Latest KFF Health News Stories
Companies Overseeing Prescription Benefits Poised For Growth
The administrators for many insurers’ prescription drug programs, known as pharmacy benefit management companies, see business expanding with aging population and possibility of health overhaul.
First Edition: January 20, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the impact on health reform of yesterday’s Senate election in Massachusetts.
Republican Brown Wins Massachusetts Senate Seat
Congressional Democrats and the White House are now scrambling to develop a new strategy to move the health reform bill forward.
Health Insurer Stocks Rise As Wall Street Anticipates Republican Victory In Mass.
Investors are keeping close tabs on the Massachusetts’ Senate election outcome.
Hoyer: Senate Health Bill ‘Clearly Better Than Nothing’
The House Majority Leader offered his views on the importance of passing a health bill now and on possible paths to follow if the GOP candidate wins today’s Senate election in Massachusetts.
Media Outlets Examine Efforts To Develop Malaria Vaccines
Scientists have identified a group of proteins they say could form the basis of a malaria vaccine, Australia’s ABC News reports. “However, they say more laboratory work and clinical trials need to be done, with a vaccine at least 10 years away,” the news service reports (Macey, 1/19).
Though H1N1 (swine flu) activity worldwide has slowed, the potential of a new wave of infections in the northern hemisphere in late winter or early spring remains viable, Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s top flu expert, said Monday at the start of the WHO’s weeklong Executive Board meeting, Reuters reports. The H1N1 pandemic “initially sparked widespread concern about antiviral and vaccine supplies, especially in developing countries, but many nations have cut back their vaccine orders recently because the pandemic has not turned out as deadly as originally feared,” the news service writes (Nebehay, 1/18).
Global Health Care Errors, Fraud Costs $260B Annually, Report Finds
A report released Monday finds $260 billion
Rescue, Relief Efforts Continue In Haiti, 200,000 People Estimated To Have Perished In Quake
Rescue efforts continue in Haiti after a major earthquake hit the country last week, CNN reports (1/18). While teams still search for survivors under the rubble, the priority is shifting to relief for those who survived the quake, Nicholas Reader, spokesperson for the U.N.Offices for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, TIME reports (Newton-Small,1/18).
GOP Effort To Recruit House Democrats To Oppose Health Overhaul Stalls
Roll Call finds that Republicans efforts to get Democrats in the House to abandon health overhaul have not made much progress and some targeted Democrats say they haven’t been approached by GOP.
Dems Plot Health Reform Contingency Plans If GOP Wins Massachusetts Senate Seat
Democrats are considering several courses of action to pass a health care reform bill if Massachusetts Senate hopeful Democrat Martha Coakley loses to Republican Scott Brown in a special election Tuesday.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
A selection of today’s opinions and editorials from around the country.
California Limits HMO Wait Times
Other state developments include a new Texas HIV testing law that focuses on pregnant women.
Obama Seeks Elusive Health Care Victory By Months’ End
President Obama has plenty of reasons to hope Congress has completed its health overhaul debate by the end of the month, including: the just-scheduled State of the Union address on Jan. 27, a Feb. 1 deadline for submitting the 2011 federal budget to Congress, and flagging poll numbers.
Officials Debate Merits Of Medical Marijuana As Coping Tool In Pain Fight
As access to medical marijuana becomes more widespread, officials are debating its use as a pain coping treatment and easing rules for the sick to use the drug, The Wall Street Journal reports.
‘Secret Bill Writing’ And Washington Rumors Are Issues In Health Debate
Transparency in the legislative process has been on the decline for the past two decades, The Associated Press reports. “And it’s not just on the high-profile health care bill; the trend on much legislation is to shut the door and keep the minority party, cable TV and other media on the outside.”
Massachusetts’ Senate Election Could Shape Health Reform’s Endgame
The special election in Massachusetts for Sen. Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat could have an effect on national health care reform.
News Reports Question Health Reform Provisions, Forecast Legal Issues
News reports explore remaining issues in Congress’ health overhaul negotiations.
Medicare, Consumers Face Challenges When Trying To Make Choices Based On Value
Recent calls to base Medicare pay on rewarding quality is complicated because a hospital’s performance can be affected by charity cases and uninsured patients.
