Latest KFF Health News Stories
Rural States With Much To Gain Under Reform Also Feature Most Vocal Opponents
The biggest opponents of health care overhaul predominantly reside in rural states.
Individual Mandate Would Spread Risk But Could Prove Difficult To Enforce
Individuals may be required to purchase health insurance, but the mandate could prove difficult to enforce.
Tort Reform And Changes To Doctor Payment Could Cut Health Costs
Tort reform and changes to the doctor payment system are under debate as possible ways to make health care more cost-effective.
Health Systems, HIV/AIDS, Malaria Discussed At WHO Regional Committee Meeting
Luis Gomes Sambo, WHO regional director for Africa, on Tuesday at the 59th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, presented a nine-point guide suggesting malaria control strategies for African countries, Agencia AngolaPress reports.
Antibiotic Used To Treat Trachoma Reduces Child Mortality In Ethiopia, Study Finds
The antibiotic used to treat trachoma, “the world’s leading preventable cause of blindness,” may also protect children living in Ethiopia from death from of other diseases, according to a recent study, the Associated Press reports.
Small Business, Labor and Insurance Groups Express Opinions On Health Reform ‘Must-Haves’
Various interest groups are weighing on what they want to see in health overhaul legislaton.
Today’s state coverage includes anxieties about Medicare cuts; tips from Massachusetts health officials and executives; and a pro-migrant health care court ruling in Hawaii.
The global economic downturn is “raising malnutrition and death rates among Africa’s children” and restricting their access to health care, according to a U.N. assessment released ahead of a G20 leaders meeting later this month that will focus on ways to minimize the effect of the downturn on the world’s poorest people, VOA News reports.
New York Times Examines Efforts To Stop Spread Of Dengue In Asia
“While emerging diseases like influenza A(H1N1), also known as swine flu, continue to dominate the headlines, experts say dengue is not only thriving in many endemic areas, it is also spreading to countries previously unaffected by the disease,” New York Times writes.
Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of Wednesday’s opinions and editorials from around the United States.
Members Of Congress Say They Will Advocate For More Health Funding In Rwanda
Five members of Congress who are visiting Rwanda said they will advocate for more funding for the country’s health sector, New Times/allAfrica.com reports.
The AARP Seeks A More Neutral Image
AARP, the seniors’ lobby, has shed as many as 60,000 members in two months over its implicit support for health reform that some members say could lead to Medicare cuts.
Wellness Program Helps Company Control Health Care Costs
Company wellness programs improve health and cut costs as shown by the experience of Quest Diagnostics’ voluntary wellness program Healthy Quest.
Wellpoint Chief Calls For Reform, Defends Insurers
The top executive of Wellpoint, a major health insurer, called for health reform at a meeting of the Economic Club in Indianapolis Tuesday. “The high and rising cost of health care in America is just not sustainable,” she said.
Despite Health Reform Efforts, Milwaukee Clinic For Low-Income Patients May Close
A clinic in a low-income Milwaukee neighborhood fills a need but officials worry that it may not be helped by reform.
An Already-Changing Insurance Market May Face More Transformation
Insurers are increasingly trying to make buying health insurance more convenient.
First Edition: September 2, 2009
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Leading Members Of Congress Take Harder Lines As Recess Closes
Top lawmakers are taking stands when confronted with raucous town halls, or as one Republican senator put it, “the impact of democracy in America.”
Republicans Look To Keep August Heat On In September, Grassley Questioned
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley’s position on the public option is assailed by liberal groups while Republicans hoping to continue their march winning public support against a public plan in health care reform try to keep their steam in September.
Circumcision Debate ‘Complex,’ U.S. News Blog Says
Deborah Kotz writes in the U.S. News & World Report blog “On Women” that the debate surrounding whether CDC will recommend newborn male circumcision as part of an effort to curb the spread of HIV is “complex.”
