Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicaid and Budget Issues: California, Nevada Officials Outline Dire Scenarios For Health Services
The gap in California between state funding and liabilities for state retirees’ health and dental benefits is nearly $52 billion. Meanwhile, Nevada officials say cuts in Medicaid program will include rationing of adult diapers and elimination of dentures and hearing aids programs.
Statements and messages from Democratic lawmakers are all over the board this week.
Lawmakers In Kansas, Idaho Prepare Measures To Pre-Empt Any National Mandate To Purchase Insurance
Efforts are part of a campaign in about three dozen states to fight possible federal mandate, which conservatives argue is unconstitutional.
Today’s OpEds: Prescriptions For Health Reform
Today, we feature opinions and editorials on preventable medical errors, GOP ideas for health reform and chicken soup for the legislative soul.
FDA To Take Closer Look At Medical Radiation, Devices
The Food and Drug Administration will step up oversight of three medical techniques in an effort to reduce patients’ exposure to unnecessary radiation, including CT scans.
Doctor, Executive Who Pled Guilty To Medicare Fraud Leave Ailing Practices Behind Them
Hospitals with doctors and executives who committed Medicare fraud are dealing with paying back the millions their employees took from the system.
Draft Of Senate Jobs Bill Extends COBRA Subsidy
The COBRA subsidy program would be extended under the draft Senate jobs bill, Business Insurance reports.
‘A Troubling Picture’ Of Long-Term Care Hospitals
“Lawsuits, state inspections and federal statistics paint a troubling picture of the care offered at some hospitals,” writes The New York Times in an investigation of long-term care hospitals.
Feeding Tube Use More Likely At Big, For-Profit Hospitals
Larger, for-profit hospitals may be using feeding tubes on patients with advanced dementia without improving the quality of their care, a study finds.
First Edition: February 10, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on a bipartisan meeting between President Obama and congressional leaders — health reform was among the items discussed.
Obama: No ‘Short Cut’ To Deal With Health Reform Issues
After a long meeting with congressional leaders, President Obama talked to reporters about his openness to ideas that help promote goals such as health care and job creation.
Health Officials Encourage Caution, Despite H1N1 Case Decline
As the number of new H1N1 (swine flu) infections worldwide drops, U.S. health officials on Friday cautioned the virus continues to circulate and can still be deadly, Reuters reports. According to the WHO, H1N1 remains the dominant strain worldwide, but there are reports of the recent emergence of the seasonal flu in Africa and China, according to the news agency.
Findings Of Poor Quality Malaria Drugs In Africa Add To Artemisinin-Resistance Worries
A study released on Monday found that between 26 percent and 44 percent of artemisinin-based malaria drugs sold in Madagascar, Senegal and Uganda “failed quality testing” because of impurities or insufficient amounts of active ingredient, the Associated Press reports.
G7 Forgives Haiti’s Bilateral Loans To Support Aid Effort
At a press conference on Saturday, “Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said he and his G-7 colleagues would forgive bilateral loans extended to poverty-stricken Haiti, which estimates it could have lost 200,000 residents in the major earthquake that hit last month,” Dow Jones Newswires reports. Flaherty also said Haiti’s multilateral debt should be nullified as soon as possible (Thiruvengadam, 2/6).
CQ Examines Concerns Over Obama’s FY2011 Global Health Budget
Congressional Quarterly examines concerns among health advocates and international development experts about what President Obama’s FY 2011 budget request might mean to U.S. commitments to particular diseases abroad, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
GOP Wary Of Talks While Both Sides Express Low Expectations For Health Care Summit
Republican leaders sent a letter late Monday to the White House outlining key questions about how the Summit will work and what ideas will be on the table.
Faced With Stalled Overhaul, Dems Still Wonder Who To Blame
Congressional Democrats continue to divvy up blame for the stalled state of Democrats’ health overhaul, with fingers now pointed towards centrist Democrats and Republicans, President Obama or even White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, depending on the blamer’s perspective.
States grapple with strapped budgets and cuts to programs such as Medicaid.
Lawmakers in at least three dozen states push ahead with provisions, Politico reports.
