Latest KFF Health News Stories
Leaders Conclude Second Africa Water Week
African leaders concluded the Second Africa Water Week on Friday, with an appeal for “concrete actions to meet the water and sanitation needs in the continent,” Xinhua reports.
H1N1 Continues To Spread, Despite Leveling Off In Some Regions, WHO Reports
Despite reports that the numbers of new H1N1 (swine flu) are leveling off in some parts of the Northern Hemisphere, the virus continues to spread, the WHO said Friday, Reuters reports. “In an update on the H1N1 swine flu virus, the WHO said parts of the southern and southeastern United States, as well as Iceland and Ireland, seemed to have weakening levels of disease after an unusually early start of the winter flu season,” the news service writes.
World Food Summit Focuses On Aiding Agriculture In Developing Countries To Fight Hunger
Delegates at the World Summit on Food Security, which kicked off Monday, “rallied around a new strategy to fight global hunger and help poor countries feed themselves,” the Associated Press reports.
CMS Report: House Bill Will Raise Health Care Costs, Affect Seniors’ Benefits
Medicare cuts approved by the House may raise health costs over the next decade and could affect seniors’ care and access to providers, according to a new government report.
States Experience Medicaid Changes And Offer New Models For Reform
News outlets report on a variety of state health issues including the upcoming launch of a Medicaid data project in Florida, health care changes that could reduce spending in Georgia and a model for reform in Vermont.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
A selection of today’s opinions and editorials from around the country.
2009 Report: False Medicare Claims Cost Government More Than $47 Billion
The government paid more than $47 billion in questionable Medicare claims.
Health Lobbying Ranges From Below The Radar To High Profile
A Charlotte, N.C., law firm is operating a secretive front group called Americans for Quality and Affordable Healthcare to attempt to shape lawmakers’ and the public’s opinions on health reform.
Electronic Health Records Not Yet Making Impact, Patients Turn To Web For Advice
As the United States launches “an ambitious program, backed by $19 billion in government incentives, to accelerate the adoption of computerized patient records in doctors’ offices and hospitals,” a new study of 3,000 hospitals “has found little difference in the cost and quality of care,” The New York Times reports.
Coming This Week: New Law To Prevent Discrimination Based On Genes
A new antidiscrimination law – the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act – will take effect in the nation’s workplaces next weekend.
Drug Makers Hike Prices, Lobby Hard As Reform Efforts Progress
Drug makers are bracing for reform by raising their prices
Insuring Immigrants A Sticking Point Between House, Senate Health Reform Bills
Immigrants’ treatment and access to care remains a sticking point as Congress mulls how their health care will be handled in reform.
First Edition: November 16, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on how reform impacts state laws and budgets.
Democrats Stymied On Abortion In Health Reform Bills
Reaction to the amendment restricting abortion in the House health reform bill, passed more than a week ago, continued to reverberate through news outlets today.
CMS Report On House Health Bill: Many More Insured Means More, Not Less, Spending
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid released its report on the effects of the House’s health reform bill. News outlets say that it concludes that 32 million more people would get insurance and that the effect of that may be price increases.
Health Reform: Senate Prepares For CBO Estimate; GOP On Attack
News outlets covering the health reform debate noted that Republicans are continuing their arguments against Democratic legislation and outlined what might happen in the coming week in the Senate.
Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Sunday, Premiums Will Rise 11 Percent On Average
U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News reports that significant changes to Medicare Part D will begin Sunday when open enrollment begins.
Majority Leader Reid Still Aims To Bring Health Bill To Senate Floor Next Week
Meanwhile, speculation continues about what will become of House-passed abortion restrictions, especially if Democrats choose to use reconciliation to move health reform legislation.
