Latest KFF Health News Stories
Innovative Programs Can Help Developing Countries Retain Health Care Workers
“Medical schools in poor countries continue to produce doctors that they will eventually lose to more lucrative careers in cities or other countries,” but some of these countries “are already showing bold efforts to meet the challenge” of retaining health care workers, Manuel Dayrit, director of the WHO Department of Human Resources for Health, writes in a SciDev.Net opinion piece. Dayrit discusses programs in Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Philippines that use community-based education and local service contracts to retain health care workers in areas where they are needed.
A Call For Continued Investment In Global Health, Development
In this Politico opinion piece, former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), who chairs the non-profit Hope Through Healing Hands, writes, “Continued investment in the fight to end global AIDS is more than an investment in the lives of families and communities in developing nations — it is an investment in security, diplomacy and our moral image worldwide.” He says the goals announced by President Barack Obama on World AIDS Day — including providing antiretroviral treatment to a total of six million people by the end of 2013 — “must have the support of Congress.” Frist continues, “Under the current budget cuts, more than four million people will likely lack mosquito nets, a cheap way to prevent malaria. More than 900,000 children will lack access to vaccinations for measles, tetanus and pertussis.” He stresses the “need for accountability, transparency and results,” citing the Millennium Challenge Corporation as “a good example of promoting aid effectiveness from ‘input to impact.'” He concludes, “Foreign aid is less than one percent of our national budget, so cutting it would have a miniscule effect on our deficit reduction” (12/14).
BBC’s ‘Assignment’ Examines Cholera In Haiti
The BBC News audio program “Assignment” reports on the cholera epidemic in Haiti “and examines the controversy that surrounds it.” Correspondent Mark Doyle traces the alleged origin of the disease in Haiti, which had not recorded a case of the disease in about a century, discusses the U.N. report on the situation, and talks about how “families of cholera victims are now demanding compensation” (12/16).
Gilead Submits Application To FDA Asking For PrEP Approval For Truvada
Pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences on Thursday submitted an application to the FDA asking the agency to approve its antiretroviral drug Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of HIV infection among adults, a Gilead press release reports. “If the [application] is approved, Truvada would be the first agent indicated for uninfected individuals to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV through sex,” the press release notes (12/15).
Swaziland To Face Increased Food Insecurity In 2012, Official Says
“Archaic agriculture practices and erratic rainfall in the recent planting period is expected to lead to an increase in food insecurity for most of Swaziland’s 1.1 million people in 2012, says a government agriculture official,” IRIN reports. “In the 1970s Swaziland was a net exporter of food, but since the early 1990s the country has been dependent on donor assistance to greater or lesser degrees. In 2010 about one in 10 Swazis depended on food aid,” according to the news service.
First Edition: December 16, 2011
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reaction to the Wyden-Ryan Medicare plan and progress reports from Capitol Hill.
Wyden And Ryan Join Forces On New Medicare Overhaul Plan
The plan, which is being advanced by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., involves a framework that would offer traditional, government-run Medicare as an option for future retirees along with a variety of private plans. They are billing their approach as a means to prevent Medicare spending from swamping the federal budget. Meanwhile, early analyses indicate it could potentially create higher out-of-pocket for Medicare beneficiaries.
As Shutdown Looms, Differences Persist On Payroll Tax Cut, Spending Bills
Among the items held up in the end-of-year negotiations is the Medicare physician reimubursement fix, which would prevent a 27 percent cut in doctor payments from taking effect. A House Republican plan to pay for the “doc fix” with dollars from the health law’s prevention fund is opposed by some Democratic senators.
Drugmakers Get More Time To Record Gifts To Doctors
Reuters reports that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said drug manufacturers will have until a final rule is published in 2012 to comply with new reporting requirements.
Readmission Rates And Hospitalization Use Linked
A new study finds that efforts to keep patients from being readmitted to the hospital might involve efforts to keep them out in the first place.
Report: Feds Bring Record Number Of Health Care Fraud Cases In 2011
According to the report, Florida continues to be the “epicenter” of fraudulent health care claims.
State Roundup: Florida Awaits Medicaid Waiver News
News outlets report on a range of state health policy issues.
Ohio Senate Puts Abortion Bill On Hold
The Ohio measure would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. In Pennsylvania, the legislation would overhaul abortion clinic operation standards.
GOP Presidential Candidates Promise Limits On Abortion
At a Des Moines forum, Republican presidential hopefuls Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum promised limits on abortion.
Historical Context: The Intersection Of Politics And Medicare Policy
California Healthline explores how politics has always had a role in Medicare policies.
Viewpoints: Wyden And Ryan On Their Medicare Plan; Frist On The Need For International Health Aid
A selection of editorials and opinions on health policy issues from around the country.
Young Adults Make Insurance Coverage Gains Under Health Law
Data from the Department of Health and Human Services estimate that 2.5 million young adults have remained on their parents’ health insurance plans as a result of the 2010 health law.
Health Law Implementation Efforts Drawing Praise From Some Critics
The LA Times reports that the Obama administration is taking steps to ease some of the requirements of the health law in an effort to “prevent further backlash.” Also in the news, the latest on the essential benefits rule and more on the early retiree program.
Global Health Aid Continues To Grow Despite Recession, Report Indicates
“Spending to improve health in developing countries has continued to grow during the three-year economic downturn, although at only half the blistering pace it did a decade ago,” according to a report (.pdf) by researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), the Washington Post reports (Brown, 12/14). “The report details the trends in development assistance for health between 1990 and 2009 from aid agencies and governments in 23 developed countries, multilateral institutions such as the [WHO], and hundreds of non-profit groups and charities with preliminary estimates for 2010 and 2011,” an IHME press release states (12/14). “Overall, spending on malaria and child health problems has grown more rapidly in the past few years than spending on AIDS and tuberculosis,” according to the report, the Washington Post notes (12/14).
