Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Clinton Rebuffs Criticism Of U.S. Aid To Haiti, Pledges Redoubling Of Efforts To Help Quake Survivors

Morning Briefing

“Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday she resents criticism of the U.S. effort to help stricken Haiti and pledged to redouble efforts to help survivors of the Jan. 12 earthquake,” the Associated Press/CBSNews.com reports. “I deeply resent those who attack our country, the generosity of our people and the leadership of our president in trying to respond to historically disastrous conditions after the earthquake,” she said.

Canada To ‘Champion’ Major G8 Initiative To Tackle Maternal, Child Mortality

Morning Briefing

As president of the G8 in 2010, “Canada will champion a new G8 identity focused on ending child mortality and other health woes in poorer countries when it hosts the club of industrialized nations in June, the government said Tuesday,” Agence France-Presse reports. A spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper explained Tuesday that Harper will use his keynote address at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, to provide more details about the new G8 agenda, according to AFP (1/26).

WHO Addresses Handling Of H1N1 At Council Of Europe Meeting

Morning Briefing

During a Council of Europe meeting on Tuesday to address the WHO’s handling of the H1N1 virus, the WHO said it had not “fallen under the sway of drugs firms and exaggerated the dangers of the H1N1 flu virus, but said it might have handled the crisis better,” Reuters reports. “Critics say the WHO relied too much on advice from advisers in the pay of the pharmaceutical industry, triggering an internal review by the WHO and an inquiry by the Council of Europe, a pan European human rights watchdog,” writes the news service (Reilhac, 1/26).

Health Care Stocks Gain As Reform Falters

Morning Briefing

“Health care stocks lagged the broader market’s recovery in 2009, mostly because of fears that reform efforts would put a significant dent in the industry’s coffers. … now health care stocks may be poised for gains,” Forbes reports.

Polls Find Americans Want Obama To Focus More On Economy, Less On Health Care

Morning Briefing

As President Barack Obama prepares to give his State of the Union address this evening, new polls show public support for congressional health bills is low, with a majority wanting more focus on the economy instead.

First Edition: January 27, 2010

Morning Briefing

Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the likelihood that Democrats will slow down on the pending health overhaul.

Health Reform Deals Spark Anger, Insurers Question Policies And Politics

Morning Briefing

Voters speaking out against so-called “backroom” deals on health care reform are changing the political landscape for passing health reform as both lawmakers and President Obama have back-tracked on supporting them, The Associated Press reports.