Latest KFF Health News Stories
House Democrats Hail, Question Health Reform Bill
The House health reform bill, unveiled yesterday, is causing praise and some consternation among Democrats on Capitol Hill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is making compromises to try to ensure 218 votes for the bill.
Health Industry Stakeholders Focus On Pain, Not Gain
Businesses, including medical device makers, insurers and pharmaceutical companies are bracing for tax and fee provisions in the House health care reform bill.
Obama Woos Small Business To Support Health Reform
Obama told small business owners Thursday that Democrats’ health reform plans would mean million of their peers would get new tax credits to help pay for insurance, and that the smallest firms could save around 25 percent on insurance costs through new exchanges.
House GOP’s ‘Better Ideas’ Remain Under Wraps
“House Republicans said the newly released Democratic health care reform bill would create an expensive government-run heath care system paid for by those who could least afford it, but they declined to say whether they would introduce a conference alternative,” Roll Call reports.
New York And Louisiana Crack Down On Medicaid Fraud
Unlikely people become suspects in New York Medicaid fraud cases while Louisiana launches a new fraud prevention program.
Senators Jostle For Position On Health Reform Provisions
Senators are making their own plans for a public option and other provisions in the health care reform bill before debate starts in the upper chamber.
Wellness Programs Can Be Costly, But Have Proven Successful At One Corporation
Wellness and prevention programs, part of the health care legislation moving through Congress, are not easy to implement but at least one corporation says they are cost-effective.
Study: Lack Of Insurance May Have Caused 17,000 Child Deaths Over 20 Years
Johns Hopkins researchers find that uninsured children are 1.6 times more likely to die than children who had insurance.
In today’s state watch, Virginia plans to close a pharmacy for the mentally ill, Medicaid patients in Michigan are suing over dental care and Rhode Island reports that insurers remain healthy.
Senate Confirms Benjamin As Surgeon General
In a voice vote Thursday night, the Senate ended an impasse and confirmed Alabama doctor Regina Benjamin as surgeon general. Her confirmation comes at a critical time as the nation deals with a swine flu emergency.
CDC Study Finds Swine Flu May Have Infected As Many As 5.7 Million Americans
The new estimate of cases through the spring and summer also suggest that between 9,000 and 21,000 people were hospitalized with the virus.
Several news outlets have explainers of the House bill, which was unveiled yesterday.
Government To Decide On Payment For Doctors Who Use Medical-Imaging
The government is considering whether to cut payments to physicians who use medical-imaging machines to screen patients for diseases such as cancer and heart problems. The decision could come as early as Friday.
GE Takes A Swing At Health IT Networking Opportunities
The value of the federal government’s investments in health information technology
A Selection Of Recent Studies And Surveys
Studies and briefs this week include discussions about the CLASS Act, chronic diseases, digital divide and Wisconsin’s BadgerCare.
First Edition: October 30, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on the newly unveiled House Democrats’ health bill.
U.S. Officially Ends HIV Travel Ban
The Obama administration announced an end to a travel ban for HIV-infected travelers.
Main Features Of House Health Bill: Public Option, Pricetag of $894 Billion
The House’s health care reform bill with a public option will have a net cost of $894 billion over 10 years, House leaders said Thursday as they unveiled the bill.
Republicans Assail ‘Freight Train of More Mandates’ In House Health Bill
Republicans criticized the House health overhaul bill, released by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for its size, scope and cost.
Regional HIV/AIDS Conference Opens In Russia
A regional conference kicked off Wednesday in Moscow with experts calling upon Russian authorities to change their approach to preventing the spread of HIV among injection drug users [IDUs], Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports (10/28). “The calls came in the face of a doubling in the number of HIV infections in Russia in the past eight years,” the Associated Press reports.
