Latest KFF Health News Stories
GOP Senators Worry About Backlash From COBRA Extension Filibuster
Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., continues his one-man effort to hold up legislation that extends unemployment benefits, reverses Medicare’s physician pay reduction and provides other stop-gap funding.
Specialty Drugs Cause High Medicare Out-Of-Pocket
Lawmakers focus on Medicare payment and cost issues.
MedPac Urges Feds To Cut Payments To Private Insurers
In addition to reductions in insurer payments, the panel also recommended significant reductions for home healthcare providers.
Pelosi Says Obama To Propose ‘Smaller’ Health Care Bill; Durbin Defends Reconciliation
President Obama plans to unveil the next iteration of health reform legislation Wednesday.
Pelosi ‘Confident’ On Health Overhaul Vote Through Reconciliation Process
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House Health adviser Nancy-Ann DePArle said Sunday that they’re confident that she will be able to get the votes needed to pass health care reform.
Some Democrats Cautious As Leaders Line Up Health Votes – GOP Slams Dem Approach
As President Obama and Democratic leaders prepare to move forward with health care legislation, some rank-and-file Democrats remain wary and Republican opposition continues.
Two-Week U.N. Meeting On Gender Equality Kicks Off Monday
Ahead of the two-week U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which kicks off Monday in New York, Inter Press Service features a Q&A with Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), who highlights some of the goals of the meeting. As part of CSW, world leaders are expected to discuss gender equality in the context of the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, the 1994 Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
WHO Director-General Calls For Greater Efforts To Reduce Tobacco Use
In a speech on Friday marking the fifth anniversary of an international tobacco control treaty, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan called for government officials worldwide to increase efforts to protect their population from the harmful effects of tobacco, Reuters reports. “Tobacco kills more than 5 million people a year from cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes and other chronic illnesses, including about 600,000 from second-hand smoke, according to the United Nations agency,” the news service writes.
Study Finds Most HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care Efforts Overlook IDUs
A systematic review of HIV prevention, treatment and care for injecting drug users (IDUs) throughout the world published Monday in the journal Lancet found that international efforts to fight the disease are largely overlooking this population, the Australian Associated Press/Sydney Morning Herald reports (Rose, 3/1).
Ohio’s governor signed legislation that extends its “mini-COBRA plan.”
OpEds: GOP Ideas, HSAs, Calls For ‘Yes’ On Health Bill
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of today’s opinions and editorials.
Joint Chiefs Chair Visits Haiti To Examine Aid Response
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Mike Mullen, who is President Barack Obama’s top military adviser, visited Haiti over the weekend to examine relief and rebuilding efforts and meet with local leaders, Agence France-Presse reports. It was his first visit to the country after the earthquake.
Michigan Hospitals Face Rising Costs; Doctor Urges Culture Changes To Increase Safety
Michigan report expected to detail losses in hospitals there and criticize any efforts for further cuts in Medicaid or Medicare funding.
“Shell-shocked Chileans struggled to deal with the aftermath of a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake that ripped through the southern half of the country early Saturday morning,” the Wall Street Journal reports. The quake damaged roads, buildings, telecommunication services, and cut power. “At least ten aftershocks hit the region in the hours after the initial quake
Groups Prepare For Final Health Overhaul Push
A renewed push to pass health care reform in America has lobbyists and interest groups upping efforts to have their voices heard and heeded.
While Congress Debates, Health Costs Continue Steep Rise
The costs of health care will likely continue their rapid rise, distorting and changing the U.S. health system.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s latest test on a health reform overhaul will come in the form of living up to the words that she has the votes on a health reform package, Politico reports.
Medical Identity Theft On The Rise
Medical identity theft
Palliative Care Helps Improve Quality, Cut End-Of-Life Care Costs
About 53 percent of hospitals have palliative care programs, which seek to match patients’ treatments with their goals for the end of life. Often patients choose a less aggressive option for care.
