Latest KFF Health News Stories
Global Hunger Index Shows Importance Of Addressing Childhood Malnutrition
“The Global Hunger Index released Monday finds that many developing countries primarily in South Asia and Latin America have made significant progress in reducing hunger. But continued improvement in the rates of hunger
Asian Development Bank Conference Addresses Water, Sanitation Concerns
Water shortages that could reduce food production and worsen economic conditions in Asia are worsening, Arjun Thapan, an infrastructure advisor with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said on Tuesday at the ADB’s “Water: Crisis and Choices” conference in Manila, Philippines, Agence France-Presse reports.
In Tight Budgets, States Cutting Back On Medicaid Programs For Disabled
Many states are cutting back on Medicaid programs – especially for the disabled – because of budget cuts.
Stanford Medical School Doctor, Author Teaches ‘The Art Of The Physicial’
The New York Times profiles physician, professor and author Dr. Abraham Verghese: “At Stanford, he is on a mission to bring back something he considers a lost art: the physical exam.”
High Court To Hear Vaccine Case
The eventual Supreme Court ruling is expected to affect “hundreds of pending lawsuits that contend a link exists between childhood vaccines and autism,” although the case itself is not related to autism.
Investigators Wondering: Fraud, Bad Medicine Or Union Manuevering At Calif. Hospital Chain?
The Los Angeles Times reports that state and federal investigators are trying to determine whether “a serious health problem or multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud” is behind a reported spike in blood poisoning cases at hospitals operated by Prime Healthcare Services.
First Edition: October 12, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from major news organizations look at a probe of a California hospital chain, the effect that the governors’ races around the country will have on the federal health law and a review of prescription purchases that shows more Americans are foregoing their medicines.
“An agreement to contribute $100 million for a private-sector program to increase agricultural output in poor countries was announced by Canada, the U.S. and the [World Bank’s] International Finance Corp [IFC] on Friday,” Reuters reports (Somerville, 10/8).
Urgent Care Clinics Find Place In Market, Other Health Care Industry News
Florida Today/USA Today reports that urgent care clinics, “in a growing trend,” are seeing consumers increasingly turn to walk-in clinics “and urgent care centers for treatment of minor ailments and injuries instead of trying to squeeze in an appointment with a primary care provider or waiting at a crowded emergency room.”
World Bank, IMF Discuss Development Funds At Annual Meeting
The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) fund requires new resources from Western governments to adequately fight global poverty, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Saturday during the annual meetings of the bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., the Guardian reports. The IDA “provides soft loans and grants to the 79 poorest countries,” the newspaper writes.
Insurers are increasing premiums. In upstate N.Y., two insurers are asking for double-digit raises. Ohio consumers also expecting to pay more.
Today’s opinions and editorials evaluate the health law’s first court-room test, the prudence of Medicare Advantage cuts and the seriousness of a plan to curb the deficit drafted by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
Arizona Struggles With Severe Medicaid Cuts; Medicaid Fraud Task Force Targets Abuse In Iowa
States address a range of health policy issues.
Microsoft To Shift Part Of Health Care Costs To Workers
Microsoft Corp., long known for generous employee benefits, has told workers that starting in 2013 they will start contributing to the cost of health insurance premiums.
Doctors Pushing Hard For Medicare Pay Fix
A 23 percent cut in reimbursements is scheduled to go into effect on Dec. 1, but physicians are putting pressure on Congress to change that.
HHS Awards $727 Million To Community Health Centers As Part Of New Law
The Obama administration announced it will soon award $727 million to community health centers around the nation to help them build new clinics and improve safety net care in America.
Health Overhaul Rhetoric Intensifies On Campaign Trail
Democrats, including Sen. Russ Feingold, are touting their health care votes as they debate Republicans who want to repeal the law.
Retiree Health Plans Not Covered By Health Law; Some Small Businesses Get Tax Credits
For some, the new health law brings an expansion of coverage and subsidies, but others discover that the fine print means they won’t benefit as expected.
Soldier Suicides Still High Depite Army’s Prevention Program
The New York Times reports that “nearly 20 months after the Army began strengthening its suicide prevention program and working to remove the stigma attached to seeking psychological counseling, the suicide rate among active service members remains high and shows little sign of improvement.
