Latest KFF Health News Stories
House Debates Historic Health Reform Legislation, Anti-Abortion Amendment Passes
The House of Representatives, bitterly divided along partisan lines, is debating the Democrats’ sweeping health care reform bill.
Obama On Health Reform Vote: ‘This Is Our Moment’
President Barack Obama visited Capitol Hill and made a brief televised statement this afternoon to press the House to pass the Democratic health reform bill.
Democrats’ Late-Night Abortion Agreement Opens Door To Vote On Health Bill
In a middle-of-the-night Rules Committee decision, anti-abortion Democrats prevailed, and got agreement to a vote that would decide how new health insurance “exchanges” would deal with abortion coverage.
Hoyer Says Health Vote Could Be Delayed
“House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said ‘delay tactics’ could prevent the vote from occurring at the 6 p.m. Saturday scheduled time,” and “suggested the debate could go into Sunday or next week,” The Hill reports.
Publications Examine U.S. Funding For Global HIV/AIDS
In light of a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) report calling for sustained HIV/AIDS funding, VOA News writes: “Many AIDS-related groups and activists have been calling on U.S. President Barack Obama to fulfill his funding pledges made during the presidential campaign. But are they asking too much, considering the economic downturn?” Sharonann Lynch, an HIV policy advisor for MSF, said, “PEPFAR has the opportunity to save six million lives and it shouldn’t settle for three.”
H1N1 Is Now Most Dominant Flu Strain Worldwide, WHO Says
The H1N1 (swine flu) virus is now the dominant flu strain worldwide, the WHO reported Thursday, with the virus accounting for up to 70 percent of the flu viruses sampled in some countries, the Associated Press reports. “We remain quite concerned about the patterns that we’re seeing,” Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s Special Adviser on Pandemic Influenza to the Director-General, said during a press briefing.
Reuters Examines China’s Involvement In Fighting Malaria In Africa
Chinese scientists have been working on enhancing “the rare sweet wormwood shrub, from which artemisinin
ART As Part Of HIV Prevention Strategy Supported By WHO
“AIDS drugs should be given to all who need them to reduce new infections, the World Health Organization said,” following a three-day meeting on the topic of using antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent the spread of HIV, Bloomberg reports. “Providing more antiretroviral drugs ‘will achieve a significant transmission benefit,’ Teguest Guerma, interim director of the WHO’s AIDS department, said
President Obama Discusses Africa’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic With President Of Botswana
President Barack Obama met with Botswana’s president, Ian Khama, on Thursday to discuss issues facing the country, including the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, Bloomberg reports (Johnston, 11/5).
Student Health Plans In Massachusetts Blasted By Report
“Insurance companies rack up much higher profits on health coverage sold to nearly 100,000 Massachusetts college students than on plans available to the general public, according to long-awaited data released late yesterday by the state,” The Boston Globe reports.
Today’s Selection Of Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
CVS Investigated By FTC Over Business Practices
Some groups had requested the government investigation because of fears that CVS’s acquisition of a pharmacy benefits business had led to higher prices and forced consumers to CVS drugstores.
Dems Tout AMA, AARP Endorsements Of House Health Bill
AARP and the American Medical Association have endorsed the House health bill.
Insurance Companies Make The Best Of A Very Bad Year
The economic recession, the threat of swine flu and pending health reform legislation has all darkened the financial outlook for insurance companies, but it didn’t snuff out their third-quarter profits.
Dingell Plays Powerful And Historical Health Care Role
Rep. John Dingell has played a pivotal role in health care history including the establishment of Medicare.
Senate Democrats’ Leaders Face Challenges, Plot Strategy On Health Reform Bill
Democratic Senate leaders are working to gather votes from members of their own party, which is proving to be no easy task.
New York Times Looks At Doctors’ Crucial Role In Reshaping U.S. Health System
Doctors and hospital payment systems remain at the center of health care reform debate as news outlets examine the benefits of abandoning a fee-for-service hospital system.
Bill To Extend COBRA Subsidies Introduced In Senate
Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Robert P. Casey, D-Penn., offered legislation Thursday to extend federal subsidies to help unemployed workers and their families pay for COBRA health coverage.
Issues Related To Illegal Immigrants Could Threaten Health Bill
Some Hispanic lawmakers could vote against the House health care reform bill because of provisions that would not allow illegal immigrants to purchase health insurance in proposed exchanges.
