US EditionKennedy launches US autism project using Medicare and Medicaid data
- On May 7, 2025, a pilot initiative was launched to create a Medicare and Medicaid database centered on autism and various chronic diseases, aimed at supporting research into their underlying causes.
- This initiative stems from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s effort to identify autism's root causes by September, despite rebukes and doubts from advocacy groups and scientists.
- The database will combine insurance claims, medical records, and wearable technology data to support research led by NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya on autism and chronic disease burdens.
- Experts note limitations to Medicare and Medicaid data coverage and emphasize stringent privacy laws, with Helen Tager-Flusberg remarking, "There are also limitations to CMS data."
- The project aims to accelerate scientific research but raises concerns in the autism community about data access and privacy, reflecting broader uncertainties about the timeline to find autism causes.
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129 Articles
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you have concerns about a proposed federal autism database?
The Department of Health and Senior Services on Wednesday introduced a pilot program to collect information about autism. The program would harvest data from Medicare and Medicaid, including insurance claims, medical records and smartwatch data. It's part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to find the causes of autism by September. The plan has drawn pushback from autism and privacy advocates. Do you have concerns about the progr…
RFK Jr. Announces New Database for Research Into ‘Root Causes’ of Autism - Overpasses For America
After weeks of confusion about his plans for autism research, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Wednesday that his department would build a “real-world platform” that would allow researchers to hunt for causes of the disorder by examining insurance claims, electronic medical records and wearable devices like smart watches. The department will draw the records from Medicare and Medicaid, which together cover around 40 percent of Amer…
Times-News
US Health Department officials to study autism
WASHINGTON — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan Wednesday to use medical data and records from people on Medicaid and Medicare to help study autism, though experts say it’s unlikely to help reveal the condition’s root causes.
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