Latest KFF Health News Stories
CDC Issues Guidelines On Dealing With The Walking Dead
Hoping to draw attention to other disaster preparedness, a normally stoic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines this week on how to cope with an invasion of brain-munching zombies.
Inter Press Service reports on the possibility that the World Health Assembly “could adopt landmark resolutions asking governments to improve water and sanitation to eradicate cholera and guinea worm,” the latter of which exists in only four countries
Electrical Experiment Helps Paralyzed Man Stand, Walk
An electrode experiment has helped a paralyzed man stand and walk for short periods. In other news, Ford is developing health-monitoring technology for cars.
16 Countries Pledge To Reduce Maternal, Newborn, Child Mortality
Sixteen countries have announced new commitments aimed at significantly reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality, by “focus[ing] on measures proven effective in preventing deaths, such as increased contraceptive use, attended childbirth, improved access to emergency obstetric care, prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, and childhood immunizations,” ANI/Sify News reports (5/20).
Studies: Unintended Pregnancies Cost Taxpayers $11B A Year
Two studies have found that unplanned pregnancies cost taxpayers up to $11 billion per year. The figure is sure to generate discussion on Capitol Hill as lawmakers grapple with funding for Planned Parenthood.
Editorial Boards, Columnists Have Lots To Say About Gingrich And Medicare
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Malian Government To Reimburse GAVI Alliance For Grant Money After Joint Investigation Shows Misuse
The GAVI Alliance on Thursday said an investigation conducted by a GAVI transparency and accountability team and auditors from the Malian government “has found that $563,000 was misused in two of its cash-based projects in Mali, and Malian authorities have agreed to pay it back,” Reuters reports.
Coburn Writing His Own Budget, Sebelius Helps Dems Refine Medicare Message
Sen. Tom Coburn is writing his own budget, which he started before leaving the “gang of six” talks on deficit reduction. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is helping Democrats refine their message on the GOP budget.
Global Fund Disbursed Record $3B In 2010, Faces More Than $1B Shortfall For 2011-13, Report Says
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Thursday in Paris released a report (.pdf) noting that while it disbursed a record $3 billion in 2010, the $1.3 billion shortfall if faces for 2011-2013, “threaten[s] goals to roll back diseases that together claim more than four million lives a year,” Agence France-Presse reports.
WHO Member States Adopt Resolutions On Financing, Reform And Flu Pandemic At World Health Assembly
A committee of WHO member governments this week at the World Health Assembly in Geneva “adopted a resolution on the future financing of the organisation and a broad set of reforms, as well as a resolution on the WHO’s management of [the H1N1] influenza pandemic showing no evidence of wrongdoing,” Intellectual Property Watch reports (Saez, 5/20).
Conservative Groups Urge States, Insurers To Seek Health Law Waivers
Two groups on the right are urging states and insurers to seek waivers from the Democrats’ health care law including exemptions from so-called “mini-med” plans and medical-loss ratio requirements. HHS is also refusing to release the names of rejected waiver applicants.
Hospital Groups Fight Over Patients
News outlets report on a variety of issues affecting hospitals and doctors.
House GOP Plans Vote On Canceling Health Bill Provision On Medical Education
House Republicans plan another vote on a bill to roll back a spending provision of the health law. Plus some question whether Senate candidate Tommy Thompson is out of step with other Republicans on health care reform, and what OMB’s role was in the latest ACO regs.
Roundup: Kan. Lawmakers Promise Exchange Blueprint; Calif. Anti-Fraud Measure Faces Opposition
Reports from around the nation on state health policy issues.
Use Of Generics Rising Quickly
The National Journal and NPR look at different ways the cost of drugs is affecting consumers.
5 Faculty Members At Stanford Medical School Disciplined
School says the employees violated policy by giving paid promotional speeches for drug companies.
Texas, Minnesota Lawmakers Advance Abortion Bills
News outlets report on abortion bills working their way through the legislatures in Texas and Minnesota.
Ryan Medicare Plan May Split GOP As Senators Prepare To Vote On It
In the meantime, Ryan’s plan to voucherize Medicare picked up a boost from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops president, who commended Ryan for the plan. Democrats said, however, that the plan will hurt seniors immediately.
This week’s studies come from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Health Affiars, the PwC Health Research Institute, the Journal Of The American Medical Association, Academic Pediatrics and the Commonwealth Fund.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said Thursday it would help 10 countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus to preserve 25 million hectares of cultivated farmland from a “locust crisis” that is threatening food security for 20 million people, Agence France-Presse reports.
