Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including more reports on the challenges President Barack Obama and congressional leaders are facing in the ongoing debt reduction negotiations.
As Boehner Rejects Major Debt Deal, Dems Raise Medicare Questions
News outlets covered the fallout of House Speaker John Boehner’s Saturday announcement. On Sunday talk shows, Democrats insisted the President is “still committed” to solving the deficit problem.
Negotiators Set Sights On ‘Grand Debt Deal’
At stake are trillions of dollars in government spending and taxes. After a Thursday meeting, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders agreed to reconvene Sunday.
Democrats Fear Political Pain From Entitlement Cuts
Though some Democrats view the Obama’s strategy to reach a budget deal as a positive development, others are making pleas to take Medicare and Social Security cuts off of the bargaining table – fearing that changes to these programs would make them vulnerable in the upcoming election cycle.
Medicaid Pricing, Volume Varies Across States
A new study in the July issue of Health Affairs finds significant regional differences in program spending. Researchers suggest understanding these differences could lead to improved quality and efficiency of care.
Is GOP Rhetoric Putting IPAB Repeal Effort At Risk?
Politico reports that some provider groups fear the GOP’s harsh talk could undermine the chances that some Democrats will join in the push to undo the health law’s independent payment advisory board.
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Advocacy Group Messages, Concerns Emerge As Deficit Talks Continue
The drug industry and teaching hospitals are among the health industry sectors that are bracing for hits from the budget deal. Meanwhile, other health care providers are watching and waiting – trying to figure out what might become of their interests as the negotiations go forward. And Democrats and liberal advocates, the staunchest supporters of the health law, fear President Barack Obama could give up too much in the ultimate agreement.
Calif. Hospital System Pays To Settle Celebrity Privacy Case
The complaints were generated between 2005 to 2009, a time during which hospital employees were, in various instances, caught and fired for sneaking looks at celebrity medical records.
State Highlights: Dropped Malpractice Suits; DC Abortion Report
News outlets report on a variety of state health policy issues.
Calif. And Colo. Move Forward On Building Exchanges
California Healthline looks at efforts in that state to meld an insurance exchange with an information exchange to help consumers, while Colorado officials set the first meeting of the new exchange board.
Panel Formed By Mondale And Carlson Offers Plan To End Minnesota Shutdown
A political stalemate between Minnesota’s Democratic governor and Republican legislators shows little signs of abating after seven days.
Research Roundup: Doctors Still Take Medicare
This week’s studies come from the Journal of the American Medical Association, Headach: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, Health Affairs, the Archives of Internal Medicine and the National Bureau of Economic Research.
U.N. Report Shows Significant Progress Toward Reaching MDGs, But Mixed Results In Some Areas
Significant progress is being made toward reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 deadline, but the poorest countries are not progressing as quickly and more must be done to improve health and development outcomes in those nations, according to this year’s MDG report (.pdf), VOA News reports. “Despite the global economic downturn and the food and energy crises, we are on track to meet the MDG targets for poverty-reduction,” U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said at the launch of the report on Thursday in Geneva (Schlein, 7/7).
More Action To Fight Tobacco Use Needed Worldwide, WHO Report Says
Laws that require graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging impact more than one billion people in 19 countries, but more needs to be done to cut smoking rates worldwide, the WHO said Thursday in its third report on the global tobacco epidemic, Reuters reports (Kelland, 7/7).
U.N. Set To Highlight Challenges Of Growing Global Population
With the global population expected to reach seven billion by October this year, U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin told Inter Press Service that “seven billion represents a challenge, an opportunity and a call to action.”
