Latest KFF Health News Stories
GlobalPost Examines Family Planning And Maternal Health In Malawi
GlobalPost on Sunday published two articles examining family planning and maternal mortality in Malawi.
GAO Report Examines U.S. Food Aid
A new GAO report (.pdf) examines international food aid. “GAO recommends that Congress consider eliminating the 3-year waiting period for foreign vessels that acquire U.S.-flag registry to be eligible to transport U.S. food aid. Further, the USAID Administrator and the Secretary of Agriculture should develop a benchmark for ‘reasonable market price’ for food aid sales; monitor these sales; improve market assessments and coordinate efforts; and conduct postmarket impact evaluations,” according to a summary of the report (6/23).
U.S., South Korea Sign International Development Coordination Agreement
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan “on Friday signed an agreement to better coordinate international development aid during a meeting [in Washington] between the two countries’ top diplomats,” Agence France-Presse reports.
UNICEF Representative Warns Filipino Children Displaced After Flooding Face Disease Risk
About 450,000 children, displaced by severe flooding in the southern Philippines, could face an outbreak of diarrhea and pneumonia, Vanessa Tobin, UNICEF’s representative in the Philippines, said on Sunday, Agence France-Presse reports.
More Than 18,000 Cholera Cases Recorded In Haitian Capital Since Start Of May, WHO Says
More than 18,000 cases of cholera have been recorded in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince since the beginning of May, an increase that may be related to “the beginning of the rainy season and the flooding that hit the capital,” according to Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesperson, Agence France-Presse reports.
Stretch U.S. Foreign Aid Spending By Encouraging Competition
“Given the competing factors of America’s growing international interests and shrinking resources to engage on the global arena, the federal government must take a more critical look at how best to deliver accountable, transparent, and sustainable development aid to countries in need and ask itself how best to support our national security, economic, and humanitarian goals.
Number Of Adults With Diabetes Doubled Over Past Three Decades, Study Shows
The number of adults with type 2 diabetes has doubled worldwide over the last three decades, rising from 153 million in 1980 to 347 million, “a sign that the epidemic will impose an ever-greater cost burden on health systems,” according to a study published on Saturday in the Lancet, the Wall Street Journal reports (Naik, 6/27).
Former Brazilian Food Security Minister Elected To Head FAO
“Brazil’s one-time food security minister, Jose Graziano da Silva, was elected Sunday director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the U.N. agency tasked with reducing world hunger at a time of near-record high food prices,” the Associated Press reports (Winfield, 6/26).
Global Food Insecurity Could Become A ‘Permanent Disaster,’ Annan Says
Global food insecurity that has left almost one billion people hungry could become a “permanent disaster” and endanger millions of lives, former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan said, Bloomberg reports (Javier, 6/27).
With The Clock Ticking, Obama Enters Deficit Negotiations
Even though the threat of default looms, Democrats and Republicans remain split over the possibility of tax increases and cuts to programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Obama Administration Plans ‘Stealth’ Study Of Patient Access To Physicians
In an effort to explore what the administration termed a “critical public policy problem” – a shortage of primary care physicians – a team of “mystery shoppers” will be recruited to find out how hard it is to get care when it is needed.
State Roundup: Indiana’s Effort To Privatize Public Assistance
News outlets report on a variety of state health policy issues.
Abortion Policies Under Scrutiny In A Number Of States
Wisconsin’s governor signed a budget that cuts some funds to health clinics, including Planned Parenthood, but in Indiana, a federal judge ruled against the state’s plans to end funding for the group. Those developments came as abortion policies are coming under scrutiny in a number of states.
Viewpoints: Supreme Court Drug Decisions; Medicaid’s Burden; Concierge Medicine Questioned
A selection of opinions and editorials from around America.
Health Care Providers Brace For New Round Of Medicaid Cuts
Meanwhile, some advocates warn that reductions in Medicaid spending could impede progress in the fight against AIDS.
Care For ‘Dual Eligibles’ Proves Ultra-Expensive, Plagued With Problems
The Wall Street Journal reports on this group of patients, who are notable because their health care costs are paid by both Medicare and Medicaid.
Drug Shortages Have Tripled During The Last Six Years
The Baltimore Sun reports that shortages of prescription drugs have hit a record high.
FDA Hearing On Breast Cancer Drug Set For This Week
Genentech, the maker of Avastin, will appeal to the Food and Drug Administration to make its drug available as a treatment for breast cancer – asking for one more chance to prove its efficacy.
Sebelius Comes To IPAB’s Defense As Others Line Up Against It
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius penned an oped last week offering a strong defense of the health law’s Independent Payment Advisory Board. Meanwhile, however, the American Medical Association has taken an official position against the panel, and 270 other health care organizations sent a letter to members of Congress expressing their opposition too.
