Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

U.N. Calls For Increased Efforts To Reduce Urban Poverty, Improve City Living Conditions

Morning Briefing

The U.N. marked World Habitat Day Monday with a call for governments worldwide to do more to reduce urban poverty and improve the living conditions populations in cities around the world face, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reports. “Creating better cities demands the combined efforts of national and local governments, civil society and the private sector, supported by the best efforts of the United Nations system,” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement released to mark World Habitat Day.

HHS Adds 1,000 Companies To Early Retiree Benefit Program

Morning Briefing

The announcement brings to 3,000 the total number of companies, union health plans and government employers seeking federal help in paying health benefits to retirees not yet eligible for Medicare.

Global Health Fund To Get Big Boost From U.S.

Morning Briefing

“The Obama administration is expected on Tuesday to announce a large increase in its pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and to call for reform of the organization,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

First Edition: October 5, 2010

Morning Briefing

Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on the midterm elections and recent polls as well as the latest developments related to Medicaid expansion.

African Leaders To Meet In Zambia To Discuss Country Responses To HIV/AIDS

Morning Briefing

Later this month, “[f]our former heads of State and other high-level African leaders who are the champions for a HIV/AIDS-free generation project” will travel to Zambia at the request of Zambian President Rupiah Banda for a meeting to discuss ways to strengthen the HIV/AIDS response in Africa, Times of Zambia/allAfrica.com reports.

Health Law’s Insurance Plans For Pre-Existing Conditions Are Slow To Enroll; 3M To Drop Early Retiree Coverage

Morning Briefing

“3M Co. confirmed it would eventually stop offering its health-insurance plan to retirees, citing the federal health overhaul as a factor,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “The changes won’t start to phase in until 2013. But they show how companies are beginning to respond to the new law, which should make it easier for people in their 50s and early-60s to find affordable policies on their own.”

Media Examines PEPFAR Hearing, Calls For More HIV Funding Ahead Of Global Fund Replenishment Meeting

Morning Briefing

Ahead of the Global Fund replenishment meeting, which kicks off today in New York, Inter Press Service examines the Obama administration HIV/AIDS funding commitments. The article details last week’s House Foreign Affairs’ Committee Hearing, where U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Eric Goosby, together with a panel of other HIV/AIDS experts and advocates, discussed the future of PEPFAR together with President Obama’s six-year $63 billion Global Health Intitative (GHI).

New Bill Aims To Promote Federal Agency Collaboration On Foreign Aid, National Security

Morning Briefing

House lawmakers recently introduced the 2010 Interagency National Security Professional Education, Administration and Development System Act in an effort to promote better “collaboration among federal agencies supporting security missions and foreign aid operations overseas,” Government Executive reports.

Researchers Call For Sustained Funding To Move HIV Vaccine R&D Ahead

Morning Briefing

At the AIDS Vaccine 2010 conference last week in Atlanta, researchers emphasized the need for sustained funding for vaccine research and development in order to further progress toward an HIV vaccine, SciDev.Net reports.

Brothers Lead Charge For Electronic Medical Records Push, But Find Barriers

Morning Briefing

The New York Times reports on the Doerr brothers, one a venture capitalist and the other a doctor and software designer, who are leading the charge to push doctors to use electronic medical records more and the resistance they face.