Latest KFF Health News Stories
“Malaria prevention advocates say many lives can be saved by removing taxes and tariffs from essential commodities used to fight the disease,” VOA News reports (Schlein, 2/9). A decade ago, African leaders promised to remove tariffs on products used to fight malaria, but only six countries have actually done so, according to the Malaria Taxes and Tariffs Advocacy Project (M-TAP), which held a meeting in Geneva on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
Sec. Of State Clinton Meets With House Budget Committee Chair As Budget Debate Continues
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met Thursday with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the new House Budget Committee chair, “to set out her objections to the House Republicans’ deficit-cutting plans,” the Financial Times reports. Obama administration officials and congressional Democrats argue that Republican’s proposed budget cuts “will reduce U.S. influence throughout the world … and cost lives in Africa and beyond,” the newspaper writes in a story outlining the different perspectives over how far budget cuts should go.
Voices From The Right Offer Views On Health Law Repeal, Political Strategies
News organizations examine how recent court rulings and other matters of constitutional law are transforming the “tea party” movement into a force “attempting to shape national party.” Meanwhile, strategies abound in how best to advance the repeal effort.
CMS Chief Testifies At Ways And Means Committee, Stays Cool Despite Grilling
During a tense hearing, Berwick defended the health law and told panel members that it is working.
New York Medicaid: Task Force Considers Reform Ideas, Auditors Investigate Overbilling
News outlets report on developments regarding the New York state Medicaid program.
WellCare Reaches Legal Settlement With Investors
Health News Florida reports the pricetag for the settlement could tally as much as $200 million.
A roundup of news on health care in the states, especially about Medicaid funding.
GOP Eyes Planned Parenthood In Efforts To Slash Federal Budget
Planned Parenthood received $16.9 million in 2009 Title X funding, which by law must be spent on health care services such as contraceptives, pelvic exams and safer-sex counseling. It cannot be spent on abortions.
CBO: Health Law Could Result In 800,000 Fewer Workers
The statistics first surfaced in projections made last summer but were brought back to the debate Thursday during a House Budget Committee hearing.
High Risk Insurance Pools: Enrollment Is Up But Still Short Of Projections
The Department of Health and Human Services announced a 50 percent jump in enrollment in the health law’s pre-existing condition plans during the last three months. Even with this recent jump, the total enrollment is nowhere near the administration’s initial projections.
White House, GOP Governors Spar Over Health Care Exchanges
On Thursday, the White House was in the midst of pushing back against Republican claims that they did not have enough flexibility to implement this key part of the health law.
Today’s research summary includes studies in Health Affairs, the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, RAND, Medical Care, the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund.
First Edition: February 11, 2011
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about some of the policies and politics in the health law mix.
GOP Reps. Grill CMS Chief Berwick About Health Reform Law, Earlier Remarks On British System
In his first appearance since the Republcians took over the House of Representatives, Dr. Donald Berwick said “I believe the Affordable Care Act is the right solution for America.”
Times Of India Examines Dengue Vaccine Trials
India could soon become a site for clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of a dengue vaccine, the Times of India reports. According to the drug controller general of India (DCGI), vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur recently submitted a proposal to test the vaccine to the country. If approved, India would be the latest country to join in studies of the vaccine’s effectiveness in adults and children, which are already taking place in Australia, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the newspaper.
Food Prices Increased Significantly In 2010, WFP Data Shows
Data from the World Food Program (WFP)
African Leaders Meet In Rwanda To Discuss Capacity Building
A two-day summit of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, concluded on Wednesday with African leaders calling for stronger “efforts in building capacity that goes beyond achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target of 2015,” the New Times reports.
House Republicans Release Partial List Of Proposed Cuts To Obama’s FY11 Budget Request
House Republicans on Wednesday released a list of 70 proposed budget cuts to be debated next week as Congress must vote to “fund the government past March, when the current temporary budget expires,” USA Today’s “On Politics” blog reports (Camia, 2/9).
Battle Lines Emerge As Health Overhaul Legal Skirmishes Heat Up
A group of Republican governors urged quick Supreme Court consideration of the pending legal challenges to the law. Meanwhile, some House Democrats asked Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from cases involving the law.
