Latest KFF Health News Stories
Romney Assails Health Law; Obama Embraces ‘Obamacare’
On second anniversary of the law, former Massachusetts governor says, “It’s amazing how many things are wrong with it.” At the same time, the president tweets that Obamacare isn’t a “dirty word.”
Feds To Test Paying For Medicaid Patients With Psychiatric Emergencies
A group of states is testing whether Medicaid patients who seek emergency psychiatric care at private psychiatric hospitals are better off if the federal government picks up part of the costs. Right now, the federal government does not help states pay for inpatient psychiatric care for many Medicaid patients—a longstanding policy meant to discourage states from […]
The Health Law Officially Turns Two — Now What?
Supporters are marking the health law’s second birthday today even as questions swirl about whether it will get to celebrate a third. Meanwhile, media outlets examine where implementation stands and what is yet to come.
House Appoves Bill To Kill Medicare Cost Panel
In what is viewed as a largely symbolic move, the GOP-led House passed a bill that would undo the health law’s Medicare cost control board. Though the measure initially drew some Democratic support, those votes all but disappeared after the repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board was linked to medical malpractice legislation. The bill is not expected to go anywhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Today’s Headlines – March 23, 2012
Happy Friday! It’s the anniversary of President Obama signing the health reform law — here’s what the news has to say this morning: The New York Times: House Votes To Kill A Medicare Cost Panel In a rebuff to President Obama, the Republican-controlled House passed a bill on Thursday to abolish a Medicare cost control […]
House GOP Doctors Say Ryan Medicare Plan Doesn’t Reduce Costs Enough
The GOP Doctors Caucus is sending letters Friday soliciting ideas on how to “save” the seniors’ program and build bipartisan support.
High Court Health Law Action Already Making Political Waves
As supporters and opponents of the law formulate strategies to take advantage of the buzz surrounding next week’s oral arguments, a new report looks at how much has been spent in public opinion ads on the law.
Lawmakers Examine Ways To Stop Prescription Painkiller Abuse
Lawmakers held a hearing Thursday on what steps the federal government can take to help prevent the abuse of prescription painkillers.
Administration Chides Two Insurers For ‘Unreasonable’ Rate Increases
Although the government cannot force the companies to walk back the hikes in nine states, it is seeking to draw attention to the issue and asking for a public justification for the increases.
Romney, Santorum Continue War Of Words Over Health Law Mandate, ‘Template’
Mitt Romney’s record on the individual mandate is coming up again as fellow GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum continues his drum beat that Romney’s Massachusetts health reform law was the “template” for the national overhaul.
Health Business Sector Braces For Impact Of Supreme Court Review, Decision
Insurers and other parts of the health care industry are taking steps to brace for what the decision might be while also preparing for the changes the law puts in place.
State Highlights: Mass. Enforcing Individual Mandate; Improving Kids’ Dental Coverage
A selection of stories from Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Montana, Arizona, Connecticut and Maryland.
Hutchison Calls On Perry To Work With Feds On Women’s Health Funding
The fight in Texas over its Women’s Health Program and the dual defundings of Planned Parenthood by the state and the entire program by the federal government gained a new wrinkle as Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, called on Gov. Rick Perry to work out the state’s differences with the feds.
Md. Launches Health Reform Website For Consumers; Calif. Public Option Lives On
Maryland is launching a health care reform website to educate residents on how they can use benefits in the health law. In California, health reform already affects most residents while the state gets set to offer a version of its own “public option” to buy health insurance.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care policy from around the country.
On Its Birthday, Health Law Feted As Giving Consumers ‘Control,’ Denigrated For Provoking ‘Showdown’
On the second anniversary of the enactment of the law, commentators offer Supreme Court advice on historic arguments next week, examine public opinion on the overhaul and note the political consequences.
The Individual Mandate: To Be, Or Not To Be? That Is One Of The Questions For The Supreme Court
News outlets report on the mandate’s chances of surviving a constitutional challenge that will be argued before the high court next week.
Research Roundup: Unequal ‘Culture Of Quality’ In Hospitals
This week’s studies come from The Archives of Surgery, the Urban Institute and The Kaiser Family Foundation.
Water Scarcity May Cause Global Instability, U.S. Intelligence Agencies Say In Report
U.S. intelligence agencies released a report (.pdf) on Thursday warning that “[d]rought, floods and a lack of fresh water may cause significant global instability and conflict in the coming decades, as developing countries scramble to meet demand from exploding populations while dealing with the effects of climate change,” the Associated Press reports (Lee, 3/22). “The Intelligence Community Assessment report says the water challenges will increase regional tensions and distract countries from working with the U.S. on important issues,” VOA News writes, noting, “The report’s purpose was to assess the impact of global water issues on U.S. security interests over the next 30 years” (3/22).
Blog Posts Comment On World TB Day
Several blog posts recently commented on the upcoming World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, commemorated on March 24. “Despite a clear legislative mandate, the U.S. Global Health Initiative (GHI) has consistently failed to live up to the goals of” the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria Reauthorization Act, a landmark legislation passed by Congress in 2008, John Fawcett, legislative director for RESULTS, writes in the Center for Global Health Policy’s “Science Speaks” blog. He continues, “Current GHI TB treatment goals are less than 60 percent of what was mandated in the Lantos-Hyde Act,” and concludes, “As the final authorized fiscal year of the Lantos-Hyde Act is debated, there’s still time to embrace its mandate: a bold effort to confront the world’s leading curable infectious killer” (Mazzotta, 3/22). “As people across the globe celebrate World TB Day this week, several groups are highlighting the fact that the current tools to prevent, test, and treat tuberculosis (TB) are greatly outdated,” Ashley Bennett, senior policy associate at the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), writes in the GHTC “Breakthroughs” blog. She commends GHTC members for their efforts to develop new technologies (3/22).