Latest KFF Health News Stories
State News: Ariz. May Cut Fewer From Medicaid; Pa. AdultBasic Closes
A variety of state news from around the country.
Court Case Question: Who Holds The Patent – Drug Company Or Research Institution
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in a patent dispute involved Standford University and a pharmaceutical company.
Opinions and editorials today from the New York Times, The Boston Globe, USA Today, The Hill and The Wall Street Journal.
Individual Mandate Analysis: Could It Be A Policy Nonstarter?
Politico reports on how some experts say the health law’s individual mandate as written is not an effective tool to compel people to buy health insurance.
LA Times: Blue Shield Terms Proposed Hikes ‘Reasonable’
The pending premium rate increases have been assailed by regulators.
Obama Administration Urges Florida Judge To Clear Up Health Law Confusion
In its arguments for clarification from Federal District Court Judge Roger Vinson, the administration said this step is necessary so that they know how to proceed in defending the law and implementing its provisions.
House Vote Is Set On Compromise To Prevent Government Shutdown
The measure, which would keep the federal government functioning until March 18, funds most programs at their current level. It does, however, trim $4 billion by targeting certain programs – but the health law is not “de-funded” in this plan. Still, governors are uneasy about the impact likely federal spending reductions will have on their budgets.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details about President Barack Obama’s announcement yesterday that he will offer governors some flexibility with state health law mandates.
Obama Says He Backs State Flexibility For Health Law’s Coverage Goals
During remarks to the National Governors Association, President Barack Obama expressed support for bipartisan legislation what would enable states to opt-out — in 2014 instead of 2017 — of some federal requirements put in place by the health law.
House Republicans Release Two-Week CR With $4B In Proposed Cuts
“House Republicans late Friday afternoon released a two-week continuing resolution [CR] that cuts more than $4 billion in federal spending,” Roll Call reports (Stanton, 2/25). “Under the proposal, the law now keeping the government open would be extended two more weeks, until March 18 … In the interim, House and Senate leaders would try to negotiate a broader plan to finance the government at reduced levels through Sept. 30,” the New York Times reports. Republican leaders trimmed programs in education, transportation and other areas “that President Obama had previously sought to close down” (Hulse, 2/25). “The plan, scheduled to hit the House floor Tuesday, includes $1.24 billion in program terminations and $2.7 billion in earmark terminations, according to a summary provided by the House Appropriations Committee,” CQ writes (Goldfarb/Young, 2/25).
Star-Ledger Examines Tibotec’s Agreement With Generic Drug Makers On Experimental HIV/AIDS Treatment
In a piece on the move by drug manufacturer Tibotec Pharmaceuticals to grant licenses to generic manufacturers in India and South Africa to create copies of its experimental HIV/AIDS drug, the New Jersey Star-Ledger examines why drug companies are particularly focused on expanding their reach in sub-Saharan Africa.
Despite concerns expressed by the World Bank and the WHO that the current economic climate would lead donor countries to scale back development assistance, a study (.pdf) published online Friday in the WHO Bulletin finds what the authors “described as ‘surprisingly little’ evidence that economic downturns are associated with deep cuts in aid, at least in the first few years of a financial crisis,” Reuters reports (Kelland, 2/25).
Health Law Ups The Ante In State-Federal Medicaid Budget Battle
As the health insurance program for low-income people continues to place a huge burden on state budgets, governors are pressing for more flexibility regarding Medicaid’s eligibility standards.
Deal To Avert Gov’t Shutdown Appears Within Reach
The short-term spending plan that emerged from the House Appropriations Committee includes millions of dollars in cuts to federal health programs.
Viewpoints: Judge Kessler’s Decision; Utah Is Role Model; Malpractice System Flaws
Opinions today from The Wall Street Journal, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WBUR, among others.
State News: N.Y. Medicaid’s Compromise; Va. Ups Health Spending; Medi-Cal Ruling
A roundup of state health care news from around the country.
Obama Administration Awaits Florida Judge’s Next Health Law Ruling
Politico reports that the expected ruling could be another blow for the White House. Meanwhile, The Hill analyzes the importance of the fact that all the judges who have ruled thus far on health law challenges have agreed that the individual mandate involves a penalty, not a tax.
Regulators Face Challenge Of Defining ‘Essential Care’ Benefits
As federal regulators – in their efforts to implement the health law – work to define what basic medical services health insurers must cover under the measure, another set of regs, those dealing with accountable care organizations, are stalled at the Office of Management and Budget.
