Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: October 11, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including former President Bill Clinton’s remarks to Senate Democrats and the timeline for action in that chamber.
Clinton Gives Senate Dems A Reform Pep Talk
With the Senate calendar shrinking, former President Bill Clinton urges Democratic lawmakers to enact health care reform.
Six Universities Aim To Expand Drug Access In Developing Countries
Six universities have agreed to an effort to “encourage companies to give poor countries better access to drugs and medical products stemming from discoveries made on their campuses,” Bloomberg reports (Lauerman, 11/9).
GSK To Donate 50M H1N1 Vaccine Doses To WHO In Coming Months
Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline announced plans on Tuesday to donate 50 million doses of its H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine to the WHO for use in developing countries within the next few months, Reuters reports.
Medicare Advantage Plans Are Largely Unpopular In Rural States
Kansas Health Institute examines Medicare Advantage plans, which are less popular in rural areas, in a series of reports.
In anticipation of the full Senate debate on health reform, news organizations are keeping tabs on lawmakers who could become players
Senate Braces For Final Reform Drive
The Senate is preparing for floor action on health reform, with moderate Democrats and the more liberal leadership continuing to butt heads regarding key issues.
Today’s Selection Of Opinions And Editorials
A sample of the opinions and editorials appearing around the country.
AGRA, NEPAD Agree To Partnership To Expand Food Security In Africa
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has entered into an “historic” partnership with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) “to work towards increasing food production and food security in Africa,” PEACE FM Online reports (11/9).
Palin Resurrects ‘Death Panel’ Claims, Controversy Is Decades-Old
Sarah Palin continues her “death panels” claim, even though they’ve been debunked, while the uproar around end-of-life counseling reflects a decades-old controversy.
Science-Based Health Policies Could Prevent Nearly 4M Maternal, Child Deaths In Africa, Report Says
Nearly 4 million deaths among women and children in sub-Saharan Africa could be prevented annually if relatively inexpensive, “science-based health policies” reached 90 percent of Africans, according to an African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI) report (.pdf) published Monday, Nature News reports. The report, which is the initiative’s first policy paper, was released at the group’s fifth annual conference in Accra, Ghana, from Nov. 9-11.
Dutch Health Minister Critiques U.S. Health System
Ab Klink, the Dutch health minister, shares the Dutch view of U.S. health care and critiques the lack of competition.
Report Finds Hospitals Rebound From Recession
Hospitals are beginning to recover from the recession, which many economists think ended last month.
State News: State Budgets And Medicaid Continue To Draw Headlines
Some states are debating their role in funding mental health services and Medicaid amid a still-struggling economy.
AMA Sticks With House Bill Endorsement
The American Medical Association, the official physician lobby, reiterated its endorsement of the House bill Monday while other outlets examine doctors’ opinions in the health care debate.
House Health Bill Votes Stir Political Action, Ads
House health bill votes are triggering a new wave of political ads and strategies — especially where Democrats hold vulnerable seats.
Abortion Restrictions In House Health Reform Bill Triggering Outrage From The Left
Forty House Democrats are “promising to oppose any final bill that includes” the amendment in the House health reform bill restricting abortion coverage.
Some Dems Worry Health Bill Will Come Up Short On Savings
“As health care legislation moves toward a crucial airing in the Senate, the White House is facing a growing revolt from some Democrats and analysts who say the bills Congress is considering do not fulfill President Obama’s promise to slow the runaway rise in health care spending,” The New York Times says.
White House Firm On Health Reform Timeline, Sends Mixed Abortion Messages
The White House issued a firm reminder to lawmakers about President Obama’s health reform deadline. President Obama has offered a less solid position on abortion, one key controversy that threatens to delay the Senate vote.
