Latest KFF Health News Stories
WHO Addresses Handling Of H1N1 At Council Of Europe Meeting
During a Council of Europe meeting on Tuesday to address the WHO’s handling of the H1N1 virus, the WHO said it had not “fallen under the sway of drugs firms and exaggerated the dangers of the H1N1 flu virus, but said it might have handled the crisis better,” Reuters reports. “Critics say the WHO relied too much on advice from advisers in the pay of the pharmaceutical industry, triggering an internal review by the WHO and an inquiry by the Council of Europe, a pan European human rights watchdog,” writes the news service (Reilhac, 1/26).
State News: A Doctor Shortage In New Jersey, A Plan To Expand Health Care In Iowa And More
News outlets report on the impending doctor shortage in New Jersey, a health care expansion plan in Iowa, an increase in new HIV infections in Minnesota and a possible hospital deal in New York.
Democrats Shun Health Reform Deadlines As They Await State Of The Union
Democrats Tuesday backpedaled on sticking to a timetable while they discussed the practicality of using budget reconciliation to pass a health overhaul package.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a sampling of Wednesday’s opinions and editorials from around America.
Lawmakers Voice Opinions And Search For Ways Forward On Health Overhaul
Lawmakers, including Sens. Lincoln, Nelson, Baucus and Kerry, are scrambling to find a new direction for their health care talks.
Experts Duel On Plight Of Health Reform And Merits Of Specific Provisions
NPR interviews with two leading health care experts
House Democrats Meet, Weigh Reform’s Reconciliation Option
House Democrats have concerns about whether Senate can deliver the changes they want.
Health Care Stocks Gain As Reform Falters
“Health care stocks lagged the broader market’s recovery in 2009, mostly because of fears that reform efforts would put a significant dent in the industry’s coffers. … now health care stocks may be poised for gains,” Forbes reports.
Polls Find Americans Want Obama To Focus More On Economy, Less On Health Care
As President Barack Obama prepares to give his State of the Union address this evening, new polls show public support for congressional health bills is low, with a majority wanting more focus on the economy instead.
Two Former LA Medical Center Owners To Pay $10 Million In Medicare Fraud Case
Two former owners of a Los Angeles medical center are fined millions in a Medicare fraud case while a Mexican man is sentenced in a Texas fraud case.
Injured Veterans’ Caregivers Face Emotional, Financial Pressures
Caregivers of severely injured veterans and their families face emotional and financial pressures and difficulty accessing military medical care.
CBO: Stimulus More Expensive Than Expected, Medicare Costs To Double By 2020
A new Congressional Budget Office report finds the economic stimulus will cost $75 billion more than originally expected.
Web-Based Records Worried Patients, Prompting More Neutral Language
The experience of Kaiser Permanente highlights the potential for miscommunications that needlessly alarm patients as health providers shift to digital records.
First Edition: January 27, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the likelihood that Democrats will slow down on the pending health overhaul.
Health Reform Deals Spark Anger, Insurers Question Policies And Politics
Voters speaking out against so-called “backroom” deals on health care reform are changing the political landscape for passing health reform as both lawmakers and President Obama have back-tracked on supporting them, The Associated Press reports.
Los Angeles Times Examines How Miss. Delta Region Hopes To Learn From Iran’s Rural Health Care
The Los Angeles Times reports on how health workers in the Mississippi Delta region of the U.S. are hoping to mimic Iran’s success in reducing infant mortality by recreating the country’s low-cost rural healthcare delivery system in their own backyard. “Mississippi ranks at or near the bottom of most healthcare indexes.
Donors Agree To 10-Year Haitian Rebuilding Effort Amid Concerns; No Firm Financial Commitments
At a meeting in Montreal, Canada, on Monday, international donors noted concerns, but agreed to a 10-year reconstruction plan to rebuild Haiti, the New York Times reports. “Given Haiti’s long history of mismanagement of funds, international donors were hesitant to write a blank check. And foreign governments had concerns as well about the government’s ability to direct a large reconstruction project after most government buildings were flattened or severely damaged in the Jan. 12 quake,” the newspaper writes (Lacey/Thompson, 1/25).
Gates Annual Letter Addresses Importance Of Innovation For Global Health, Agriculture
In his second annual letter, Bill Gates reflects on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s work and the importance innovation will play in overcoming some of the world’s greatest challenges, including in global health and agriculture, the Associated Press/Wall Street Journal reports. “Gates says the foundation currently is backing 30 areas of innovation including online learning, teacher improvement, malaria vaccine development, HIV prevention, and genetically modified seeds,” according to the news service (1/25).
