Latest news with #MedicaidManagedCareProgram
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Trump administration's MAHA report on children's health filled with flawed references, including some studies that don't exist
The first report from the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again Commission, released last week, appears to be rife with errors, including some studies that don't exist. Touted by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a milestone, the report lays out the government's priorities for addressing chronic health problems in children, which it ascribes to poor diet, lack of exercise, stress, overprescribing of drugs and exposure to environmental chemicals. The sweeping 78-page document was produced in a little more than three months after it was ordered by President Donald Trump. It contained 522 references to studies, government reports and news articles. But some of these references were wrong or don't appear to exist. In other cases, studies in the report were misrepresented, according to the researchers who conducted them. The citation errors were first reported by NOTUS, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news site created by former Politico Publisher Robert Allbritton. An updated version of the report was posted online Thursday with some changes to the text and the works cited. 'Minor citation and formatting errors have been corrected, but the substance of the MAHA report remains the same — a historic and transformative assessment by the federal government to understand the chronic disease epidemic afflicting our nation's children,' HHS press secretary Emily Hilliard said in a statement. Dr. Robert Findling, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University, said he didn't write a study that was credited to him in the first version of the report, according to university spokesperson Michael Porter. The study was used to suggest that pharmaceutical ads rely on vague symptom lists that overlap with normal teenage behaviors and could be driving overprescription of drugs to teens. 'Dr. Findling did not author the article you cite and would not be able to address the report or its findings,' Porter wrote in response to a question from CNN. There's also no study by that name listed in the issue of the journal that was cited, The Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, and no evidence of such a paper in PubMed, the database of medical studies maintained by the National Library of Medicine. The reference citing Findling was removed from the updated report. Two studies initially attributed to the journal Pediatrics also don't exist, according to Lisa Robinson, media relations manager for the American Academy of Pediatrics, which publishes the journal. There was no record of a study with the title 'Overprescribing of Oral Corticosteroids for Children With Asthma.' The journal had published a study called 'Oral Corticosteroid Prescribing for Children With Asthma in a Medicaid Managed Care Program' in 2017. It had the same first author as the study listed in the MAHA report but different co-authors. In other cases, studies were attributed to the wrong journal or the wrong authors and sometimes even the wrong year. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the problems 'formatting issues.' 'I understand there were some formatting issues with the MAHA report that are being addressed, and the report will be updated, but it does not negate the substance of the report, which, as you know, is one of the most transformative health reports that has ever been released by the federal government,' Leavitt said in a briefing Thursday. Dr. Ivan Oransky, a journalism professor at New York University who runs Retraction Watch, a website that tracks fraud and errors in medical publishing, said the nature of the discrepancies seems to indicate that they were generated by artificial intelligence. 'I'm speculating here. I don't know this. The only people who would know that are the ones who actually created the paper,' Oransky said, adding that an article by him and his coauthor on Retraction Watch, Adam Marcus, had been cited in a research paper submitted to the Australian government last year. However, the article didn't exist. Leavitt deferred questions about the use of AI in the report to HHS, which did not respond to CNN's questions about how the report was created. The larger issue, as Oransky sees it, is that nobody caught these errors before the report was released. 'Either nobody checked this or nobody was looking very carefully at this before it was published,' he said. Typically, official government reports go through layers of review, including critical reviews that questions their conclusions, before they are released. This report doesn't seem to have followed that same kind of vetting process. The citations in the report were 'most likely an AI error' and not a formatting error, said Dr. Art Caplan, a professor of bioethics and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU's Grossman School of Medicine. 'AI is not sophisticated enough to be trustworthy and accurate in surveying science, and that would appear to be what's going on here, which is unacceptable. It's the kind of thing that gets a senior researcher into deep trouble, potentially losing their funding. It's the kind of thing that leads to a student getting an F. It's inexcusable,' he said. 'And this is coming from people promising gold-standard science but delivering tin.' The errors came to light barely a week after Trump issued an executive order declaring that science has a reproducibility crisis – meaning scientists can't follow the methods of other scientists and come to the same conclusions – and promising to restore trust in the federal government's research. The order pledges a return to 'Gold Standard Science,' promising 'that Federal decisions are informed by the most credible, reliable, and impartial scientific evidence available.' Kennedy said on 'The Ultimate Human' podcast this week that the National Institutes of Health would devote about a fifth of its budget to 'replication' and would stop publishing research in prominent peer-reviewed journals such as JAMA, the New England Journal of Medicine and the Lancet. 'We are going to stop NIH scientists from publishing there,' Kennedy said. 'We're going to create our own journals in-house in each of the institutes. 'They will become the preeminent journals.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CareSource and Three Square Food Bank unite to tackle hunger in Southern Nevada
Three Square honored with Heart of Community Award and monetary donation Three Square Community Kitchen CareSource employees volunteer at Three Square LAS VEGAS, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, CareSource Nevada, a nonprofit managed care organization recently selected to implement Nevada's Medicaid Managed Care Program, awarded Three Square Food Bank a $10,000 donation and a Heart of the Community Award. The award, recognizing exceptional commitment to improving health and well-being in communities, was presented during a volunteer event at Three Square's headquarters, where more than 100 CareSource team members packed hundreds of meals and grocery product for the one in six Southern Nevadans facing hunger. CareSource's volunteer efforts and financial support reflect a shared commitment to addressing food insecurity and enhancing the well-being of underserved Nevadans through the consideration of social determinants of health. 'With prices going up and more people struggling to make ends meet, the need for food assistance in our community keeps growing,' said Beth Martino, president and CEO of Three Square. 'Thanks to partners like CareSource, we can keep helping more people and stay focused on our mission to make sure everyone has dignified access to the food they need. Together, we're making a real difference.' Food insecurity remains a significant challenge across Southern Nevada, with 16% of Clark County residents experiencing limited access to nutritious food. In the rural counties of Esmeralda, Lincoln, and Nye, also served by Three Square, rates range from 13.6% to 21.94%. To fully meet the need, an estimated 57.8 million additional meals are required annually to close the gap left by federal nutrition programs and charitable resources. 'At CareSource, we believe health care goes beyond doctor visits; it's about building a healthier foundation for life,' said Jayme Puu, chief executive officer, CareSource Nevada. 'The donation and volunteering we provided to Three Square today are just the beginning of our long-term investment in Nevada's families.' ### CareSource Nevada CareSource Nevada Co. (CareSource Nevada) is a nonprofit managed care organization that seeks to provide access to high-quality care to Nevada Medicaid and Nevada Check-Up-eligible residents of the Silver State. Supported by CareSource's national managed health plan experience, CareSource Nevada transforms health care for Nevadans throughout the state through innovative programs that address the social determinants of health, prevention and access to care. Through its provider network and partnerships with community-based organizations in every region of Nevada, CareSource Nevada delivers care with heart. Learn more at About Three Square Food BankFounded in 2007 with a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and inspired by founder Eric Hilton, Three Square is Southern Nevada's only food bank and the largest hunger-relief organization serving Las Vegas and all of Clark, Lincoln, Esmeralda, and Nye counties. Since opening in 2007, Three Square has provided more than 644 million pounds of food to hundreds of thousands of people in need, earning a reputation as one of the most efficient and effective food banks in the nation. Three Square is a community-wide collaboration, partnering with businesses, nonprofit organizations, food distributors, higher education institutions, the Clark County School District, government agencies, the media, and thousands of volunteers to support food-insecure Southern Nevadans. Last year alone, Three Square provided more than 49 million pounds of food— the equivalent of over 41 million meals— through its network of 150 community partners. As a proud member of the Feeding America network, Three Square remains committed to providing wholesome food to those in need while passionately pursuing a hunger-free community. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, or wants to learn more about Three Square's vision of a community where no one is hungry, please connect at Facebook (@ThreeSquareFoodBank), Instagram (@threesquarelv) and X (@threesquarelv). Attachments Three Square Community Kitchen CareSource employees volunteer at Three Square CONTACT: Hannah Krafka CareSource 937-751-4862 Joe Ham Three Square 702.644.3663 x 333 jham@ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CareSource awarded Nevada Medicaid Managed Care contract
Jayme Puu Erhardt Preitauer HENDERSON, Nev., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Care Financing and Policy has awarded CareSource, a nationally-recognized, nonprofit managed care organization, a contract for the Nevada Medicaid Managed Care Program to begin January 1, 2026. As the only nonprofit selected, CareSource will help expand managed care into Nevada's rural counties, as well as its two most populous counties, Clark and Washoe, home to the Las Vegas metropolitan area and the City of Reno. "At CareSource, we know that too many Nevadans face barriers to accessing quality health care," said Erhardt Preitauer, president and CEO of CareSource. "Our passion has always been to remove those barriers and ensure that every individual gets the care they deserve. As a proud University of Nevada, Reno graduate, I'm especially excited to bring our personalized approach to managed care to the Silver State. Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and build a stronger, healthier future for members across the state.' CareSource goes beyond providing essential health services, prioritizing whole-person care through innovative programs that address social determinants of health. As a nonprofit, CareSource reinvests in initiatives that support members' broader needs, from housing and nutrition to employment. Through its CareSource Life Services® program, the company partners with community-based organizations to connect members with critical resources, ensuring they receive the support needed to thrive beyond health care. "CareSource Nevada is proud to serve the people of Nevada with a commitment to whole-person care and improving health outcomes," said Jayme Puu, CEO of CareSource Nevada. "We're excited to partner with state leadership, hire local talent and contribute to economic growth as we work to meet the unique health care needs of the state." To date, CareSource has contributed $300,000 to Communities In Schools (CIS), including $50,000 to support essential wraparound services through CIS of Nevada. Additionally, the CareSource Foundation awarded $300,000 to the Nevada Primary Care Association to help rural providers improve health care access and outcomes across the state. Nevada's Medicaid open enrollment runs October 1 to October 31, with services beginning January 1, 2026. To learn more about CareSource Nevada, please visit ### About CareSource Nevada CareSource Nevada is a nonprofit managed care organization that provides access to high quality care to Nevada Medicaid and Nevada Check-Up-eligible residents of the Silver State. CareSource Nevada transforms health care for Nevadans throughout the state through innovative programs that address the social determinants of health, prevention and access to care. Through a robust provider network and partnerships with community-based organizations in every region of Nevada, CareSource Nevada delivers care with heart. Learn more at or follow us at About CareSource CareSource is a nonprofit, nationally recognized managed care organization with over 2 million members. CareSource administers one of the largest Medicaid managed care plans in the U.S. The organization offers health insurance, including Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicare products. As a mission-driven organization, CareSource is transforming health care with innovative programs that address the social determinants of health, prevention and access to care. For more information, visit us at or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. Attachments Jayme Puu Erhardt Preitauer CONTACT: Hannah Krafka CareSource 937-531-3635 in to access your portfolio
