Latest KFF Health News Stories
Coming This Week: New Law To Prevent Discrimination Based On Genes
A new antidiscrimination law – the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act – will take effect in the nation’s workplaces next weekend.
Drug Makers Hike Prices, Lobby Hard As Reform Efforts Progress
Drug makers are bracing for reform by raising their prices
Insuring Immigrants A Sticking Point Between House, Senate Health Reform Bills
Immigrants’ treatment and access to care remains a sticking point as Congress mulls how their health care will be handled in reform.
First Edition: November 16, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on how reform impacts state laws and budgets.
Democrats Stymied On Abortion In Health Reform Bills
Reaction to the amendment restricting abortion in the House health reform bill, passed more than a week ago, continued to reverberate through news outlets today.
CMS Report On House Health Bill: Many More Insured Means More, Not Less, Spending
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid released its report on the effects of the House’s health reform bill. News outlets say that it concludes that 32 million more people would get insurance and that the effect of that may be price increases.
Health Reform: Senate Prepares For CBO Estimate; GOP On Attack
News outlets covering the health reform debate noted that Republicans are continuing their arguments against Democratic legislation and outlined what might happen in the coming week in the Senate.
Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Sunday, Premiums Will Rise 11 Percent On Average
U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News reports that significant changes to Medicare Part D will begin Sunday when open enrollment begins.
Majority Leader Reid Still Aims To Bring Health Bill To Senate Floor Next Week
Meanwhile, speculation continues about what will become of House-passed abortion restrictions, especially if Democrats choose to use reconciliation to move health reform legislation.
Feds Overlooked Medicare Scam Warnings, The AP Reports
The Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services ignored letters from inspectors for three years about suspected Medicare fraud.
CDC Releases Revised Swine Flu Estimates
Based on the updated numbers, about 3,900 Americans have died from the virus.
Potential Success Of U.N. World Food Summit Questioned
Next week’s World Food Summit in Rome “is not likely to make more than token headway in the fight against hunger, with leaders merely pledging to boost aid to poor countries but setting no targets or deadlines for action,” Reuters/New York Times reports.
WHO Revises Clinical H1N1 Guidelines, Sends Antivirals To Some Hard-Hit Nations
On Thursday, the WHO issued revised guidance for the clinical management of H1N1 (swine) flu, the Associated Press reports. According to the AP, the WHO “says doctors shouldn’t wait for lab confirmation before giving anti-viral drugs to pregnant women and other at-risk groups with suspected swine flu” (11/12).
TIME Examines Efforts To Combat Malaria Resistance Along Thai-Cambodia Border
TIME reports on evidence along the Thai-Cambodia border that the malaria parasite is gaining resistance to artemisinin
Global Fund Approves $2.4B For Ninth Round Grants
During its recent board meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria approved $2.4 billion for the three diseases, PlusNews reports. The money is for the fund’s “ninth round of grants, bringing the total amount of approved funding since its inception in 2001 to $18.4 billion,” according to the publication.
Senate Aides: Reid Considering Medicare Payroll Tax Increase On Wealthy
As one of the ways to finance health reform legislation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid asked the CBO about the effect of a one-half percent increase in the Medicare payroll tax for people earning more than $250,000.
Health Reform: Senate Facing Controversies On Coverage Numbers, Abortion Language
The Senate faces its own inner battles regarding the number of people insured and how abortion is handled in its health bill.
Business and Insurers’ Groups Back Health Reform, But Not All Legislation
A group of CEOs, the Business Roundtable, and America’s Health Insurance Plans, the insurance industry group, separately expressed qualified support for health overhaul efforts Thursday, heartening Democratic leaders, but at the same time, urging them to adopt faster-acting reform measures.
GOP Hopes To Rally Sentiment Against Dems’ Health Bills But Face Flap Over RNC Abortion Coverage
The Republican National Committee has offered employees insurance plans that cover elective abortions since 1991
