In Brief: Kaiser Receives $7.3 Million NCI Grant; Most Americans Exempt From ACA Penalty

Kaiser Receives $7.3 Million National Cancer Institute Grant

Kaiser Permanente has received a $7.3 million, three-year grant from the National Cancer Institute to continue the organization's clinical trials programs. The award is part of NCI's community oncology research program.

In addition to sustaining continuing program, the grant will allow Kaiser to expand its research into specific modes of cancer care delivery, with a focus on evaluating alternative treatments, examining disease prevention and investigating disparities in cancer care outcomes.

“Our Kaiser Permanente research program represents about one of every 40 cancer patients in the U.S.,” said Jonathan Polikoff, M.D.,  director of the Kaiser's cancer clinical trials access program.  “This enables us to be one of the more effective organizations preventing, diagnosing and treating all aspects of cancer, including experimental targeted therapy for advanced malignancies.” 

CBO: 90% Of Uninsured Americans Exempt From Paying ACA Penalty

Nine out of 10 Americans will be exempt from paying extra Affordable Care Act-related taxes or penalties as a result of not purchasing health insurance, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office.

According to the CBO, the Obama administration has added many new exempt groups since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010. They include individuals who can claim a hardship exemption due to a recent death in the family or other reasons – there are 14 hardship exemptions in all. Members of Native American tribes and undocumented immigrants were originally exempt, along with some religious groups.

Altogether, about 30 million Americans currently lack health insurance. The CBO concludes that about 27 million of them are exempt from any financial penalties if they do not obtain coverage.

CDPH Confirms Deaths From West Nile Virus

The California Department of Public Health has confirmed that two state residents have died of the West Nile Virus, the first fatalities in 2014. The people who died were residents of Shasta and Sacramento Counties. The Sacramento County fatality was a senior citizen, while the Shasta County fatality was an adult.

Less than 1% of adults are at risk of developing serious complications related to the virus, such as encephalitis and meningitis.

The CDPH reminded Californians to use insect repellants, dress appropriately and drain sources of water in order to retard the spread of mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans by biting them.

“These unfortunate deaths remind us that we must protect ourselves from mosquito bites to prevent West Nile virus and other mosquito born infections,” said CDPH Director Ron Chapman, M.D.