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- MICHAEL LEAVITT, EPA CHIEF & FORMER UTAH GOVERNOR, TO HEAD HHS
- FLU VACCINATIONS UPDATE
- FEDERAL BUDGET CUT.8% OVERALL; HUD CUT UP TO 4%
- SSI TO INCREASE BY 2.7% IN 2005
MICHAEL LEAVITT, EPA CHIEF & FORMER UTAH GOVERNOR, TO HEAD HHS
President Bush filled one of the last vacancies in his second-term Cabinet, nominating Michael O. Leavitt, who has been the Environmental Protection Agency administrator for barely a year, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Mr. Leavitt said he looks forward to the implementation of the Medicare prescription drug program in 2006, medical liability reform, and finding ways to reduce the cost of health care. His nomination was a bit of a surprise, since Mark McClellan, the administrator of CMS, had been rumored to be in line for the HHS post. But people close to the cabinet-selection process said Mr. Bush considered Dr. McClellan too valuable in the Medicare-Medicaid position. Dr. McClellan is the brother of Scott McClellan, the chief White House spokesman.
FLU VACCINATIONS UPDATE
NYS DOH has asked that OMRDD remind voluntary providers that they should be contacting their local departments of health for flu vaccine for consumers and staff. NYS DOH has indicated that many local departments of health (LDOH) will receive a shipment of flu vaccine next week, and most will receive additional vaccine in early January.
January is NOT too late for consumers and staff to be immunized. The height of the flu season in New York State is early February through the first two weeks of March. As it only takes 2 weeks for a person to develop immunity once vaccinated, receiving a flu shot in early January will provide protection for the worst of the flu season. Some counties are experiencing temporary supply shortages (Nassau county has been reported to be running low on vaccine). However all counties should be able to work with providers to ensure that vulnerable consumers and the staff who care for them are "covered." Please let us know if you are having difficulty accessing flu vaccinations in your county.
FEDERAL BUDGET CUT.8% OVERALL; HUD CUT UP TO 4%
In the final conference report on the Federal Budget, (HR 4818, H. Rept. 108-792) all discretionary programs not related to defense and homeland security were cut by 0.8 percent. Congress made the across-the-board cuts so the bill would fit under a tight overall spending cap agreed to earlier this year, that was set at a level below what was needed to maintain current services after inflation. The U.S. House and Senate have adjourned until the first week of the 109th Congressional Session in January 2005.
The overall HUD budget is funded at $37.2 billion, which is $618 million below last year's level. The bill provides $13.36 billion for funding existing Section 8 vouchers. This amount - a small increase over last year - would be sufficient for maintaining current vouchers, except the bill includes rules for how housing authorities must develop their budget and will affect how HUD distributes money to housing authorities; advocates fear the language would allow HUD to decrease the value and restrict the use of vouchers. Congress again rejected the Administration’s proposal to block grant the Section 8 program. The Section 811 program was funded at $240 million, $9 million less than last year.
SSI TO INCREASE BY 2.7% IN 2005
The Social Security Administration has announced that monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will increase 2.7 percent in 2005. OMR has issued its schedule of allowances for 2005. See
www.nysacra.org/nysacra/ssi2005.pdf for a copy or call NYSACRA.
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