Latest KFF Health News Stories
Prescriptions On The Rise For Strongest Pain Pills
Prescriptions for opiods have increased nearly fourfold, with onlyl limited evidence regarding their effectiveness or risks, The New York Times reports.
During The Congressional Break, Voters Air Their Frustrations
Reuters reports that, as lawmakers are in their home districts for spring break, the are getting an earful from their constituents.
White House Moves $500 Million To IRS For Health Law Implementation
The funds were diverted to the Internal Revenue Service outside the normal appropriations process to help the agency implement the overhaul. Meanwhile, other news outlets report on developments related to accountable care organizations and primary care payment issues.
Medicaid: Ariz. Gets Fed’s OK To Expand Kids’ Coverage; Docs Want To Share Minn. Rebates
States around the nation are grappling with Medicaid issues ranging from expanding coverage and making deals with new managed care providers to sharing insurer rebates, forging budget cuts, waiting on court action and admitting large data breaches.
States Roundup: Aetna Goes Ahead With Small Biz Coverage Hike
A selection of health policy stories from around the U.S.
Blog Posts Respond To Melinda Gates’ TEDxChange Presentation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimists” blog published several posts in response to the TEDxChange: “The Big Picture” presentation delivered by Melinda Gates, co-chair of the foundation, in Berlin on Thursday.
New Initiative Focusing On GBV And HIV/AIDS Will Help Prevent Both
“The advancement of women’s health and their rights is one of the core principles of President Barack Obama’s Global Health Initiative,” a VOA editorial states, adding, “And so it is that the United States has rolled out a new initiative that will tackle one of the greatest threats to women’s health, HIV/AIDS, by attacking another scourge: gender-based violence [GBV].” According to the editorial, “Physical violence or the threat of physical violence and coercion are all associated with HIV transmission for women of all ages,” which is why “[i]n mid-March, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby announced an initiative to provide $4.65 million in small grants to grassroots organizations to address gender-based violence issues.”
“Teenage pregnancies are on the rise in Guatemala, along with the drop-out rate in schools, family breakdown and many other related social ills,” Inter Press Service reports, adding that the “impoverished Central American country of 14 million people has an adolescent (under-20) birth rate of 114 per 1,000 women in rural areas, according to the National Mother and Child Health Survey for 2008-2009.” The article discusses efforts by the government and non-profit organizations to prevent unwanted pregnancies, including laws allowing for basic maternity services and sex education classes.
Wall Street Journal Examines Jim Kim’s Nomination To Head World Bank
The Wall Street Journal reports that “[a] long list of development experts, government officials and news organizations around the world have mounted a rebellion of sorts” in response to the nomination of Jim Yong Kim, a global health expert and Dartmouth College president, to head the World Bank, as “[m]any of them say the two other candidates, Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Colombian finance minister Jose Antonio Ocampo, are better qualified for the post.” According to the newspaper, “The race marks the first time the selection of a World Bank president has been contested,” but “[d]espite the controversy” surrounding the nomination, Kim “is still virtually certain to secure the post because of his support from the U.S., the bank’s largest shareholder.”
WHO Celebrates Birthday, Commemorates World Health Day With Focus On Healthy Aging
The WHO on April 7 celebrated the founding of the organization in 1948 and World Health Day, “by focusing on aging, including a host of events, research and information under the theme, ‘Good health adds life to years,'” CNN reports (4/7). “Contrary to common perceptions, the WHO reports by 2050, 80 percent of the world’s older people will be living in low-and middle-income countries — not in the wealthier nations,” and “a new analysis shows the key reasons for ill health in older people are from non-communicable diseases,” VOA News writes (Schlein, 4/7).
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about how both Democrats and Republicans are working to woo Seniors — Medicare politices are central to this effort.
In Kansas, No Consensus On How To End ‘Dental Deserts’
In an ongoing disagreement over how to solve dental care access problems in rural parts of the state, there is one thing no one disputes: the great need.
Obama, Romney Camps Tussling Over Women’s Vote
Democrats are pointing to the health law (including its contraceptive coverage) while Republicans are playing up their solutions to fix the economy.
Arizona Gets OK To Expand Health Coverage To Kids
Nearly 22,000 poor kids in Arizona will gain health insurance coverage under a Medicaid deal the state has reached with the Obama administration, federal officials said Friday. The agreement lets Arizona use a combination of county dollars, money from the University of Arizona Health System and a small amount of state money gained from Indian gaming operations to draw down […]
Obama Ties Women’s Economic Future To Health Law
President Barack Obama brought together Friday two of his biggest campaign issues, health care and the economy, in an appeal to women voters, who have favored the president over GOP rivals in recent polls. During remarks at a White House forum on women and the economy, Obama described how provisions of the 2010 health law […]
Berwick Calls For Leaders To Rise Above ‘Political Catechism’
Every week, reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reading from around the Web. Rolling Stone: Don Berwick On The Fate Of ‘Obamacare’ Between July 2010 and December 2011, Dr. Donald Berwick was head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that runs the government’s health insurance programs. In a sane world, he would […]
Today’s Headlines – April 6, 2012
Good morning, and happy Friday. Hope you have a great weekend, but first, here are your morning headlines: The New York Times: Administration Concedes Courts’ Review Power The Obama administration stipulated the incontestable to a disgruntled federal court on Thursday, formally declaring that “the power of the courts to review the constitutionality of legislation is […]
Health Care Hiring Boom Projected To Continue, Regardless Of Law
Health-care employment will continue to grow much faster than employment generally, with the number of jobs in home care and other ambulatory settings projected to jump more than 40 percent by 2020, a new study suggests. New figures from the Labor Department highlight an expected hiring shift away from hospitals, as the system puts greater emphasis on preventive […]
State Roundup: Health Costs Cloud Budget Forecasts; Minn. To Use HMO Refund On Personal Care
A selection of state health policy stories from across the country.
Recognizing U.S. Contributions To Zambia’s Fight Against Malaria
In this Washington Post opinion piece, columnist Michael Gerson examines anti-malaria efforts in Zambia, writing, “Zambia has been the main test case for anti-malaria efforts during the last several years — a focus of funding by the U.S. government, the [Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation] and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.” He continues, “Now the Anglican Church, international aid groups and philanthropists … are attempting to fill remaining gaps in bednet coverage in remote border areas.”