Latest KFF Health News Stories
Mo. Gov. Faces Defining Choice On Abortion Bills
Missouri’s governor faces tough choices on a pair of abortion bills awaiting his signature or veto — moves that could have national implications. In the meantime, Louisiana lawmakers have approved a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care policy from around the country.
Several outlets offer opinions on obesity issues and on the New York City mayor’s proposal to curb the sale of sugary drinks.
Bloomberg’s Proposed Super-Size Soda Ban Is Latest Attack In War Against Obesity
New York City mayor seeks to limit the size of sugary beverages, but the plan draws scorn from the soft drink industry and heightens the debate about how involved government should be in efforts to “steer individual behavior in the name of health.”
States Eye Health Law Changes — Consider Next Moves In Implementation
State officials in Minnesota, California and Washington are among those moving ahead regardless of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Walgreen, Express Scripts Dismiss Claims Against Each Other
But the fact the two companies have dropped these claims does not mean they are nearing a new deal.
Roundup: Cracking The Cost-Savings Code In Mass.; Va. Releases Abortion Clinic Regs
A selection of health policy stories from Massachusetts, Virginia, Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Arizona, Illinois, Connecticut and North Carolina.
Former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt Picked To Lead Romney Transition Team
So far, Leavitt has acted as a “low-profile advisor” to GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, advisors to President Barack Obama and Romney spar over issues of job creation and the health law. News outlets also report on how some religious leaders and scholars who backed Obama in 2008 are now skeptical.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest news on implementation of the health law, on the pending Capitol Hill effort to repeal the medical device tax and reports from the states.
The New Normal In Health Insurance: High Deductibles
Supporters say high-deductible insurance can contain health costs by giving patients an incentive to take better care of themselves and to shop more carefully. Critics say the plans are just a way for corporations to shift costs onto workers, especially those dealing with chronic illness.
As Patients’ Records Go Digital, Theft And Hacking Problems Grow
Data breaches put HHS
Report Offers Glimpse of Health Law’s Impact On Washington State
Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is weighing in on the fate of the Affordable Care Act with a report released this week about what’s at stake for Washingtonians if the law is overturned by the Supreme Court. “There’s so much confusion and misunderstanding out there,” says Kreidler, a Democrat. “This is kind of a […]
Report Offers Glimpse of Health Law’s Impact On Washington State
Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is weighing in on the fate of the Affordable Care Act with a report released this week about what’s at stake for Washingtonians if the law is overturned by the Supreme Court.
Patients who had been asked to pay up while writhing in pain testify at a hearing called by Sen. Al Franken in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The Cost Of Dying; Insuring Fertility
Every week, KHN reporter Shefali S. Kulkarni selects interesting reading from around the Web. Newsweek: Why Did Her Husband’s End-Of-Life Care Cost So Much? During those four days Terence had his blood drawn—eight times. Urine collected at least twice. There was a CT scan of his chest and an MRI of his brain. A physical […]
Today’s Headlines – June 1, 2012
June! Hope you had a great May, and it’s Friday! Here are your headlines: Los Angeles Times: Republicans Make New Offer In Student Loan Stalemate Under the proposal, Republicans suggested raising the amount federal employees contribute toward their retirements, a proposal Obama had included in his budget for the coming fiscal year, but is unlikely […]
WHO To Continue Discussion On R&D Reform Focusing On Health Needs In Developing Countries
“Proposals for new mechanisms to improve the funding and coordination of health research for the developing world, potentially including a binding international convention, will be formally discussed over the next year, the World Health Assembly concluded last week (21
PMTCT Of HIV ‘Critical, Effective’ To Making Progress In Child Survival
In this post in the Management Sciences for Health’s (MSH) “Global Health Impact” blog, Scott Kellerman, global technical lead for HIV/AIDS at MSH, discusses USAID’s “Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday” campaign and recent attention to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. He notes that U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe “have called for the elimination of pediatric HIV by 2015,” and writes, “We can move closer to the goal of eliminating pediatric HIV by 2015 by treating the mother, treating the baby, and continuing to treat the mother” (5/31).
Blogs Recognize ‘World No Tobacco Day’
“By the end of the 21st century, more than one billion people are expected to die from illnesses related to tobacco use primarily in low to middle income countries,” Amie Newman, communications officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and editor of the foundation’s “Impatient Optimists” blog, writes in this blog post in recognition of World No Tobacco Day. “We’ll continue to support efforts which reduce the number of deaths and diseases due to tobacco use — especially in developing countries,” she adds (5/31). An AIDS.gov blog post addresses tobacco use by people living with HIV, writing, “Smoking rates of people living with HIV are estimated to be two to three times higher than the national average, and smoking weakens the immune system, making it harder to fight off HIV-related infections” (5/31).
House GOP Releases White House Emails Detailing Health Law Deals
The communications, which were gathered by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, offer an inside look at how the White House struck a deal with the pharmaceutical industry to win support for the health care law.