Latest KFF Health News Stories
Primer: House vs. Senate Health Bill
McClatchy/The Miami Herald has a primer comparing the House and Senate health bills.
Possible Senate Health Bill Loopholes, Insurance Costs
News outlets explore some of the potential loopholes in the health bills.
Hospital Error Rates Climb In California
Hospital error rates in California climbed by more than 300 cases last fiscal year after a 2006 law required public reporting of hospital errors in that state, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Study Finds Patients More Likely To Skip Diabetes Medicine While In The ‘Doughnut Hole’
Those facing the gap in Medicare Part D coverage were more likely to forgo diabetes medications than those who had supplemental drug benefits.
Nelson Calls For Expansion Of Nebraska Medicaid Deal To All States
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., has asked Democratic leaders to extend to all states the deal he make to have the federal government pay for a proposed Medicaid expansion in Nebraska under a health care reform bill, pay for it another way or to drop it completely.
FDA Seeks To Overcome Past Struggles
Past decade presented challenges but new funding and leadership is reinvigorating the agency.
Insurers Hope To Sway House-Senate Agreement Over Regulation, Taxes
House and Senate lawmakers and insurance companies all agree on the need for health insurance exchanges that would allow people who don’t get coverage from their employers to shop for better values and compare plans.
Health Policy Research Roundup: Long-Term Care, Diabetes Disparities, Health IT
Today’s roundup of research and analyses includes a new issue of Health Affairs, summaries of the House and Senate health reform bills, and a look at the efficiency of electronic medical record
Tech Roundup: Virtual Visits, EMR Loans And A New E-Prescribing Tool
Tech companies and doctors are preparing for a changing business landscape that will likely feature more technology in medical offices.
One Million Seniors Get More Generous Prescription Drug Benefits
More than 1 million low-income seniors “are newly eligible for more generous prescription drug benefits under the ‘extra help’ program” in Medicare, The Associated Press reports.
Study: Reform Bills Could Save Health Care Dollars
“National healthcare legislation in Congress could slow the growth of medical costs, allowing employers to create 250,000 to 400,000 new jobs a year over the next decade, economists from Harvard University and USC are predicting,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
First Edition: January 8, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest developments regarding congressional Democrats efforts to finalize health reform legislation.
Nelson Wants To Open Nebraska’s Medicaid Deal To All States
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said Thursday that he wants to extend the deal he made to get the federal government to pay for a proposed Medicaid expansion, the Omaha World-Herald reports.
Chamber Of Commerce Unleashes New Health Reform Ads; Other Stakeholders Express Strong Opinions
Business groups, religious leaders, health care administrators and progressives are voicing strong opinions as the congressional push toward health care reform moves forward.
Development To Be ‘Central Pillar’ Of U.S. Foreign Policy, Clinton Says
In a speech on Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that it is time to “elevate development as a central pillar of all that we do in our foreign policy,” United Press International reports (1/6). According to Reuters, “U.S. security depends on a new approach to international aid, so Washington must consult more and dictate less as it dispenses billions of dollars in assistance, … Clinton said.”
Iowa Eyes Improving Program For Uninsured Adults; Minn. And Okla. Confront Health Spending Cuts
Iowa legislators consider changes in program so that poor could get care at nearby facilities rather than traveling to University of Iowa hospitals.
Difficult To Decipher: Tracking The Funding Sources For Some Health Care Interest Groups
“Many of the Washington interest groups that are seeking to shape final health-care legislation in the coming weeks operate with opaque financing, often receiving hidden support from insurers, drugmakers or unions,” The Washington Post reports.
Uninsured Patients Struggle To Access Health Care As Hospitals End Programs
Several news outlets report on the difficulties uninsured patients are having accessing health care.
