Latest KFF Health News Stories
Budget Realities Are Rippling Through States’ Health Institutions
Local news stories explore the impact of state budget cuts on local health providers.
Health IT Money Secured, But Program Faces Challenges
Washington has channeled billions of dollars to help health providers adopt electronic medical records, but obstacles remain.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a sampling of Tuesday’s opinions and editorials from around America.
Obama Acknowledges Mistakes In Health Overhaul Politics And Processes
The president acknowledged Monday in an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer that among the biggest mistakes “was the confusing way in which the health bill was shaped.”
Health Companies Adapt To Diminished Likelihood Of Health Reform
Some health executives are still calling for reform in the wake of Scott Brown’s upset victory in Massachusetts’ Senate race last week.
Number Of Americans In Excellent Or Good Health Has Declined
The New York Times says a new government report has found that obesity is up but so is exercise.
As State Legislatures Gear Up, Federal Health Overhaul Is On Their Agenda
Utah, Virginia lawmakers working to let state control key decisions on health care. Other states worry about how federal legislation could affect Medicaid programs.
Democratic Leaders Still Pondering Reconciliation Pros And Cons For Health Bill
Democrats are close to making a decision about whether to use the procedural maneuver called budget reconciliation to pass a health care reform bill.
GOP Lawmaker Set To Release Health Care ‘Declaration’
Republicans are seeking a consensus on health care of their own now that Democrats can no longer go it alone, having lost their filibuster-proof 60-vote Senate majority.
Bayh Urges Dems To Move To The Center; Nelson Says He Cannot Support National Exchange
Meanwhile, groups representing medical professionals, seniors and women urged lawmakers to press on with reform efforts despite tough new political landscape.
Study Finds Regional Hospitals Often Are Better At Preventing Medical Errors Than Academic Centers
Review of Medicare data shows that some regional hospitals perform better than academic medical centers at preventing complications and infections that can lead to hospital deaths.
First Edition: January 26, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including Dems continuing efforts to develop a going-forward strategy for health reform and what Republicans might do, too.
WHO Director-General Highlights Global Health Gains, Challenges At Executive Board Meeting
During the WHO’s recent executive board meeting, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan reflected on public health gains over the past decade and the challenges that lie ahead, Nigeria’s Guardian reports. Chan commended the international community’s response to H1N1 and global efforts to reduce child mortality, fight malaria and tuberculosis.
Officials from 20 countries are meeting in Montreal, Canada, Monday “to discuss long-term reconstruction and arrangements for a donor conference to be held in March,” the U.N. said, Bloomberg/BusinessWeek reports (Gaouette/Craze, 1/25). “U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and others will examine eventual debt forgiveness and” a strategy for rebuilding Haiti at the one-day gathering, according to Reuters (Palmer, 1/25).
Report Highlights Challenges Facing Obama In Africa
A new report highlights challenges facing the Obama administration in Africa, including HIV/AIDS, poverty and climate change, VOA News reports. The report, published jointly by Africa Action and Foreign Policy in Focus, notes despite the recent success of programs such as PEPFAR, funding for the program has not increased at levels seen in previous years, the news service writes.
WHO Rejects Accusations It Mishandled H1N1, Updates Worldwide Stats
WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl on Monday rejected accusations that the organization miscategorized H1N1 (swine flu) as a pandemic, calling such accusations “irresponsible,” the Associated Press/Washington Post reports. “WHO also dismissed claims it colluded with drug companies to bring economic benefit to the industry by playing up the danger of the new H1N1 [swine flu] influenza strain,” the news service writes.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of Monday’s opinions and editorials from around the country.
Commissions To Examine Paring Costs From Medicaid, Medicare
Medicaid payments are coming under review by a new commission, while a second group may look at overall spending under Medicaid and other programs.
State News: New York Governor Wants Regulation On Rx Gifts To Doctors And Other State News
The Associated Press/CNBC reports that New York Gov. David Paterson is “proposing new, tougher prohibitions on pharmaceutical companies, restricting them from dispensing gifts and misleading production information to doctors while promoting the use of specific drugs.”
