Latest KFF Health News Stories
Steele Assails “Experimentation” In Obama’s Health Reform Effort
In a speech at the National Press Club this morning, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele called President Obama’s health overhaul effort a risky experiment.
Media Examines U.S. Government’s Steps To Lift HIV Travel Ban
The New York Daily News on Friday examined the federal government’s recent actions to remove HIV from the list of diseases that can bar foreign residents from entry into the U.S.
The Inland Empire HIV Planning Council, an agency that makes HIV/AIDS policy in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California, has begun a three-day summit, where they will determine how funds
Study Looks At Efficacy, Cardiovascular Risks Of Two HIV Treatments
Patients taking Boehringer Ingelheim’s HIV drug Viramune have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those taking Bristol Myers Squibb’s treatment, Reyataz, according to a study released on Monday at the 5th International AIDS Society conference in Cape Town, South Africa, Reuters reports.
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation last week filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court asking “the court to order the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to enforce regulations that require condom use in adult-film production or take other reasonable steps to stem the spread of disease,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
Key Senate Panel Struggles To Reach Consensus
The Senate Finance Committee, which is seeking a bipartisan compromise, has so far failed to reach an agreement on health care reform.
House Face-off Looms Over Sweeping Health Bill
House Democrats, who touted their bill after it passed two of three committees have a fight on their hands this week as moderate Democrats plan a push back in the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Obama Readies Stronger Hand On Health Reform, Plans Meetings With Players
The next two weeks of a health reform fight may prove pivotal for President Barack Obama’s image and his ability to use his popularity to get things done, The Washington Post reports.
Today’s Opinions and Editorials
A selection of editorials and opinions.
Taking Positions: Some Docs, Businesses Cheer While Others Oppose Effort
As advocacy groups with a stake in health reform take positions in the health reform debate, their battle lines don’t necessarily observe the boundaries of a given sector, industry or professional affiliation.
Obama Administration Silent On San Francisco Health Insurance Ordinance
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to consider a restaurant group’s challenge to San Francisco’s health coverage ordinance, one voice is noticeably silent: the Obama administration’s,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Insurers Join Public Debate With New Ad Campaign
The insurance industry so far has “stayed at the bargaining table and held its fire in the ad wars,” but “now, the industry is speaking up, not with an attack but with a seven-figure, national cable TV ad buy starting Monday in favor of affordable bipartisan health reform that can cover everyone,” Politico reports.
Small Businesses, Doctors Voice Concerns About Health Reform
“Small business is suddenly playing a big role in negotiations over health care,” NPR reports.
One Doctor’s View: Electronic Medical Records Work Well
Doctors increasingly use email and electronic medical records to improve health care. In an essay in the Los Angeles Times, Rahul Parikh writes about his own experience at a Kaiser Permanente facility in Northern California where they implemented an electronic medical record system in 2006.
Advocates Push To End Medicare’s Two Year Wait For Disabled
There are 1.8 million disabled Americans who wait two-years to enroll in Medicare. Many say that waiting period can be devastating.
Americans Living With No Insurance, Or Less Insurance, During Recession
Decisions about forgoing care because of the cost for the long-term uninsured have been a way of life, “but for a sizable group, being without a job and insurance is a new, deeply distressing condition,” The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.
California Budget Could Force Seniors To Nursing Homes, Drive Up Costs
NPR reports that California’s $26.3 billion budget deficit is marginalizing seniors who rely on California state-provided health care and service to help them manage their lives.
Efforts To ‘Fix’ Medicare Payments At Center Of Reform
Efforts to fix Medicare and change doctors’ payments play a central role in health care overhaul.
Health Overhaul Issues Fill The Sunday Talk Shows
Health experts and politicians filled Sunday talk shows as Obama administration officials push for reform.
Governors Question Medicaid Expansion While Some States Do More With CHIP
“Despite budgets ravaged by the recession, at least 13 states have invested millions of dollars this year to cover 250,000 more children with subsidized government health insurance,” The New York Times reports.
