Latest KFF Health News Stories
Heavy Rains, Disease Affecting Drought Refugees In Somalia, Kenya And Ethiopia
People who have fled the drought in Somalia to camps near the capital Mogadishu are being hit by cold, heavy rains, and at least five people have died of exposure, according to aid workers, BBC News reports.
Report Criticizes Miami Hospital’s International Marketing Effort
The Miami-Dade inspector general finds fault with company that used to run Jackson Health System’s international marketing program.
Politics And Personalities Swirl Around Budget Negotiations
The Wall Street Journal reports that House Democrats are gaining leverage – and, according to The Washington Post, Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., is a key liberal leader. Meanwhile, statements by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., a GOP presidential hopeful, highlight the GOP’s rift.
WHO Says World Is Better Prepared For Influenza Pandemic
“More than 100 public health experts have wrapped up a three-day meeting in Geneva to review a Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines that was developed in 2006, and to develop a strategic plan of action for the next five years,” VOA News reports, noting that the WHO “says the world is better prepared for the next influenza pandemic than it was in the past” (Schlein, 7/14).
Record Number Of Abortion Restrictions Enacted
Report by the Guttmacher Institute identifies 162 new laws passed by states this year. Meanwhile, conservatives are pointing to another report by an anti-abortion group that alleges misconduct by Planned Parenthood.
Plan B Gaining Traction In Debt-Ceiling Strategy
A proposal offered earlier this week by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is emerging as a means to resolve the current stalemate in negotiations to raise the nation’s debt limit. But even as this approach continues to gain momentum, it will face considerable political and procedural hurdles.
Research Roundup: Putting Good Science Into Practice
This week’s studies come from the Archives Of Internal Medicine, Health Affairs, the New England Journal Of Medicine, the Journal Of The American Medical Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that the debt-ceiling strategy appears to moving toward a “plan B.”
Tempers Flare In Debt-Ceiling Talks As Deadline Looms
The hot questions now are which of the nation’s financial obligations would be paid and what would be left to default if the current negotiations fail to result in a deal.
Seniors Step Up Efforts To Protect Against Cuts To Medicare
With reductions in Medicare spending on the table in the debt-ceiling negotiations, the AARP is taking aggressive steps to defend the program.
Opinions About The CIA’s Vaccination Campaign In Pakistan
Health experts and writers continue to react to the CIA’s use of a vaccine campaign to hunt Osama bin Laden:
Congress Should Avoid Cutting International Affairs Budget, Clinton Says
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton argued against cutting U.S. foreign aid in a speech on Tuesday at a meeting of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, the Washington Post’s “Checkpoint Washington” blog reports.
State Roundup: Model Insurance Brings ‘Modest’ Savings
News outlets report on a variety of state health issues.
Scientific American Presents Slide Show On MTCT Prevention
UNICEF’s goal of eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015 is “ambitious … but not impossible,” Scientific American reports. The magazine presents a slide show that “explores what is needed to stop mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015, following Inonge Siamalambo and her baby Elson of Lusaka, Zambia, through their 18-month commitment to a transmission prevention program” (Diep, 7/13).
Viewpoints: Teaching Hospital Cuts; Medicare & Debt Deal Politics; End-Of-Life Care
A diverse selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
New England Journal Of Medicine Provides Health Policy Perspectives On Medicare, ACOs
The New England Journal of Medicine has three health policy perspectives today.
Hospitals Use Luxury To Attract Well-Heeled Patients
This development in hospital design mirrors a broader trend in health care.
CMS Actuary Offers Bleak Picture For Medicare Solvency
During congressional testimony, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chief Actuary Richard Foster also offered dark predictions for hospitals’ future profitability.
