Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicare Moves To Pay For Provenge
On Wednesday, Medicare officials signaled the federal insurance program will pay for this costly prostate cancer drug, a move that National Journal described as heading off “accusations that the [government] would be ‘rationing’ care.”
HHS Secretary Sebelius Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Panel
During her testimony, the Health and Human Services secretary took questions on the health law and pointed out – according to Modern Healthcare – funding concerns related to rural critical access hospitals and anti-fraud and abuse efforts.
Planned Parenthood, Abortion Issues Cause New Skirmishes, Policy Actions
Among the recent news developments are reports that a House panel will vote on a plan to prevent use of the health law’s tax credits to provide or pay for insurance that covers abortion. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood continues to be embroiled in a funding debate.
AARP Under Attack In GOP Efforts Against Health Law
House Republicans issued a report Wednesday and plan to hold a hearing Friday to investigate AARP’s support for the health law as well as the organization’s business interests.
Health Law Opponents Optimistic In Efforts To Block Implementation
Politico reports that the tea party movement is finding “surprising success.” Meanwhile, KHN reports that Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli gives his state’s health challenge good odds of winning in court.
Longer Looks: Tea Party Efforts To Move Health Programs To States
Every Thursday, reporter Jessica Marcy plumbs the web to find interesting health policy reading.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on continuing congressional efforts to reach a deal on the current-year budget and on a move by Medicare to cover Provenge, a prostate cancer drug.
South Sudan Faces Serious Health Challenges As New Nation, Lancet Newsdesk Reports
In South Sudan, which is poised to become “the world’s newest country” in July, “90% of the population lives on less than $1 a day,” and the region is plagued by multiple systemic health issues as a result of years of war, Lancet Infectious Diseases Newsdesk reports.
Health Advocates File Petition With U.N. Over Proposed Trade Agreement Among Several Countries
Several health advocacy groups have submitted a letter [.pdf] to U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health Anand Grover “outlining their objections” to negotiations over a trans-Pacific partnership (TPP) agreement being negotiated by the governments of Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States and Vietnam, claiming that the agreement would inhibit access to low-cost medications in developing countries, BMJ News reports.
U.N., Aid Groups Highlight Food Aid Need In North Korea
World Food Program (WFP) delegates “on Wednesday stressed the need for major food aid for North Korea, while a cautious South Korea called for transparent distribution of any assistance,” Agence France-Presse reports.
Low-Level Radiation From Japan’s Damaged Nuclear Plant Detected As Far Away As U.S.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday said U.S. government sensors had detected radiation believed to be from the damaged nuclear plant, Reuters writes. But those levels are significantly lower than what is considered dangerous for people, according to the agency. “The EPA said 12 air monitoring locations across the country have identified trace amounts of radioactive isotopes believed to have come from Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant hit by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11,” the news service reports. In a press release, the EPA said, “These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days and are still far below levels of public health concern” (Gardner, 3/28).
Facing Possible Cuts, International Aid Advocates Attempt To Drum Up Support For Foreign Assistance
International aid groups are “scrambling to engage members of Congress and the American public in a dialogue about the need to secure U.S. foreign assistance funding” as the “next deadline for the U.S. Congress to pass a full fiscal year 2011 budget or another short-term continuing resolution is fast approaching” and discussions on the FY12 budget need to begin, the Devex blog “Obama’s Foreign Aid Reform” reports.
Funding Restrictions Present Hurdles To Budget Deal
These “policy riders” restrict spending on certain social and regulatory initiatives, including implementation of the health law and funding for Planned Parenthood.
Health Lobbyists, Advocates Brace For Much-Anticipated ACO Rules
ACOs continue to hold attention, with the administration’s regulations expected this week. Meanwhile, other reform news includes reports about health exchanges and a medical device tax.
Revenues Grow, But States Wrestle With Shortfalls In Medicaid Needs
Today’s reports on state budget issues come from Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Texas, Florida and Kansas.
Wall Street Journal: Data Comparisons Trigger Changes In VA Care
In November, the Department of Veterans Affairs began posting information about patient outcomes online.
Report Identifies Pockets Of Good Health, Disparities
A report released Wednesday details which counties within states are the healthiest, and which are not-so-healthy.
Bipartisan Senate Bill Would Set Process To Review Future Medicare Cuts
The measure would bar any cuts from taking place before the Health and Human Services secretary determines they are necessary. Meanwhile, in other Medicare news, ProPublica reports that federal regulators are in the process of making kidney dialysis clinic data more accessible to the public.
