Latest KFF Health News Stories
Republicans Attack Health Law, Call For Senate Repeal Vote; Obama To Defend Law In SOTU
News outlets previewed the President’s State of the Union address and highlighted Sunday debate on the health law.
Sen. Barrasso Calls For Senate To Move On Health Repeal
The Hill reports that Wyoming senator, in weekly address, asks, “Are you better off or worse off now that the health care law has been on the books for almost a year?”
Foreign Policy’s blog “The Cable” reports on Thursday’s call by a group of “conservative House Republicans … for a drastic defunding of the U.S. Agency for International Development and a host of other programs” (Rogin, 1/20).
Rotavirus Vaccine Significantly Cuts Child Hospitalizations, Study Says
Developing and developed countries that require children to be vaccinated against rotavirus “have significantly reduced the number of children admitted to hospitals with the disease, a report showed on Thursday,” Reuters reports (Kelland, 1/20).
Global Poverty Summit Addresses MDGs, Global Trade Policy
At the Global Poverty Summit January 16-19 in Johannesburg, South Africa, “academics, policy-makers, civil society activists and development workers … agreed that the [U.N. Millennium Development Goals] MDGs have made a difference, but have fallen far short of the ambitious targets on poverty, education, health, gender equality and global partnership that 189 countries committed to achieving by 2015,” IRIN reports.
WHO Executive Board Supports Saving Smallpox Virus Stocks
As the WHO executive board continues meeting in Geneva this week, members “on Thursday backed efforts by the U.S. and Russia to keep the last known stocks of the smallpox virus for research to combat terrorism, in an initial debate over the fate over what is left of one of the world’s most lethal pathogens,” the Wall Street Journal reports. According to the article, the 34-member board supported the notion “that those stocks are needed to finish developing drugs and vaccines to counter a potential bioterror attack or accidental release of smallpox from unsanctioned stocks, officials familiar with the talks said.”
Looking Beyond Repeal Vote, House Republicans Plan Their Own Health Bills
The House GOP moved forward Thursday with targeted measures to advance their own version of health legislation. Four committee chairmen outlined plans to develop specific proposals to kill or replace certain elements of the health law.
Three Senate Dems Urge Boehner To Move Quickly To Delete Health Law Reporting Requirement
Though it is generally accepted that the GOP repeal effort is finding little-to-no traction among Senate Democrats, some of these lawmakers are urging House GOP leaders to move fast to undo a small health law provision that requires business to file certain tax forms.
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Possible Hospital Merger In Mass. Could Accelerate Trend Toward Consolidation
Meanwhile, news outlets report on another hospital merger as well as how a Minnesota psychiatric hospital gathered the necessary funds and support to be built.
Medicare Warnings, Entitlement Cuts Draw Attention
Meanwhile, KQED reports on efforts to coordinate coverage for baby-boomers who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.
Roundup: NY Times On Mental Health Cuts; Wis. GOP Agenda Moves Ahead; Minn. Medicaid Expansion
A variety of news from Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland and Massachusetts.
Health Overhaul Mandates Spur Lobbying Push For Waivers, Bloomberg Reports
The new health law has created an open-season atmosphere for Washington lobbyists seeking waivers and other changes.
HHS Announces Implementation Grants For State Health Exchanges
As a result of the health law, the state-level exchanges must be up and running by January 2014.
After Repeal Vote, What Becomes Of Health Reform Messaging, Public Opinions
News outlets report on how the next chapters of the debate will be marked by both parties seeking to “mold” public opinion. An example: a recent speech by Newt Gingrich in which he warns of a possible “health dictatorship.” In the background, polls continue to explore how the American public views the law.
GOP Anti-Abortion Bill Introduced In House
This divisive issue promises to stir up politics on the Hill and trigger debates about federal funding that will include issues related to the health law.
First Edition: January 21, 2011
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the House GOP’s plans to advance the “replace” part of their strategy to reverse the health overhaul.
