Latest KFF Health News Stories
Medicare Advantage Plans Waste Billions, Report Finds
Medicare Advantage plans waste billions of dollars by using money for profits and marketing rather than on patient care, according to a House committee report released Wednesday.
Drug Importation Takes Center Stage On Senate Floor
Debate on health care reform turns to easing curbs on bringing in prescription drugs. Proponents say it will lower costs but critics warn about safety issues.
Key Democratic Senators Aren’t Yet Committing To Health Bill
Some of the key players in the health care debate are featured in news articles today, including Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.
Ford May Use Stocks to Pay For Retiree Health Fund
Labor Department approves company’s request for an exemption to federal pension law so that Ford can fulfill deal reached with UAW in 2007 to put $13.1 billion in the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association, a new retiree health care fund.
Senate Democrats Express ‘Guarded Optimism,’ Wariness On Public Option Compromise
A tentative agreement on the proposed public insurance option reached earlier this week by a group of Democratic Senate negotiators has earned “guarded optimism” from members of the broader caucus.
Experts Begin Calculating Senate Health Bill Impact On Consumers
The Associated Press reports that though consumers will have options they have never had before, some might not like the pricetag.
Hospitals, Insurers Oppose Health Bill Compromise On Medicare Buy-In
Groups representing doctors and hospitals are coming out against a deal on the public option and a proposed Medicare buy-in proposal in it.
Public Option Stands Out Among Senate, House Health Bills Differences
News outlets report on the differences between the Senate and House health care bills.
Health IT Investments Continue As Security Experts Express Concern
As the federal government prepares to invest up to $34 billion in health information technology and develop a plan to oversee it that includes special measures to protect privacy, a rash of news stories about e-health security breaches has raised questions.
First Edition: December 10, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including more reaction about Senate Democrats’ health bill agreement and the latest on emerging details of that deal.
Obama Backs New Health Care Deal
The Democratic caucus is slated to meet today at 5 p.m. to discuss the tentative agreement.
Washington Post, New York Times Examine PEPFAR
The Washington Post examines the Obama administration’s goal “to get the ’emergency’ out of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief” and integrate HIV/AIDS programs more into the health infrastructure of recipient countries. A five-year strategy for PEPFAR was released last week.
Shah Nomination Advances To Full Senate For Consideration
“The nomination of [President Barack] Obama’s pick to head USAID, Dr. Rajiv Shah, moved to the full Senate for consideration after receiving a unanimous voice vote from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee” Tuesday, Politico’s Laura Rozen reports.
WHO Issues Report On Global Tobacco Use
“Tobacco use kills at least 5 million people every year, a figure that could rise if countries don’t take stronger measures to combat smoking, the World Health Organization said Wednesday,” during the release its Global Tobacco Epidemic report (.pdf), the Associated Press reports (Cheng, 12/9).
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Today’s selection of opinions and editorials include one from Rep. Bart Supak on his abortion amendment.
Reid Continues To Court Moderates For Health Bill Support
Attention is being paid to the reaction of certain fence-sitting senators to the recent public option.
‘Hidden Nuggets’ On Work Breaks And Calorie Counts Added To Health Reform Legislation
The health care bills have dozens of lesser-known proposals that are moving closer to passage because they’ve hitched themselves to health care reform.
Aetna Understated Profits, Overhead, Lawmakers Say
Insurers’ profits are a lightning rod for reform advocates. Aetna’s earnings have now attracted reprimand from Senate Democrats who say the major insurance company overstated it spending on patient care in regulatory filings, minimizing profits and overhead.
Drug Makers Attract Scrutiny Over Cost And Ads, But May Benefit From Overhaul
Drug makers came under scrutiny at a Hill hearing after the AARP published research showing their wholesale prices had increased by an average of 9.3 percent over the last year, offsetting the value of the rebates to help seniors pay for drugs they promised to provide as part of the health care overhaul.
