Latest KFF Health News Stories
Natural Disasters In India, Philippines Affect Rice Supply, Could Have Global Implications
“A drought in India and typhoons in the Philippines have damaged large tracts of rice paddies, threatening to upset the fragile food market amid fears of shortages and riots, experts said Wednesday,” the Associated Press/BusinessWeek reports.
GSK Will Ensure Experimental Malaria Vaccine Is Affordable, CEO Says
GlaxoSmithKline CEO Andrew Witty said Wednesday the company would ensure that if an experimental malaria vaccine works, it would be priced reasonably, Reuters reports. “The vaccine, called Mosquirix [or RTS,S] and the first malaria shot to make it to final-stage trials, is creating a buzz ahead of a conference of 1,500 malaria experts in Nairobi next week,” writes Reuters.
UNFPA Maternal Health Conferences Wrap Up
Two United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) conferences this week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, gathered “international policymakers, government ministers, and lawmakers” to address the half a million maternal deaths annually, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. Although the U.N. “hopes to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015,” this Millennium Development Goal target “has seen the least progress in recent years,” the news organization writes.
Pharmaceutical Companies Accept Ecuador’s Decision To Break Drug Patents
Foreign pharmaceutical companies on Wednesday accepted the decision of Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa to enable the country “to bypass patents on 2,000 drugs in order to produce them locally or buy cheaper versions elsewhere,” Agence France-Presse reports.
U.S. Won’t Donate H1N1 Vaccine To Developing Countries Until ‘At-Risk’ Americans Receive Vaccine
The U.S. will hold off on donating H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine stockpiles to developing countries until “at-risk Americans” receive the vaccine, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday, Agence France-Presse reports. Last month, the U.S. pledged to donate H1N1 vaccine stockpiles to developing countries. However, manufacturing delays of the H1N1 vaccine have driven the supply to “about 10 million doses short of the 40 million doses they had expected to have by the end of this month,” the news service writes.
Senators Who Support The Public Option Hope Resistant Moderates Will ‘Come Around’
“Democratic Senators in favor of including a public insurance option in health care reform expect resistant moderates
Medical Device Manufacturers Launch Ad To Head Off $40B Tax On Their Products
A new ad campaign is aimed at stopping Congress from imposing $40 billion in taxes on medical devices in health care overhaul, Roll Call reports.
Obama Administration Hits Reset Button In Wake of Flu Vaccine Shortage
After shortages have forced many to wait for a H1N1 vaccine, Obama administration officials are working to control the swine flu message.
Insurers Brace For Increase In COBRA Claims
The nation’s ailing economy continues to affect insurance companies, which could also face a wave of costly COBRA claims as policyholders rush to get treatment before government subsidies expire.
Study Seeks To Debunk Myths About HIV-Infection Among Black Women
CDC official discusses recent findings that help explain reasons for high rates of HIV/AIDS infection among black women.
China’s Health Care System Is Also In Disarray
The Washington Post reports that market reforms of the past two decades have left a “porous government insurance program.”
Coverage Details Hits Taken By Medicaid Programs In State Budget Cuts
State Medicaid and other health programs have fallen under the axe or been moved onto the chopping block this week.
In Senate, Centrist-Liberal Rift Broader Than Just Public Option
Though the question of whether Democratic leaders would include a public option in the Senate’s health reform bill has held the spotlight, a variety of other big issues also remain unresolved.
Shocked By Re-Emergence Of Public Option, Business Groups Push Back
Business leaders are pushing back after the public plan’s re-emergence in the Senate with letters and lobbying.
Current, Former Mass. Governors Agree: Feds Should Do More Than Their States’ Model To Address Costs
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, and former Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, both say that federal health reform should do more to address rising costs than their state’s plan.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of Thursday’s opinions and editorials from around America.
Iowa Medical Home Provides Lessons For Health Care Reform
The AP looks at what benefits “medical homes” may bring to health care by focusing on one in Iowa.
Lawmakers Try To Weed Out Fraud And Waste
Lawmakers target Medicare and Medicaid fraud to generate greater savings in health care reform while doctors worry about efforts to cut waste.
News outlets report on what a public option might look like in practice and how many people would actually be touched by the proposals being discussed in the context of health reform.
