Latest KFF Health News Stories
‘Final’ Finance Committe Health Bill May Not Be Final Word For Senate
The amended Baucus bill is already coming under fire as being not affordable enough for the middle class and too weak in its insurance requirements to guarantee coverage for more Americans.
Aid Efforts Continue After Earthquake In Indonesia
“Foreign emergency rescue teams are racing to reach earthquake devastated areas of Indonesia’s Sumatra island, as the death toll continues to rise” after a 7.6 magnitude-quake struck earlier this week, VOA News reports.
Bacteria Could Be Used To Control Mosquitoes, Prevent Disease, Study Says
New findings, published in the journal Science, about the bacteria Wolbachia could be used to control mosquito populations and prevent malaria, dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases, Discovery News reports.
CNN, TIME Examine Increasing Antibiotic Resistance
CNN examines a recent report by researchers that warns of increasing antibiotic resistance and appeals for governments to take action to develop new antibiotics to avert a health crisis.
First U.S. Patients Could Receive H1N1 Vaccine Next Week
U.S. health officials announced Thursday the first batches of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine the government ordered will begin arriving in designated locations across the country on Tuesday and may be administered in the first patients by the end of next week, Reuters reports.
TIME Examines Breastfeeding In The Philippines
Articles on breastfeeding in the Philippines, and the effects of the rainy season on maternal mortality in Liberia.
New (And Old) Ideas For Health Care Show Possibility Of Savings, Improvements
The search for reform models continues with news reports exploring the Veterans Administration’s “government-run health care,” Washington State’s “reputation for lower-cost, higher-quality health care,” and Kaiser Permanente’s new money-saving approach to heart attack treatment.
Report Highlights Rural Health Care Challenges
A new report highlights the difficulties of getting health care in rural parts of the country.
Senate Finance Amends Reform Bill To Allow States To Negotiate With Insurers
The Senate Finance Committee ended consideration of amendments to its health care reform bill early Friday morning and approved a handful of amendments aimed at cutting consumers’ costs.
Lawmakers Get Contributions From Industry Groups And Associated Lobbyists
A study by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Sunlight Foundation has found that key lawmakers received significant contributions from not only from major health industry companies
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of Friday’s opinions and editorials from around America.
Google’s Venture Capital Wing Invests In Biotech Company
A Google Ventures executive said the company invests in “a variety of fields that don’t necessarily directly correlate with Google products or services,” but acknowledged that because “heavy-duty computation” is now a key part of biotech development, Google may collaborate with Adimab.
Seniors Fret Cuts To Private Medicare Plans
Seniors’ number one reform concern Medicare, which stands to face up to $500 billion in cuts over the next decade. Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans worry they’ll lose benefits, as a quarter of the savings are extracted from the privately-run managed care programs.
Rough Rhetoric Pervades Health Care Debate In The House
Rough rhetoric in the House continues as Democrats attack the GOP for lack of a health plan and Speaker Pelosi rejects calls to discipline member who said Republicans want sick Americans to “die quickly.”
Democratic Leaders Shift On Public Plan, But Push Ahead Despite Setbacks
Despite recent setbacks, congressional Democratic leaders have continued pushing for a new government-run insurer as part of health reform.
Health Reform Unlikely To Fix Medicare Doctor Payment System
Congress is unlikely to reform the Medicare physician payment system in health care reform, opting instead for a one-year fix to keep payments to doctors from falling dramatically.
Eye Treatment Reimbursement Change Could Cost Medicare Millions
A reimbursement rate change for a drug used off-label to treat an eye illness could lead Medicare doctors to use a much costlier drug that would cost the system millions more.
Obama Tells Governors Health Reform Will Help In Tough Times
President Obama said he is committed to helping keep Democrats in governors’ offices across the country and move their states forward, starting with health system changes.
Finance’s Marathon Markup Complete As Senators Look Forward To Panel Vote And Floor Action
The Senate Finance Committee’s health reform markup was completed at 2:15 Friday morning. Next step: the committe will give the measure its final send off to the Senate floor.
