Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Temporary Pharmacy In D.C. Draws Attention To Cluttered Drug Market

Morning Briefing

The “help shop” is the brainchild of founders of a company that seeks to make over-the-counter drugs less complicated. In other news about the health care industry, the Minneapolis Star Tribune examines the growing number of primary health clinics.

CBO Emphasizes Need To Trim Medicare Spending

Morning Briefing

The Congressional Budget Office also found that GOP proposals to change a provision of the health law that requires insurers to spend 80 percent of premiums on medical care would increase the federal debt. Proposals to repeal coverage provisions would save billions, but also leave 29 million people uninsured, it found.

Obama, Boehner Gird For Talks To Avert ‘Fiscal Cliff’

Morning Briefing

The two men who failed to reach a “grand bargain” to tame the national debt last year face a year-end deadline to avert automatic budget cuts. Media outlets assess the likelihood of a deal that might curb Medicare spending in exchange for revenue increases.

Governors Wrestling With Decision On Health Insurance Exchanges

Morning Briefing

As federal officials consider whether to let the Nov. 16 deadline slip, governors in places such as Kansas, Virginia and Colorado are deciding whether to have the federal government design their exchange.

First Edition: November 10, 2012

Morning Briefing

Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including news about effort to cut a deal on taxes and entitlements to avoid the “fiscal cliff.”

Republicans Consider Old, New Ways To Hinder Health Law Implementation

Morning Briefing

Some Republicans and religious leaders are following through with challenges to the law’s contraception coverage mandate, looking for ways to repeal a Medicare cost-cutting board and trying further to delay implementation.