Latest KFF Health News Stories
Florida Considers Managed Care Program To Cut Medicaid Costs
The state legislature is focusing on the health care program for low income peopole as it looks to close a budget shortfall.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, incluidng reports about ongoing budget discussions and how issues like Medicare spending and the health law fit into them.
UNICEF Requests $1.4B To Assist Women, Children In Humanitarian Crises Worldwide
UNICEF on Sunday released the Humanitarian Action for Children Report, 2011 (.pdf) “requesting $1.4 billion in its appeal to donors to assist children and women caught in the throes of crises. The report highlights 32 countries and emphasizes the increasing importance” of investments in disaster preparedness and risk reduction, The Hindu reports (Dhar, 3/7).
Senate Democrats Release FY11 CR That Seeks To Preserve Foreign Aid, State Department Funding
Senate Democrats on Friday introduced a FY11 continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through September, “with a vote on the measure, as well as a House-passed proposal, expected” this week, the Washington Post’s “2chambers” blog reports (Sonmez, 3/4). In a press release, the Democratic-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee “highlighted a series of significant differences between [its proposal] and the House-passed fiscal 2011 spending measure (HR 1) on the national security front,” CQ reports.
Medicaid Pressures Push Governors To Consider Ways To Stretch Their Dollars
Across the U.S., governors are contemplating approaches to ease the fiscal pressure Medicaid has placed on their state budgets, including freezing the enrollment of childless adults, transforming Medicaid into a block grant program and convincing Congress to give states more flexibility.
Health Law Funding Again In Play As Congress Seeks Current-Year Spending Deal
With lawmakers trying to reach a compromise to avert a government shutdown and set the federal government’s spending for the rest of the year, funding for the health law could face challenges in the House and the Senate.
Viewpoints: ‘Cynics’ In The House; Free-Market Reforms; RomneyCare Vs. ObamaCare
A selection of editorials and opinions from around the country.
Costs And Profits: News From The Hospital Industry
The Boston Globe reports on how Children’s Hospital Boston is zeroing in on its costs. Meanwhile, the LA Times reports on another example of regional variation in the cost of care.
Debate Continues Regarding Certain Medical Tests
News outlets report on how discussion continues to swirl around the use of the so-called “PSA velocity” test and mammography guidelines.
State Roundup: Mass. Effort To Manage Care For Chronically Ill; Promoting Organ Donations
Today’s news includes reports from Massachusetts, Texas, Minnesota, Connecticut, California and Arizona.
LA Times: New Nursing Home Paperwork May Be A Positive
Despite conventional wisdom that government paperwork is always red tape, a new requirement may be improving the lives of nursing home residents.
Patent Woes Likely To Trigger Drug Co. Losses
The New York Times reports that the expiration of certain patents will likely cause woe for some pharmaceutical companies.
Politico: Conservative Justices Face Attacks From The Left
With the health law
The Hill: Health Law Waivers Exceed 1,000
The number of temporary waivers granted thus far by the Obama administration reached a total of 1,040 by the end of last week. Meanwhile, regarding another controversial part of the new law, The Hill reports on the possibility of finding alternatives to the individual mandate.
Democrats May Be Giving Up On Medicare Chief’s Confirmation
Politico reports that sources say the “arithmetic” should be clear to Dems after last week’s letter signed by 42 GOP senators expressing opposition to the nomination.
GOP Presidential Hopeful Romney Continues Defense Of Mass. Health Overhaul
In defending the reform he oversaw as the state’s governor, he continues to draw differences between that plan and the federal health law.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about Medicaid block grants, pharmaceutical patent woes and differences in hospital costs.
Romney: Federal Health Reform Worse Than Mass. Plan
The former governor said that even though Massachusetts plan has an individual mandate, like the federal plan, the new law should be repealed.
Health Care Political Battles Tied To Budget, Insurance Costs
As insurance costs for small businesses continue to rise, political tensions increase.
