Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about continuing efforts by President Obama and Democratic leaders to shore up votes in support of health reform.
Obama Promises To Cut Down On Medicare Fraud
Seeking to demonstrate that he is willing to accept Republican ideas, President Obama announced a plan to cut down on waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid systems during a rally in St. Louis last week.
GOP Criticizes House Dems Likely ‘Self-Executing Rule’ For Health Reform Consideration
The approach currently favored by the leadership would allow rank-and-file Democrats to avoid taking a separate vote on the Senate-passed health bill. Meanwhile, the Budget Committee voted to send the measure on to the Rules panel.
President Delivers Emotional Speech, Pushes For Reform In Ohio
During early afternoon remarks delivered at an Ohio senior center, the president focused on human stories and emotion while pushing for health care reform. He also reassured seniors about how they would fare under the health overhaul.
As The Push To Gather Votes Continues, Democrats Express Confidence Health Overhaul Bill Will Pass
Democrats spent Sunday trying to pull enough votes together in the House to pass a health care reform bill later this week but said they were optimistic about their chances.
Issues Over Abortion, Reconciliation Rules Remain In The Path Of Health Reform Vote
A host of political challenges and potential pitfalls awaits lawmakers pushing for a final vote on health care reform including abortion, reconciliation rules and immigration.
Experts Discuss PEPFAR Funding In Congressional Hearing
At a recent hearing of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, “[i]nternational health organisations working to help check the spread of AIDS in Africa said meagre increases in funds from the U.S. government this year would be a step backwards. Some experts also emphasised that prevention must get appropriate attention in any fight against the disease,” Inter Press Service reports.
U.N. Secretary-General Visits Haiti To Monitor International Aid Response
During his second visit to Haiti since the January earthquake, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon “promised Haitians on Sunday that the world has not forgotten the quake-torn nation as it suffers from a shortage of shelter and growing violence in teeming camps for the homeless,” the Associated Press reports (Katz, 3/14).
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a sampling of opinions and editorials from around the U.S.
Obama’s Legacy And Democrats’ Electoral Fates Tied To Overhaul, Observers Speculate
If Democrats fail to pass health legislation, the loss could have lasting consequences for a president whose supporters have become accustomed to victory.
Economists, Dems Differ On Who’s To Blame For Insurers’ Rate Hikes
Democrats assailed health insurers for hiking rates in order to gain popular momentum for their health overhaul, but health economists say insurers did cause high health costs.
States Struggle To Balance Budgets, Health Programs Face Cuts
States struggle with budget cuts, especially to Medicaid and other medical assistance programs for the poor.
Health Care Sparks Battles Between State, Federal Legislation
Backlash growns among states to federal overhaul’s proposal to impose a mandate for individuals to buy health insurance.
Advertising On Heath Overhaul Picks Up Again
Health care advertising is revving up in advance of the final votes on pending congressional legislation.
‘Vaccine Court’ Finds No Link Between Vaccines And Autism
A federal court finds no link between vaccines and autism after examining three cases that started in 2007.
Major Catholic Health Group Supports Democrats’ Health Reform
“Breaking with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the president of the Catholic Health Association has endorsed the Senate health care reform legislation that is scheduled to be voted on by the House of Representatives this week,” according to Catholic World.
Senate Parliamentarian Frumin Could Referee Overhaul Battle
Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin, a veteran master of civil procedure who first joined the office he now leads in 1977, will be thrust into a deciding role if Democrats pursue their health overhaul efforts with help from a filibuster-proof tactic known as budget reconciliation.
FDA Questions Third-Party Review Of Medical Devices
The FDA is considering ending a program that allows medical-equipment makers to have their products reviewed by third-party companies instead of by FDA officials.
