Latest KFF Health News Stories
Economists Have Mixed Views On Senate Health Bill’s Cost Controls
With the public fretting about rising health costs and deepening federal budget deficits, White House officials were quick last week to trumpet the optimism of some economists who said the Senate’s version of health reform would help control costs, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Some economists say they trumpeted too quickly.
Massachusetts May Require Colleges To Insure Students; Hawaii Plans To Opt Out Of Health Overhaul
News outlets report on a proposal in Massachusetts to require colleges and universities to insure students, an insurer in Massachusetts that is expected to try to alter the “fee for service” model and a plan in Hawaii to opt out of the national health care overhaul.
Europe May Offer Lessons For Health Care Rationing Debate
As fears about rationing are a hot-button issue in the health care debate, the U.S. may look to Europe for examples of how private-market systems cost less without raising concerns of rationing care.
Recession Undercuts Medical Tourism
Fewer Americans are traveling abroad for medical procedures because of rising transportation costs and decreased disposable income, report finds.
Senate Democrats Face Rocky Road On The Way To The Health Reform Finish Line
Democratic leadership in the Senate may not have the 60 votes to pass a health care reform bill anymore as debate begins Monday.
Primers On Health Reform And The Legislative Process
News outlets offer primers on the proposed health care overhaul.
Law Seeks To Improve Female Veterans’ Health Care
A new law seeks to improve health care services for female veterans.
Exclusion Of Illegal Immigrants Will Leave Many Californians Out Of Health Insurance System
“No matter what health care bill emerges from Congress, roughly one in six uninsured Californians will be excluded because they are not legal residents,” California News Service reports.
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Premiums To Average 11 Percent Rise in 2010
Medicare Part D premiums will rise an average of 11 percent next year, and are up 50 percent across the nation since 2006.
Pharmacists Could Play Important Role In Reform
Pharmacists may help fill in health care gaps and advise patients on important health and wellness lessons.
Top Maryland Hospitals Worry About Effects Of Health Reform
Leaders at Maryland’s top hospitals worry about how efforts to cut hospital costs may affect them.
COBRA Subsidy For Many Ends Today, Laid-Off Workers Face Bigger Bills
The federal government began subsidizing insurance premiums for millions of recently unemployed workers as part of the economic stimulus package in February. But, the $25 billion in subsidies end Monday for many people, leaving the laid-off workers to pay the full cost of insurance if they wish to remain on their former employers’ plans.
First Edition: November 30, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the advance reports regarding the upcoming Senate health reform debate.
Senate Debate On Health Reform Begins Monday, Public Option Will Dominate
Much of the news coverage previewing the Senate floor debate on health legislation, which begins this week, focused on the public option.
Senators Steeling Themselves For Health Reform Debate
The Senate is scheduled to begin debate Monday on the massive health bill that will now be on the floor.
Dems Face Huge Challenge In Reconciling Abortion Language In House, Senate Health Bills
Several news outlets are following the dilemmas that Democrats are facing in the health reform bills due to abortion.
White House Advisers: Senate Reform Bill Controls Health Costs
In a pre-Thanksgiving conference call with reporters, senior Obama administration officials praised cost controls in the Senate health reform bill.
Despite Gains, HIV/AIDS Remains Public-Health Priority, UNAIDS, WHO Say
News outlets continued to examine the 2009 AIDS epidemic update released Tuesday by the WHO and UNAIDS: “The U.N. report said ‘AIDS continues to be a major public-health priority’ and called for more funds to support efforts to curb the epidemic and to distribute lifesaving drugs,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “The U.N. report also suggested that health authorities need to focus resources on those most at risk” (Fairclough, 11/25).
Under-Five Child Mortality Up 20% In Zimbabwe, New Data Shows
UNICEF and the government of Zimbabwe announced Tuesday that, according to new social development data, the mortality rate for children under age five has risen by 20 percent since 1990, Reuters reports. The data suggest that the mortality rate is increasing at a slower rate than in March 2005, when it rose by 50 percent, compared to 1990 (Dzirutwe, 11/24).
