Latest KFF Health News Stories
Health Policy Research Roundup
A roundup of recent health policy findings and reports.
World Bank Says Additional 89M In ‘Extreme Poverty’ By 2010, Asks For Increased Aid
An additional 89 million people are expected to be pushed to levels of “extreme poverty” by the end of 2010, according to a new World Bank report that urges developed nations to increase aid to developing countries, Bloomberg reports. Ahead of a meeting of the G20 in Pittsburgh, “World Bank President Robert Zoellick is calling on leaders of the biggest industrial economic powers to avoid slashing donations and other assistance to low-income countries, which the report said face a ‘long and muted recovery,'” the news service writes (Rastello, 9/16).
Some Governors Worry About Proposals To Expand Medicaid As Part of Reform Effort
A possible expansion of Medicaid in the health care overhaul raises concerns among some governors about increased financial burdens on their states.
WHO In Talks With Developed Countries About Sharing H1N1 Vaccine With Developing Nations
The recent news that a single dose of H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine can protect adults against the virus has sparked conversations between the WHO and developed countries about sharing their vaccine stockpiles with developing countries, Bloomberg reports.
Parents’ Insurance Status Affects Their Children’s Health Care–Even When The Children Are Insured
Insured children are less likely to have necessary health-care services if their parents are uninsured, new study finds.
Today’s Selection Of Opinions And Editorials
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the nation.
Merck, Wellcome Trust To Launch Vaccine Center In India To Produce Vaccines For Developing Countries
The pharmaceutical company Merck and the Wellcome Trust have joined together to create a non-profit,
Intermittent Preventive Treatment Could Prevent A Third Of Infant Malaria Cases, Study Finds
Research into intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi) found that one-third of malaria cases in African babies can be prevented by giving them regular doses of malaria drugs even if they have not contracted the disease, according to a Lancet study, published on Thursday, Reuters reports.
Two-Day Forum Addresses Maternal, Child Mortality In Asia-Pacific Region
Poor health care, gender inequality, violence and poverty are to blame for Asian-Pacific countries’ failure to significantly reduce maternal and child mortality rates in the region, Noeleen Heyzer, executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), said during the Asia-Pacific Forum on International Conference on Population and Development in Bangkok, VOA News reports.
Food Aid Hits 20-Year Low As Number Of ‘Critically Hungry’ People Increases, WFP Says
Global food aid is at a 20-year low even though the number of “critically hungry people” is expected to reach the highest level ever, the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday, Reuters reports (9/16).
Top Official Calls For Quicker, Improved Response To Military Mental Health Needs
A top military official expresses frustration at the government’s handling of mental health problems in troops and veterans.
Federal Officials Say Louisiana Owes $362 Million For Overpayments To Public Hospitals
The federal government says Louisiana public hospitals were overpaid by hundreds of millions of dollars in the mid-1990s.
In Massachusetts, Fears About Public Health Vaccination Proposal
In a state public health proposal, “a 16-month-old activist coalition sees government authority run amok: mandated vaccinations, quarantines, arrests, fines.”
At Hearing, Kucinich Bashes Insurance Companies
An afternoon hearing today seeks to better understand how private health insurance works.
Savings From Tort Reform Less Than Advocates Claim
Doctors say the suits send health-care costs soaring, but studies show reforms would have little effect, according to BusinessWeek.
Medicare To Create Pilot Program For Medical Home Model
Medicare will create a pilot program for a “medical home” model.
First Edition: September 17, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus’ sweeping health overhaul has yet to garner Republican support.
Senate Finance Version Of Health Legislation Unveiled
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus unveiled his committee’s health care bill, which has no public option and requires most people to have health insurance coverage. Business groups largely favor the bill while some Republicans and Democrats express concern.
News Outlets Examine West Africa Floods
The torrential rains that began in June in West Africa and subsequent floods have forced an estimated 150,000 people from their homes and claimed the lives of 160, VOA News reports. The worst affected countries include Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger and Sierra Leone.
