Latest KFF Health News Stories
Challenges, Optimism Remain For Senators After Public Option Amendments Fail
Senate Democrats are recouping from yesterday’s Finance Committee turn-down of the public option and looking ahead.
Finance Panel Continues March To The Floor, Considers A Number Of Health Bill Amendments
Sen. Chuck Grassley won approval Tuesday night of an amendment to raise rural doctor Medicare reimbursement rates in health care reform.
President And Congress Delve Into Age Rating
The president and Congress are delving into issues of age rating, which most acutely affects people in their fifties and early sixties before they qualify for Medicare.
Obama’s Turn To Retake Lead On Health Reform Nears
President Obama may soon take a new turn at the reins of a public option and on passing health care reform itself.
Federal Employees Can Expect Increase In Their Health Care Costs
Federal employees can expect big increases in their health care costs in 2010, according to an announcement Tuesday.
Injectible H1N1 Vaccine Ships Ahead Of Schedule In U.S.
The first H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine shots available in the U.S. were shipped ahead of schedule after the pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis finished production nearly two weeks early, the New York Times reports.
Public Feels Its Voice Is Not Heard In Debate, Poll Finds
New outlets report on issues surrounding support for health care reform including a poll that finds the public feels its voice is not being heard in the debate and Michael Moore’s warning to Democrats to support reform.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of Wednesday’s editorials and opinions from around America.
House Leaders Work To Bring Health Bill Below $900 Billion
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Democrats have a plan to cut $200 billion from their health care bill to get the total cost below $900 billion, as President Obama requested.
Health Care TV Ads Top $100 Million
Spending on health care reform advertisements on television has topped $100 million this year.
Jindal to GOP: Time To Say ‘Here’s What We’re For’
In interviews Tuesday, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Republicans need to lay out their own plans for health reform, rather than just rejecting Democratic proposals, and proceeded to outline his own ideas.
Over 4M People Living In Low- And Middle-Income Countries Have Access To ART, U.N. Report Says
More than 4 million people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries had access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART) by the end of 2008, according to a report released Wednesday by the WHO, UNICEF and UNAIDS, the Associated Press reports.
State Budget Cuts Continue To Erode Medicaid Programs, New And Old Models Gain Traction
Cuts continue in states around the country. In Minnesota, however, three quiet, low-cost health providers have received grants to test whether their programs could become new models for others to emulate, while a panel in Louisiana has advised that the state resort to its old one.
Injectible H1N1 Vaccine Ships Ahead Of Schedule In U.S.
The first H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine shots available in the U.S. were shipped ahead of schedule after the pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis finished production nearly two weeks early, the chief executive of the company said Tuesday, the New York Times reports.
Reconciliation: A Health Reform End-Run With Its Own Obstacles
The potential use of the budget reconciliation procedure is a political lightning rod, but in practice, it presents its own challenges, too, according to an analysis by MSNBC.
National E-Health Network Remains Industry Challenge
As doctors and hospitals begin their nationwide transition to electronic medical records, one industry obstacle remains: ensuring that patients’ records can smoothly follow them from one provider to another.
Better Use Of Medicare Data Could Help Cut Costs
Economists say better use of Medicare data could help make health care less expensive while the federal program faces some cuts under current legislation.
GAO: Medicaid Wastes Millions On Phony Prescriptions For Painkillers
A new report from the GAO finds that federal officials have missed millions of dollars in Medicaid drug abuse.
First Edition: September 30, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Senate Finance Commitee Rejects Public Plan Option With One-Two Punch
Senate Finance Committee members on Tuesday voted down the second of two amendments that would have added a government-run “public option” to their reform proposal
