Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
Abortion Clash Moves To Senate As Centrists Seek House-Like Provision In Health Bill
Senate moderates are calling for a restriction on abortion funding similar to the one in the House health care reform bill.
Study: Face Time At Doctor Visits Expanding, Not Dwindling
Researchers have found that, contrary to conventional wisdom, doctors are actually spending more time with their patients than they used to.
Medical Schools Change Curriculum To Adapt To Different Policies, Care Standards
The Washington Post reports that medical schools are changing curriculum to adapt to a shifting medical landscape around America with different classes, new methods of care and health care reform.
First Edition: November 10, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including the latest about emerging political issues — especially abortion — that are coming to the fore as the Senate becomes the health reform focus.
House-Passed Abortion Language Could Stir Up Senate’s Reform Debate
The abortion issue is becoming central as forces on both sides of the issue are gearing up for Senate and, eventually, conference committee action.
Obesity Among Other Issues Debated In Health Reform
People’s weight, benefits for homosexual partners, and the debate over interstate insurance are among the other issues being debated in Congress.
China Seeks Its Own Health Reforms
As United States tries to extend health insurance to all, China is trying to cover its people with basic medical service, Reuters reports.
WHO Report Calls For Improved Health Care For Women, Girls
A new WHO report, released Monday, said women tend to “receive poorer quality care throughout their lives, particularly as teenagers and elderly people” even though they live six to eight years longer than men, Reuters reports. The WHO said women worldwide are “‘denied a chance to develop their full human potential’ because many of their critical medical needs are ignored” (MacInnis, 11/9).
Washington Insurance Program May Be A National Model, Massachusetts May Expand Autism Services
News outlets report on health issues at the state level including a health insurance program in Washington State and a bill to increase coverage for autism services in Massachusetts.
