Latest KFF Health News Stories
State Round-Up: News From California, Colorado And Massachusetts
State news for Thursday includes a new tax on insurers in California to pay for children’s health care, clinic budget cuts in Colorado and increased oversight of nonprofit employee pay in Massachusetts.
A California Consumer Group Says Major Insurers Coerced Employees To Lobby
“The nation’s two largest health insurers have been pressuring employees to lobby against healthcare reform in Congress in violation of a California law against coerced political activity, a consumer group alleged Wednesday,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
Unseen Health Costs – Often From Defensive Medicine – Drive Health Costs
Defensive medicine is a significant yet small portion of overall health care spending in America, accounting for 1 percent of total health care spending in 2007.
Fixing Health Care Costs By Changing Patient Behavior
Economists have long said health care, as a market, is a strange animal. One reason is that patients don’t act like regular consumers.
Pzifer To Pay $2.3 Billion In Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Settlement
A landmark $2.3 billion health care fraud settlement with Pfizer, Inc. announced Wednesday sent a message to the pharmaceutical industry that potentially criminal behavior in promoting drugs for unauthorized uses won’t be tolerated.
Minnesota Offers Model For Cost-Effective Health Care
Minnesota provides lessons on how to create a more cost-effective health care delivery system, according to NPR.
Health Workers’ Misdeeds Kept In Secret Database
Hospitals and nursing homes do not have access to the database of health care workers who have been disciplined.
First Edition: September 3, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the majors news organizations.
MoveOn Plans Heath Care Vigils Tonight
Seeking to counteract conservative opponents, the liberal group MoveOn.org plans 350 health-care vigils around the country and hopes to attract thousands of participants.
Grassley Aide Disputes White House Complaints, Says Finance Talks Will Continue
An aide to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, denied the White House accusation that GOP senators are not acting in good faith.
Obama To Address Congress On Health Reform
Hoping to gain traction again on his health reform proposal, the president will address Congress next Wednesday, officials say today.
Cincinnati HIV Agency Receives Delayed Federal Funds
Cincinnati HIV services provider STOP AIDS, last week “received $170,000 in federal money from the state that was delayed for six weeks because of problems with the Ohio budget,” the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Florida Report Looks At HIV/AIDS Cases, Death Rates Among Men
A new Florida State Department of Health report “shows that for the first time since 1999, Florida has seen a significant decline in AIDS-related deaths,” among black, white and Hispanic men, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Funding Cut To North Carolina ADAP Should Not Affect Patients, Officials Say
“A $3 million cut to the [North Carolina AIDS Drug Assistance Program]in the 2009-2010 budget of the state Department of Public Health means that the usual six-month supply of AIDS drugs will be cut,” and a “month’s worth of drugs will remain stockpiled instead,” the Greensboro News & Record reports.
Washington, D.C., HIV Health Care Providers Prepare For Expected Swine Flu Surge
In Washington, D.C., where HIV prevalence stands at 3 percent, “HIV positive [residents] are bracing for the fall
Obama Set To Reveal Specific Health Reform Details In Strategy Shift
After an August recess that saw Democrats take a beating on their message and calls from lawmakers to provide more leadership, President Obama is likely to change course on his approach to health reform legislation.
Blue Dog Democrats Still Expect Health Care Reform Deal
A leader of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrat coalition said Tuesday that she still thinks a health care reform deal can get done with a majority of Blue Dogs supporting it. Other Democrats are increasingly turning an eye to budget reconciliation.
How To Make The Most Of Expiring Health Coverage
The Associated Press provides a list of things to consider when trying to make the most of expiring health insurance.
Senate Republicans Prepare Robust Objections To Stall Democrats’ Health Reform Efforts
Republicans are readying a spate of procedural objections to use in the event Senate Democrats try to employ budget reconciliation rules to advance their health reform proposals.
GM Agrees To Pay Retiree Health Care
General Motors Co. has agreed to pay retiree health care.
