Latest KFF Health News Stories
Republicans Blast Senate Deal-Making; Contemplate Delays
Republicans continue to critique the deal-making process and to delay the Senate health bill’s final vote.
Big Hospitals Amass Cash, Criticism
Despite industry warning, many big hospitals amass large amounts of cash and criticism.
First Edition: December 22, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Task Force’s Role In Reform Bills Draws Scrutiny In The Wake Of Mammography Guidelines
The expert panel would take on a higher level of authority under pending health reform legislation, making some of its critics a bit nervous, The Washington Post reports.
Winners, Losers Examined In Senate Health Bill Tax Treatment, Insurer Regulations
Nebraska, Louisiana, Vermont and Massachusetts get extra help with Medicaid funding; Montana gets expansion of Medicare to cover people sickened by mining operation. But tanning salons face increased taxes.
Many Senators viewed the procedural vote on the package of changes advanced by Majority Leader Reid as a vote on the overall bill.
Reid’s Fight To Get 60 Votes Dims Liberals’ Hopes Of Compromises In Conference Committee
“The need to hold Nelson and other moderates in line means major changes on the public option, abortion, taxes, Medicare and Medicaid are unlikely – and that the Senate’s vision of health reform is likely to prevail over the House’s in the final talks,” Politico reports.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
A sampling of opinions and editorials from around the country.
First Edition: December 21, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including coverage of the Senate’s overnight vote.
How The Senate Health Reform Deal Happened
A number of news outlets deconstructed the activity before Senate Democrats achieved the 60th vote – Sen. Ben Nelson – for their health reform bill.
Abortion Language In Senate Health Bill Draws Strong Criticism
Activists on both sides of the abortion issue expressed strong opposition to the negotiated provision unveiled today as part of the Democrats’ ongoing effort to pass a sweeping health reform bill before Christmas.
When the Senate passed a $626 billion defense spending measure Saturday morning, it was good news for laid-off workers who get a subsidy for COBRA health insurance benefits.
Final Senate Health Bill Includes Many Last-Minute Changes
Some of Majority Leader Harry Reid’s revisions to the health reform bill include a substitute for the public option, a prohbitin on denying children coverage due to a pre-existing condition and an additional Medicare tax on the wealthy.
Nelson Now On Board For Health Reform, Senate Dems Pleased With CBO Analysis
Democratic leaders reached a deal late Friday with Sen. Ben Nelson, D.-Neb.,Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled his manager’s amendment and the Congressional Budget Office ‘scored’ the bill at costing $871 over 10 years. The developments added momentum to the push to pass a health bill by Christmas eve.
Senate Dems Face GOP Delays — And Snow — In The Next Days Of The Health Overhaul Debate
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to unveil his much-anticipated manager’s amendment Saturday morning.
Orphanage Care In Developing Countries Is A ‘Viable Option,’ Study Finds
A study, published on Thursday in PLoS One, finds that the “care at orphanages [in developing countries] is often at least as good as that given by families who take in orphaned or abandoned children,” challenging “the widespread belief that orphans in poor countries fare best in family-style homes in the community and should be put into orphanages only as a last resort,” the New York Times reports (Grady, 12/17).
WHO Sponsors Event At Copenhagen Conference To Highlight Climate Change Effect On Public Health
The WHO held a “side event” on Thursday at the U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen to highlight climate change’s effect on public health, CNN reports.
U.S. Health Officials Announce Shift In Focus Of PrEP Trial In Botswana
U.S. health officials on Thursday announced they will shift the focus of a clinical trial in Botswana aimed at testing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
H1N1 Cases Still Increasing In Many Countries; WHO To Begin Shipping Donated Vaccines Within Weeks
With many countries continuing to report a growing number of H1N1 (swine flu) cases, Keiji Fukuda, special adviser to the WHO director general on pandemic influenza said Thursday it was too early to declare the pandemic over, the Washington Post reports.
