• Health Reform Comparisons Now Reflect House Bill As Passed Saturday
• Tracking Survey on U.S. Role in Global Health
• Resources Analyze 2010 Medicare Plan Options
  

AT THE BARBARA JORDAN CONFERENCE CENTER

WEBCASTS THIS WEEK

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NEW THIS WEEK

Health Reform Comparisons Now Reflect House Bill As Passed Saturday
The Kaiser Family Foundation has updated its health reform resources to reflect provisions of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962) as passed on Saturday by the U.S. House of Representatives. The updated resources include the Foundation’s interactive side-by-side health reform comparison tool as well as separate summaries of the bill’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program provisions and Medicare provisions. In addition, the Foundation has posted slides outlining the legislative process that Congress will follow as it works to complete and enact health reform legislation this year. These resources are all available through the Foundation’s health reform gateway page.

Tracking Survey on U.S. Role in Global Health
The Foundation has issued its latest global health survey, Views on the U.S. Role in Global Health Update, which probes American public opinion about efforts by the United States to improve the health of people in developing nations. According to the poll findings, most Americans support current U.S. spending to improve health conditions in poorer nations despite the economic recession. Two thirds of the public supports maintaining (32%) or increasing (34%) spending on global health, while a quarter say the country is spending too much. More of the public prefers an emphasis on health infrastructure rather than fighting specific diseases. When asked to rank the importance of the two approaches, 58 percent say it is more important to emphasize programs that help countries build their health system infrastructure, under the theory that stronger health systems can better handle a variety of problems. In contrast, 36 percent say it is more important to emphasize efforts to fight specific diseases like AIDS and malaria because efficient methods for treating such diseases already exist and can save large numbers of lives. All the survey materials are available online.

Resources Analyze 2010 Medicare Plan Options
The Foundation issued new analyses examining critical elements of the private plan options available to Medicare beneficiaries in 2010 in advance of Medicare's open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 15.  Medicare beneficiaries continue to have a wide range of options to choose from, with an average of 33 Medicare Advantage plans and 46 stand-alone Part D drug plans available to seniors and disabled Medicare beneficiaries.  However, for both types of plans, beneficiaries could face substantial increases in their premiums if they stay in the same plan for 2010. The new reports released this week are Medicare Advantage 2010 Data Spotlight: Plan Availability and Premiums and Medicare Part D 2010 Data Spotlight: The Coverage Gap. In addition, the Foundation released updated versions of Medicare Part D Spotlight: Part D Plan Availability in 2010 and Key Changes Since 2006 and of its Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit fact sheets.


AT THE BARBARA JORDAN CONFERENCE CENTER:

In addition to Kaiser Family Foundation events listed above, a number of external organizations conduct activities at the Foundation's Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington, D.C. On Monday, November 9, J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism held a “New Media Women Entrepreneur Summit” and on Friday, November 13, NEMOURS held a “Community Practice” Event.


Webcasts This Week:

The Role of Independent Commissions in Controlling Costs and Enhancing Value: International Lessons
Alliance for Health Reform and The Commonwealth Fund
A podcast is also available


New Stories from Kaiser Health News:

In Rural Kentucky, A Surprising Twist On The Health Debate, Frank Browning

Dr. Berwick: We Need More Consequences In The Health System, Phil Galewitz

Column: Don't Forget About The Other Determinants of Health, Gail Wilensky

On Hill, Bipartisan Support Emerging For Commission To Control Health Costs, Eric Pianin

How The House Abortion Restrictions Would Work, Julie Appleby

Current 'Death Panel' Uproar Echoes Decades-Old Controversy, Christopher Weaver

Health On The Hill - November 9, 2009

House Vote: Reviews Are In

Democrats Confront Challenges After House Reform Vote, Eric Pianin and Mary Agnes Carey

The Debate Over Selling Insurance Across State Lines, Phil Galewitz

the latest Kaiser Daily Reports:

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report

Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report

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