Latest KFF Health News Stories
States address a range of policy issues.
Bargaining With Docs Can Get Patients A Lower Fee
ABC News offers advice on how to bargain with doctors to get lower fees.
Businesses, Consumers Sort Out Health Law As Changes Approach
Though an array of health overhaul provisions will go into effect on Sept. 23, many consumers won’t see the changes until their health plans reset on Jan. 1.
Another Push For 9/11 Responder Benefits Begins
Lawmakers and supporters are renewing efforts to bring $7.4 billion in aid to sickened and injured 9/11 workers.
Cost Of Health Insurance Claims Expected To Climb 10% Over Next Year
The cost of health insurance claims is expected to rise, according to a new report, but insurers say they are getting tougher when negotiating prices with hospitals.
Medicare Confronts Issues With Prescription Drug Program And Medical Equipment Purchases
Senator raises concerns about the integrity of the Medicare prescription drug program, and House committee holds hearing today on controversy over how Medicare buys durable medical equipment.
Senate Defeats Amendments To Strike Health Reform Tax Reporting Provision
Senators rejected two plans – one from a Democrat, one from a Republican – to repeal a widely unpopular health law provision that would require businesses to report detailed lists of their expenses.
First Edition: September 15, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that a Florida judge has indicated the 20-state legal challenge to the new health law is likely to advance.
Hunger Costs Developing Nations $450B Per Year, Report Says
“Reduced worker productivity, poor health and lost education caused by malnourishment” is costing poor nations $450 billion a year, according to a report by the aid agency ActionAid, Agence France-Presse reports (9/13).
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday announced that “nearly 140” world leaders are planning to attend next week’s U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Summit in New York, where they will discuss ways to help countries reach the targets by 2015, the Canadian Press reports (Lederer, 9/13).
Legal Challenge To New Law Gets A Day In Court: Today
A federal judge is slated to preside over a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the health law beginning Tuesday in Florida.
Guardian Launches Global Development Website
The Guardian on Tuesday launched a new website that will cover global development issues, such as hunger and infant mortality, according to an introductory note on the site (Bunting, 9/14).
Today’s Opinions: Medicare Fixes, Health Care Lawsuits, Reporting Repeals
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of Tuesday’s opinions and editorials from around America.
USAID Opens Budget Office, Agency Will Assume More Responsibility For Its Resources
USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah recently told agency staff “of the creation of the new USAID Office of Budget and Resource Management (BRM), to be led by his senior budgetary advisor Mike Casella,” Foreign Policy’s blog, “The Cable,” reports.
States address a range of policy issues.
Kansas Governor To Head Nursing Home Group After Leaving Office In January
Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson will head a national nursing home trade group after he leaves office in January.
Some Health Insurance Changes Set To Take Effect Next Week
A number of health law provisions are scheduled to kick in Sept. 23, including a ban on lifetime caps on health benefits, a practice some insurance plans use to restrain costs.
Report in the Archives of Internal Medicine finds that less than half of the doctors who got $1 million or more from device makers reported that when publishing studies in medical journals.
