Latest KFF Health News Stories
Baucus Tells Colleagues He Will Soon Present Health Bill
Montana Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said “he would soon lay down a proposal for a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s health care system,” according to the New York Times.
Senate Negotiators Have ‘Productive’ Phone Call, Despite Tensions
The group was “reminded” of “areas of agreement” during a phone call on heels of a rough patch. Nevertheless, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., suggests he may be prepared to move forward, even without a compromise.
Congressional Delegation Visits Zimbabwe
Five members of Congress visiting Africa this week, on Thursday said the country’s unity government can bring “hope to the people of the impoverished African country,” RTTNews reports.
Taskforce Formed To Help Speed Licensure, Vaccine Distribution Following RTS,S Trials
GNA/Peace FM examines the recent creation of a local and international taskforce to help shorten the window of time between the completion of the clinical trial of the RTS,S malaria vaccine
More PMTCT Interventions Needed, Experts At WHO Regional Meeting Say
Experts participating in the 59th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa called for more interventions to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT), New Times/allAfrica.com reports.
U.N. Calls On Israel To Ease Gaza Embargo To Enable Water, Sanitation Service Repairs
U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian Territories Maxwell Gaylard “urged Israel to ease its embargo of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and allow in materials urgently needed to repair water and sanitation services,” Agence France-Presse reports.
Discovery Of Two Antibodies Could Move AIDS Vaccine Development Forward
Scientists from Scripps Research Institute on Thursday announced they have discovered and isolated two antibodies “with the ability to neutralize [or block the action of] many strains of the AIDS virus, a discovery that might help create a long-sought vaccine against the deadly disease,” Bloomberg reports.
Experience of Seattle’s Group Health Cooperative Raises Questions About Co-ops’ Role In Reform
An examination of the Group Health Cooperative suggests co-ops may not provide easy answer for controlling health costs.
Proposed Subsidies To Expand Coverage May Miss Some Families
Democrats’ reform proposals would attempt to expand health coverage to uninsured middle and low-income families with new premiums to help buy insurance plans, but that may not be enough for many families, Kaiser Health News reports.
Obama To Offer Details, Strive For Consensus In Upcoming Speech
If the president spells out precisely which provisions he favors and opposes, he faces a political risk if those aspects of the plan don’t come to fruition. However, aides said he would do just that.
As Dems’ Hopes For Two GOP Senators Fade, A Third Gets Special Attention
The Senate Finance Committee’s so-called “gang of six” will hold a conference call Friday to continue negotiations on a possible bipartisan health care compromise, as a Sept. 15 deadline set by Democrats approaches. But Democrats’ hopes are fading that the group will reach a compromise.
Dems Divided Along Regional, Ideological Boundaries
Divisions among congressional Democrats fall along urban-rural and regional lines.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Friday’s selection of opinions and editorials.
Google Searches For ‘Death Panels’ Trigger New Ad War
Weeks after Sarah Palin coined the term “death panels” to refer to a proposal in the House Democrats’ health reform bill, the term is among those helping to generate the most active internet advertising spree ever linked to a public policy issue.
Gawande On “Rationing”: Provokes Fear, But Won’t Happen In U.S. Health Care
Atul Gawande, the New Yorker staff writer and cancer surgeon, spoke with NPR’s Morning Edition about the how the word “rationing” has been used
Safety Net Hospitals Worry Health Reform Poses Threat
Safety net hospitals worry that the proposed financing of health reform could put them at risk.
Dems Revisit Tax On The Wealthy To Fund Health Care Reform
Democrats are looking again at raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans to help fund a health care overhaul.
Biden Predicts Health Reform Will Pass After Partisan Battles
Vice President Joe Biden predicts that health reform will pass, but only after a partisan battle.
Today’s State News: Medicaid Challenges, High Denial Rates And A New Plan To Tax Calif. Insurers
Today’s state news includes Wyoming’s worries about a Medicaid crunch, a surprising last minute solution to California’s children health worries, California’s high insurance claims denial rates, and a windfall of stimulus grants to medical researchers in Massachussets.
