Latest KFF Health News Stories
The average price of a vaccine that protects children against five diseases is expected to “drop to $2.58 next year compared to the current average price of $2.97,” the GAVI Alliance said Friday, Reuters reports. The group credits the expected price decline, which “represents a decrease of 30 percent over the last seven years,” in part to an “increased demand for the pentavalent, or five-in-one vaccine,” according to the news service (Kelland, 11/26).
Support Elusive For Debt Panel As Wednesday Deadline Nears
The chairmen of a bipartisan panel appointed by President Barack Obama are altering an early draft of recommendations to reduce the nation’s debt, in hopes of attracting broader support.
Groups Sharpen Distinctions On Health Reform Repeal As Court Cases Continue
Health law advocates and opponents are preparing for Republican control of the House of Representatives.
Opinions and editorials from around the country.
States address a range of health policy issues.
Medicare Advantage Enrollees Will See More Changes To Plans
Senior advocates encourage Medicare Advantage enrollees to evaluate new options as more changes come to private plans.
ACOs Raise Hope But Also Questions
News outlets report on accountable care organizations.
State Lawmakers Consider Medicaid Changes
Facing rising costs and enrollment, officials in Texas, Florida and Illinois discuss reforms to the federal-state health program for the poor.
Tricare May Raise Fees; VA Medical Center Uses Telemedicine To Trim Costs
Under pressure to trim the Pentagon budget, Defense Secretary Robert Gates is considering fee increases for the military’s lifetime health insurance program; the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center uses Telemedicine to track patients’ vital signs remotely.
Lame Duck Session To Include Votes On Medicare ‘Doc Fix,’ Health Law’s 1099 Tax Provision
Congress and official Washington are resuming business Monday, with a full agenda for the week.
First Edition: November 29, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about strategies surrounding deficit-reduction efforts and how they might impact health care costs.
Job-Based Health Benefits At Risk Amid Proposals To Cut Federal Deficit
Proposals from both parties have “urged shrinking or eliminating” tax breaks for employers
Health Reform Law Facing Showdown In Courts, Congress
News outlets looked at political and legal issues surrounding the health law.
Media Outlets Continue To Follow Major HIV/AIDS Developments This Week
Media outlets continued to track the major developments in HIV/AIDS this week, including: prevention research using an antiretroviral; new UNAIDS estimates of HIV/AIDS around the world; and Pope Benedict XVI’s stance on condoms for HIV prevention.
A McClatchy-Marist poll shoes a slim majority of voters favor the new law; Rep. Gary Ackerman dares Republicans to repeal health care with his “HIPA-CRIT” law; an Ohio judge allows a lawsuit against health care reform to proceed.
Democrats, Liberal Groups Urge GOP Lawmakers Who Opposed Health Law Now To Reject Federal Insurance
Voices from the left see an opportunity to hold GOP overhaul opponents accountable for their votes against the health law. Meanwhile, a new poll shows many voters think these lawmakers should walk the walk and reject their government coverage.
WHO/UN-HABITAT Report Documents Health Disparities Facing Women In Developing Country Urban Areas
Womens News Network/Guardian Development Network examines a WHO/United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) report released last week that highlighted the health disparities affecting populations living in urban areas. The article focuses on the impact of urban poverty on women’s health, noting: “Women suffering under poverty are especially sensitive to impacts of urbanisation as statistics show women in densely populated areas have a 1.5 times higher rate of HIV/AIDS than men. Women in cities also face higher dangers of contracting AIDS, a figure almost twice as high as their rural sisters” (11/23).
Middle East Meeting Addresses Global Food Security
At a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council to address global food security, ministers “pledged to a set of recommendations meant to improve co-operation and develop policies that could cope with a sudden interruption of food supplies” and vowed to “improve co-operation with international bodies such as the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on food security matters,” The National reports (Detrie, 11/24).
Poor Governance Major Cause Of Africa’s Water Problems, AfDB Report Says
A report released by the African Development Bank (AfDB) at a meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the 3rd Africa Water Week, points to poor governance as a major cause of the inadequate water supply that threatens the health of millions living in Africa, 234next.com reports (Abutu, 11/24).
