Latest KFF Health News Stories
Dems May Add Health Provisions – Including COBRA Subsidies and Medicare Fixes – To Jobs Bill
Fixes could include restoring Medicare provisions that expired on Jan. 1, such as prohibiting caps on physical, speech and occupational therapy. Doctors are also looking for Congress to stop a 21 percent cut in reimbursements.
Study: Medicare Bladder Cancer Treatment Policy Raises Health Costs
“Medicare’s move in 2005 to pay doctors to do bladder cancer surgery in their offices rather than in hospitals dramatically raised the number of procedures and overall health costs, U.S. researchers said on Monday,” according to Reuters.
States Deal With Small Budgets, Medicaid Cuts
States grapple with strapped budgets and Medicaid cuts.
Tax On Sugared Drinks Loses Appeal, Tanning Salons Still Fighting
While Democrats once seemed to favor a tax on sodas and other sugary beverages, steady lobbying by the soft drink industry appears to have turned the tide.
Today’s OpEds: Recommendations To Democrats, Cutting Costs, ‘Rationing’ Health Care
A sampling of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Clinton Health Reform Veterans Helping With Obama Overhaul Effort
The Associated Press reports that aides who helped with the Clinton health care reform effort are pushing to help President Barack Obama pass his health system overhaul this year.
Insurers Bringing Plans Into Compliance With New Mental Health Rules
The Wall Street Journal reports that insurers are bringing their insurance plans in compliance with new rules and laws that make mental health and substance abuse insurance coverage available to millions more Americans.
Texas Court Case And Florida Web Site Raise Questions About Effectiveness Of Physician Oversight
Activity surrounding a court case and a web site raise issues about how efficient states are at monitoring and communicating about doctors.
Analysts: If Health Reform Fails, Expect More Industry Mergers
News outlets report on how the fate of the health care overhaul might affect health industry mergers and biotech firms.
First Edition: February 8, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the White House’s upcoming health summit.
Health Reform Week Ahead: Insurance Antitrust Exemption, COBRA, Obama’s Bipartisan Ideas
News outlets report President Obama is trying another strategy to move a health overhaul forward. And, when the Senate reconvenes (after Washington digs out from the snowstorm), it’ll take up a jobs bill that deals with some health issues. The House is expected to take up insurance regulation.
Democrats Debate Next Steps On Health Reform, Obama: ‘America Can’t Afford To Wait’
At the Democratic National Committee’s annual winter meeting, President Obama got a standing ovation when he said “I won’t walk away” from pushing for a health overhaul.
Bipartisan Legislation In House, Senate Targets Violence Against Women Worldwide
Members of the U.S. House and Senate on Thursday introduced the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), a bill that “would make violence against women worldwide a priority of the United States government and an enhanced component of its foreign policy and foreign assistance programmes,” International Press Service reports (Fromm, 2/4).
$1.2B Needed To Aid Women, Children In 28 Countries ‘In Crisis,’ UNICEF Says
UNICEF on Thursday launched a $1.2 billion appeal aimed at providing “life saving emergency assistance to millions of children and women in dire need,” VOA News reports (Schlein, 2/4). “The appeal is part of UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action Report 2010, released in Geneva … which spotlights the desperate situation of children and women in 28 countries and territories facing deep humanitarian crises,” the U.N. News Centre writes (2/4).
WFP Has Reached 600,000 Haitians With Food Voucher Plan
On Thursday, a food distribution voucher campaign that launched last Sunday, “hit all 16 fixed distribution points around the capital” of Port-au-Prince, CNN reports. “So far, 600,000 people affected by the devastating January 12 earthquake have been able to collect food under this plan, said Marcus Prior, spokesman for the United Nations World Food Programme. ‘We’re encouraged by the way the system is working to get food out into the city to those in need, but still have a long way to go,’ Prior said” (Basu, 2/5).
Obama: ‘Take Time’ On Health Reform, Democrats Haggle On Next Steps
President Obama said Thursday “we should take our time” while “not letting the moment slip away” in finalizing a health care overhaul.
In Jobs Bill, Democrats Push To Include Extension Of COBRA Benefits, Medicare ‘Doc Fix’
Democrats are including some health considerations into a jobs bill and regrouping on their legislative agenda.
Landrieu Defends ‘Louisiana Purchase’ In Senate Remarks
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., won a $300-million Medicaid bonus for her state during health overhaul negotiations, spawning a wave of criticism that Democratic leaders needed to make the so-called “Louisiana purchase” to secure her support for their reform bill.
