Latest KFF Health News Stories
IPS Explores What Efforts To Reduce U.S. Federal Deficit Could Mean For Global Health Funding
Inter Press Service explores some advocates’ concerns over how the “new emphasis in Washington on reducing government spending” could affect U.S. funding for global health programs, including HIV/AIDS. Come January, “Republicans will take control of the U.S. House of Representatives and have made it clear that reducing government spending in order to close the government’s budget deficit will be a top priority,” the news service writes.
Berwick’s First Hearing Marked By Strong Defense Of Health Law, GOP ‘Relative Gentleness’
CMS chief Dr. Donald Berwick survived his first Senate hearing yesterday by rebutting criticism of the health law and because Republicans were “relatively gentle.”
Bipartisan Task Force Recommends Medicare And Medicaid Overhaul
Backers hope the plan will spur leaders to “grapple with painful choices.”
Health Law Revision Suggestions Pour In From Lawmakers, Groups
Kaiser Health News reports that vulnerable Democrats are looking for alternatives to the health law’s mandate that nearly all Americans carry health insurance.
States address a range of health policy issues.
Opinions and editorials from around the country.
Kansas Attorney General-Elect Announces Plans To Fight Health Law In Court
Another state politician announces he will challenge the health care law while a group of bipartisan state lawmakers ask a judge in Florida to allow them to express support for the measure in that important case.
Fla. leaders don’t want the federal government to limit the state’s Medicaid reform efforts.
Medicare Committee Recommends Expensive Drug For Some Prostate-Cancer Patients
In a controversial review of the prostate cancer vaccine Provenge, a Medicare committee recommends that Medicare cover the costly drug for prostate-cancer patients whose disease has spread.
Study: Hospitals Use Clout To Jack Up Prices
A new study claims some hospitals command far greater prices from commercial insurers than their nearby competitors, suggesting they have the clout to demand higher rates.
Study Finds Average Health Insurance Deductible Grows To $1,200 As Employer Costs Grow Too
A new Mercer survey finds that employers expect to pay 6.9 percent more for benefits this year while the average health insurance deductible is now $1,200.
Americans’ Confidence In Health Care System Lower Than Other Industrialized Counties, Study Finds
A Commonwealth Fund survey shows that Americans have the least amount of confidence in their health care system as compared to 10 other countries.
First Edition: November 18, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about CMS Administrator Donald Berwick’s Senate testimony and more details about how the Rivlin-Domenici deficit reduction panel would address health care costs.
Republicans Have A Brief Opportunity To Grill CMS Administrator
News outlets covered the testimony of Dr. Donald Berwick, administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, before the Senate Finance Committee today. He defended the health reform law against Republican lawmakers who are seeking to repeal the law.
Lawmakers Elbow For Influence As They Return To Capitol Hill
Republicans prepare strategy on health law for 2011 while at least some Democrats ask the law’s congressional opponents to forego their own taxpayer-funded health care.
Center For Medicare And Medicare Innovation Launches Projects To Improve Care, Reduce Cost
Effort is starting to gain attention and garner support of consumer and health care groups.
First Global Symposium On Health Systems Research Kicks Off In Switzerland
The First Global Symposium on Health Systems Research bringing together researchers, policymakers and donors kicked off in Montreux, Switzerland, on Tuesday, with conference attendees calling for African leaders to do more to promote health progress in their countries, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports.
States Consider Options For Funding Medicaid
Lawmakers in Montana, Louisiana, Illinois and Arizona weigh solutions for cutting Medicaid costs
International food import bills could exceed $1 trillion in 2010, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Wednesday in its Food Outlook report (.pdf), which found that wheat and other food staple prices have increased “alarmingly” over the past year, the Associated Press reports (11/17).
