for outpatient care, nearly $22, from $148.50 currently to $170.10 starting in January. The agency attributed roughly half the hike, about $11 a month, to the need for a contingency fund to cover Aduhelm, a new $56,000 Alzheimer's drug from Biogen whose benefits have been widely questioned. “Rather than assessing the current $21.60 per month ... premium increase in full, I urge you to reduce the amount,” Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote health secretary Xavier Becerra.

California corrections officials have begun limiting medical parole only to inmates so ill they are on ventilators.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra says health providers who have exploited a complicated system to charge exorbitant rates will have to bear their share of the cost — or close.

The British government is investigating whether built-in racial bias in some medical devices led to Black and Asian people getting sick and dying disproportionately from COVID-19.

The Biden administration is helping to distribute several billion dollars in aid for winter heating and utility bills.

As part of the settlement, the company has agreed to notify workers within one day of new Covid cases.

The Biden administration is encouraging local school districts to host clinics to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to kids and information to parents on the benefits of the shots.

These services can make the difference between being able to live at home with family or landing in a nursing facility. But state Medicaid programs don't always pay for them.

As health care workers face increased levels of pandemic burnout, the Biden Administration is looking to help states recruit and retain clinicians in underserved areas.

Saturday, October 9, 2021 & Sunday, October 10, 2021 | “The Zoo” returns on Animal Planet

Yesterday, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra co-hosted a listening session with stakeholders on the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which was signed into law by President Biden on May 20. The session was moderated by Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. The diverse set of stakeholders represented the wide impact of increased hate and bias, and mutual support among impacted communities. Secretary Becerra, Attorney General Garland and Associate Attorney General Gupta closed the listening session by thanking the advocacy organizations for their participation, thoughtful dialogue, and commitment to advancing justice. Stakeholders who would like to provide recommendations on the guidance are encouraged to submit their public comments to the Justice Department and HHS at COVID19HateCrimesGuidance@hhs.gov.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that COVID-19 vaccines prevented about 17,000 infections and 2,400 deaths among seniors in Florida during the first five months of 2021.

Is the Department of Health and Human Services under the Biden administration ignoring what politicians refer to as "the science" when it comes to natural immunity from the coronavirus?

The Biden administration is putting final touches on long-sought consumer protections against so-called “surprise” medical bills.

Resources Further Advance Health Equity Efforts in Medically Underserved Communities in FloridaRecently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded $39,731,817 in American Rescue Plan funding to 45 health centers in Florida to expand their primary health care infrastructure in medically underserved communities. In total, this funding will support 74 health center projects in Florida. “Health centers are lifelines for many of our most vulnerable families across the country, especially amidst the pandemic,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. The funds were awarded to health centers that serve medically underserved and other vulnerable populations and communities, which are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and other health conditions. “HRSA-funded health centers play a vital role in the local community response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Diana Espinosa.

Opposition from some leading moderate Democrats over a $3.5 trillion budget proposal championed by the party's most liberal, progressive wing has left the party grappling with deeper ideological questions.

Opposition from some leading moderate Democrats over a $3.5 trillion budget proposal championed by the party's most liberal, progressive wing has left the party grappling with deeper ideological questions.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks to the press after taking a tour of a vaccination site at Community of Hope, a community heath center, on May 5, 2021 in Washington, DC. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Thursday unveiled the Biden administration's road map to lowering the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. The plan, summarized in a 29-page document, supports legislation that allows the U.S. government to negotiate lower prices on the costliest drugs each year and pass those savings on to private insurers. Current rules prohibit the HHS from negotiating drug prices on behalf of Medicare — the federal government's health insurance plan for the elderly. It would reduce regulatory barriers to getting a new drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration and incentivize drugmakers to develop medications that are already on the U.S. market, ensuring competition and forcing other companies to lower prices, according to the administration.

The Biden administration is launching a new health office that will prod hospitals to cut carbon emissions, aiming to provide greener, more environmentally friendly medical care.

The Department of Health and Human Services will require nearly a third of its employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine while the Department of Veterans Affairs expanded its vaccination mandate.

The Department of Health and Human Services will require nearly a third of its employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine while the Department of Veterans Affairs expanded its vaccination mandate.

This follows similar orders recently issued by the VA and U.S. military.

The vaccine requirement from HHS comes just days after the Pentagon issued mandated the shots or all service members to get immunized.

The federal Department of Health and Human Services is requiring employees who provide care for patients to get their COVID-19 shots.

A group of Republican lawmakers penned a letter to Merrick Garland and Xavier Becerra claiming that the pair had violated federal conscience-protection laws.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra argued that the federal government is entitled to know who in the United States has been vaccinated, responding to anger from GOP House members who say the Biden administration is infringing on personal liberty.

Some of the children who crossed the Mexican border alone are placed in foster homes, where families make them homecooked meals, take them on bike rides and tuck them in at night.

COVID funding meant for the National Institutes of Health will instead cover pandemic-related costs for minors and staff along the U.S.-Mexico border.

While visiting an uptown Charlotte vaccination site with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Gov. Roy Cooper said the state’s slight uptick in COVID-19 cases is likely due to the variant.

While visiting an uptown Charlotte vaccination site with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Gov. Roy Cooper said the state’s slight uptick in COVID-19 cases is likely due to the variant.

While visiting an uptown Charlotte vaccination site with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Gov. Roy Cooper said the state’s slight uptick in COVID-19 cases is likely due to the variant.

The Biden administration has given a rare look inside an emergency shelter it opened to house migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border alone.

The Biden administration is putting into place consumer protections against “surprise” medical bills enacted in bipartisan legislation signed last year by former President Donald Trump.

The Department of Health and Human Services will continue to house migrant children at four emergency sites, including a tent camp at the Fort Bliss Army base.

The number of children held at the Fort Bliss Customs and Border Protection facility has dropped 40%, according to the Biden administration.

The Biden administration says the number of unaccompanied migrant children housed at its largest emergency shelter has dropped by more than 40% since mid-June.

Thrown off-stride to reach its COVID-19 vaccination goal, the Biden administration is sending A-list officials across the country, devising ads for niche markets and enlisting community organizers to persuade unvaccinated people to get a shot.

Thrown off-stride to reach its COVID-19 vaccination goal, the Biden administration is sending A-list officials across the country, devising ads for niche markets and enlisting community organizers to persuade unvaccinated people to get a shot. The focus is a group health officials term the “movable middle” — some 55 million unvaccinated adults seen as persuadable, many of them under 30. “We’re not just going to do the mass vaccination sites," said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

CBS News has reported that migrant children held at Fort Bliss are constantly monitored for self-harm, escape attempts and panic attacks.

Manchin's backing is pivotal and would allow a new spending bill can pass without any GOP votes. He wants to raise corporate taxes as well.

Oklahoma senator James Lankford (R.) confronted Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra Thursday over the department’s replacement of "mothers" with the term "birthing people."

With COVID-19 cases declining and vaccinations increasing, governors across the U.S. are wrestling with decisions about when to declare an end to the emergency declarations they have issued and reissued throughout the pandemic.

A partisan ad war has erupted in West Virginia as both sides are trying to pressure Joe Manchin over elements of his party's agenda.

Attorneys who’ve been able to visit migrant children at emergency shelters opened by the Biden administration told Yahoo News they are especially concerned about conditions at Fort Bliss, a U.S. Army base where thousands of kids are being housed in massive tents.

A health-care worker administers the Moderna coronavirus vaccine at the American Museum of Natural History vaccination site in New York on April 30. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg)By Katerina Ang, Erin Cunningham and Derek HawkinsBiotechnology company Moderna announced Tuesday that its two-shot coronavirus vaccine produced the same immune response in teenagers as adults, and it plans to submit the data to U.S. regulators in early June. If authorized, the vaccine would become the second available for adolescents as young as 12. *The number of new coronavirus cases continued to fall in the United States. Biotechnology company Moderna announced Tuesday that its two-shot coronavirus vaccine produced the same immune response in teenagers as it does in adults, and it plans to submit the data to U.S. regulators in early June.

The head of U.S. Health and Human Services says reports of unaccompanied migrant children being forced to stay overnight in parked buses at the Dallas convention center are “completely unacceptable” if true.

Estados Unidos protegerá a las personas homosexuales y transgénero contra la discriminación sexual en el área de salud, anunció el lunes el gobierno de Joe Biden, revocando una política de la administración de Donald Trump de diluir los derechos legales de esa comunidad en el campo de atención médica.

The Biden administration says the government will protect gay and transgender people against sex discrimination in health care, reversing a Trump-era policy.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is receiving criticism from lawmakers in his own party over his shifting economic reopening plan, with a group of Democrats from the state’s second most populous county threatening the possibility of a special legislative session.

The Supreme Court has refused to consider Texas’ challenge to California’s ban on state-funded business trips to Texas and other states deemed to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

Federal officials have reversed Trump administration restrictions on using human fetal tissue for medical research.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., leaves the Senate chamber following a procedural vote on the nomination of Xavier Becerra, President Joe Biden's pick to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, March 11, 2021. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is nominating Gayle Manchin, the wife of West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, to be the co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development partnership involving the federal government and 13 states. Gayle Manchin, 73, has held multiple government positions linked to education in a state where her husband is a political force. A former teacher, she was on the West Virginia Board of Education from 2007 to 2015 and served a two-year term as its president. Manchin was also the state's secretary of education and the arts in 2017 and 2018, but was removed from the post by West Virginia Gov.