CMS Launches Initiative To Lower Pre-Term Birth Rate
On Wednesday, CMS' Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation launched the "Strong Start" initiative, which will award more than $40 million in grants to help researchers develop pre-term birth prevention strategies. HHS officials estimate that medical costs in the first year of life for infants delivered pre-term are nearly $18,000 more than those for infants born at full term.
- "HHS Aims To Curb Pre-Term Births" (Zigmond, Modern Healthcare, 2/8).
- "Obama Administration Makes $40 Million Available To Reduce Preterm Births" (Pecquet, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 2/8).