Latest KFF Health News Stories
NPR Examines How Religious Beliefs Influence Family Planning In Pakistan
NPR’s “All Things Considered” on Wednesday examined how Islam influences health and family planning decisions in Pakistan, one of Asia’s fastest-growing populations. In Pakistan, mullahs generally regard contraception as sin, a high rate of illiteracy among women undermines family planning and a lack of access to adequate health care contributes to a high maternal mortality rate, according to the piece, which profiles a mufti, a physician and two families making very different decisions about the size of their families (McCarthy, 8/10).
Rising Food Prices In East Africa Exacerbating Food Shortages, Famine, FAO Says
“The prices of grain and milk in the drought-hit Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia have risen to record highs, exacerbating hardship for the estimated 12.4 million people in the region who are facing severe food shortages and famine in some parts of Somalia,” according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s August food price monitor, the U.N. News Centre reports (8/10).
State Roundup: Debt Deal And States; Ariz. Judge Appoves Medicaid Plan
News outlets report on a variety of state health policy issues.
WHO Declares End To Global Swine Flu Pandemic
“The World Health Organization is declaring an end to the global swine flu pandemic,” the Associated Press/Seattle Times reports. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan “said Wednesday the pandemic is considered over by WHO’s emergency committee due to global factors and reports from several nations” and because “the new H1N1 virus has largely run its course,” according to the news agency.
Renewed Focus On Veterans’ Coverage Gap
McClatchy reports on how the recovery of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has raised the attention on veterans who have suffered some form of traumatic brain injury.
GAO: What’s Behind Increase In Federal Workers’ Long-Term Care Coverage
Modern Healthcare reports on what the Government Accountability Office found in its investigation of what was behind the 2009 premium increase.
N.Y. Revoking Medicaid From One Clinic Network
The N.Y. Health Department moves against a network of clinics run by a former N.Y. state senator while federal officials threaten to cut off funds to a well-known public hospital in Texas. In other hospital news, Dartmouth-Hitchcock hospital system in New Hampshire announces buy-outs as it tries to deal with a $96 million deficit, and nurses at a nonprofit hospital in Quincy, Mass., object to the proposal to sell the facility to a for-profit company.
Longer Looks: A Break For Sleep-Deprived Docs; Gruber Profile
Every week, Kaiser Health News reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reading from around the Web.
Feeling The Budget Squeeze, Some States Reduce Kids’ Access To Care
According to the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, a majority of state-level changes to Medicaid this year reduced benefits or reimbursement rates for children’s services.
Issa Seeks Answers About HHS Waiver Process
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is seeking information about the process used by the Department of Health and Human Services to grant health law waivers. He also is asking questions about why the waivers will be ending.
PBS NewsHour Examines Use Of Twitter To Track Disease Spread
PBS NewsHour’s blog “The Rundown” examines “a recent slate of independent studies” that assert “Twitter can accurately track the spread of a virus or disease
Viewpoints: WSJ On ‘Super Committee’; NEJM Perspectives On Medical Devices
A selection of various opinion columns, especially highlighting some from The New England Journal of Medicine.
First Edition: August 11, 2011
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including details about the GOP selections for the deficit deal’s ‘super committee’ and speculation about what the panel’s chances might be for success.
Emergency Department Use Of CT Scans Rises Sharply
About 14 percent of ER patients received a scan in 2007, compared to about 3 percent in 1996, study finds.
Murray, Hensarling To Be ‘Super Committee’ Co-Chairs
House and Senate GOP leaders announced today their choices for the 12-member bipartisan “super committee.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled his selections yesterday.
Every week, Kaiser Health News reporter Jessica Marcy selects interesting reading from around the Web.
