Latest KFF Health News Stories
New Survey Shows Americans Spend $34 Billion On Alternative Treatments
“While Americans may complain about the high cost of health care, they’re still willing to shell out roughly $34 billion a year out-of-pocket on alternative therapies that aren’t covered by insurance, a new study shows,” USA Today reports.
Industry Lobby Wars Heighten As Reform Efforts Progress
Health care companies are spending big and lobbying their case in Congress regarding the landmark debate that could dramatically change the way they do business.
Abortion, End-Of-Life Care Fire Up Health Debate, Blogosphere
As the House Energy and Commerce committee marked up the health reform bill last night, “a series of amendments on both sides of the abortion debate [added] a political charge — and a distraction — to the progress of the legislation,” Politico reports.
Health Care Costs For Small Businesses Considered
“Health care costs are killing small businesses. Their insurance premiums are rising dramatically and unpredictably,” NPR reports.
Lobbying efforts by a Texas hospital have steered hundreds of thousands of dollars to key lawmakers in hopes of blocking reforms that would restrict ownership of hospitals by physicians.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
No Senate Finance Markup Of Health Overhaul Before Recess
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus announced tonight that there will not be a markup in the committee of a health overhaul bill. He and ranking member Chuck Grassley dispelled rumors that negotiations had broken down and said they were still talking.
Finance Committee Stops Short Of The “Edge”
After making progress toward a health reform deal this week, the Senate Finance Committee has stalled in its negotiations, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is no longer promising that the panel will finish its work before the August recess.
Pelosi Defends Agreement With Blue Dogs While Movement Continues On Health Overhaul Efforts
News reports say the results of centrist negotiations may have helped get reform efforts back in gear, but at the same time, put off some liberal members of Congress.
Columnist Discusses HIV/AIDS Among Blacks In Washington, D.C.
Columnist George Curry on Tuesday in the Hudson Valley Press discussed how HIV/AIDS is impacting the black community, particularly in Washington, D.C.
Report Identifies New HIV Cases In Central Florida; County Official Discusses Findings
An annual report by the Health Council of East Central Florida released on Wednesday found that nearly 800 new cases of HIV were reported in Central Florida in 2008 and blacks and Hispanics remain disproportionately affected, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
California Advocates, Lawmakers Raise Concern Over Governor’s Cuts To HIV/AIDS, Health Care Services
There is growing concern among California HIV/AIDS advocates “that the Golden State will reverse course and see spikes in new HIV cases after Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this week further slashed the state Office of AIDS budget in order to deal” with a more than $20 billion deficit, the Bay Area Reporter reports.
Artemisinin Resistance Continues Developing In Western Cambodia, Study Says
Artemisinin, the “basis of the most effective” malaria treatment recommended by the WHO, took nearly twice as long to clear malaria parasites in patients in western Cambodia than it did in patients in northwestern Thailand, according to a New England Journal of Medicine study, which shows the “drugs are losing their power against the disease in Cambodia,” Bloomberg reports.
Federal Advisory Committee Issues Guidelines For H1N1 Vaccine Campaign
During a meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday, a “federal advisory committee issued sweeping guidelines
South Africa Launches HIV/AIDS Research Initiative
South Africa’s Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor on Tuesday announced a government-sponsored research initiative that “aims to combat HIV and AIDS through scientific and technological research, the development of new drugs, diagnostic tests and vaccines,” SAPA/IOL reports (7/28).
Expanded Testing Reveals 2000 Percent Increase In Number Of HIV-Positive Indian Children
“Expanded testing across India in the past three years shows a 2,000 percent jump in the number of HIV cases among children, [Ghulam Nabi Azad] the country’s health minister announced Wednesday,” CNN reports.
House Democrats Set To Move Bill After Accord With Blue Dogs, Liberals Objecting
House leaders made a deal with fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats on health reform that could move the bill out of committee as early as today. Some liberals are rebelling, saying that the leadership compromised too much in the negotiations.
Finance Committee Gains Momentum From CBO Report, Dem Pressure… Maybe
Finance Committee negotiators say they are nearer to a bipartisan compromise that has eluded them for weeks.
