Chartpack: Selected Findings on Seniors’ Views of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

These charts highlight key data from the February 2006 tracking poll on seniors’ views toward the new Medicare drug benefit.

Chartpack (.pdf)

Toplines: December 2005 Kaiser Health Poll Report

These toplines provide the complete survey questions and responses to the December 2005 Kaiser Health Poll Report Survey, a bimonthly survey designed to provide key tracking information on public opinion about health care topics. The survey includes a series of questions on seniors’ views of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Survey Toplines (.pdf)

A new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation examines what the public took away from President Bush’s State of the Union address, finding that the health messages in the speech have yet to register with most Americans. Despite extensive news coverage both before and after the speech giving information about the President’s proposals for expanding the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), seventy-one percent of adults have not heard the term “health savings account.”

Survey Toplines

Chartpack

Toplines — Kaiser Health Poll Report Selected Findings on 2006 State of the Union Address and Health Care

These toplines provide complete results from the February 2006 poll on what the public took away from President Bush’s State of the Union address.

Survey Toplines (.pdf)

In the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, the federal government made it harder for individuals to qualify for Medicaid nursing home benefits by increasing penalties on individuals who have transferred assets for less than fair market value during the past five years and by making individuals with home equity above $500,000 ineligible for nursing home benefits. The legislation also lifts the moratorium on the number of states that may operate Long-Term Care (LTC) Partnership Programs, which allow individuals who purchase long-term care insurance to protect more of their assets if they later need nursing home care under Medicaid.

Some have suggested that purchasing private long-term care insurance to cover nursing home care would alleviate reliance on Medicaid. This snapshot examines the experience with private long-term care insurance and the LTC Partnership Programs. Findings include:

• Private long-term care insurance comprises a small share of nursing home spending,

• The price of a long-term care policy is not affordable for most elderly people,

• Private long-term care insurance is not available to people who already have long-term care needs, and

• LTC Partnerships have been operating in 4 states since the early 1990s, but enrollment remains limited. The programs appear to attract upper middle-class individuals, similar to the private long-term care insurance market.

Issue Brief (.pdf)

Chartpack: Kaiser Health Poll Report Selected Findings on 2006 State of the Union Address and Health Care

This chartpack highlights key data from the February 2006 tracking poll on what the public took away from President Bush’s State of the Union address.

Chartpack (.pdf)

2006 Brochure (4.72 MB)

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Laura Beil, freelance journalist, Dallas, TXProject: Abstinence education – the impact, philosophy, curricula and funding”Abstinence education faces an uncertain future” (New York Times, 7/18/07)

June Cross, independent documentary film producer, New York City, NYProject: Hurricane Katrina’s impact on the healthcare safety net across the country

Eric Eyre, reporter, The Charleston (West VA) Gazette, Charleston, WVProject: West Virginia’s dental health problems and potential policy solutionsClick here to see Eric’s four-part series on dental health in W. Virginia

Howard Gleckman, senior correspondent, Business Week, Washington, D.C.Project: Financing long-term care

Paul Jacobs, project team reporter, The San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, CAProject: The effect of the new World Trade Organization pharmaceutical patenting requirements on health in the developing world, and its potential impact on the U.S.

Joanne Kenen, Washington Congressional correspondent, Reuters News Agency, Washington, D.C.Project: End-of-life and palliative care – ethics, quality of care, accessibility and cost.”The New specialty in cancer care” (cure, Spring 2008)”Doctors in training” (cure, Spring 2008)”For when it hurts” (cure, Spring 2008)”Needs of dying children wins heart of actress” (Reuters, 11/23/07)”Rx for care: being there” (Hadassah Magazine, Vol. 89, November 2007)”In search of a gentler end” (Stateline.org, 10/29/07)”The Comfort Connection” (AARP Magazine, September/October 2007)“A new focus on easing the pain” (Washington Post, 7/3/07)”Finding palliative care, near and far” (Washington Post, 7/3/07)”Treating the Body and Soul” (Washingtonian, 7/1/07)

Seema Mathur, medical reporter, CBS 42 KEYE-TV, Austin, TXProject: Overcrowding in the ER and its impact on healthcareClick here to see Seema’s ReportSeema won a number of awards for her series, ER: In Critical Condition, including:

National Edward R. Murrow: News Series Lone Star Emmy: Health/Science – News Series Anson Jones, MD Award Honoring Excellence in Health CommunicationAssociation of Health Care Journalists: 2006: Excellence in Health Care JournalismAmerican College of Emergency Physicians: 2006: Journalism of Excellence AwardSouth Asian Journalism Association: Outstanding Story on Any Subject: Specialists

Maryn McKenna, journalist and author, Minneapolis, MNProject: The worsening crisis in emergency departments”After the Deluge” (04/2008) More “Two Years Later, Every Day is Monday in New Orleans Emergency Departments” (01/2008) Annals of Emergency Medicine“HIV testing: should the emergency department take part?” (03/2007)”Polyheme and the ethics of informed consent” (11/2006)”Anatomy of a pandemic: Emergency departments woefully unprepared for bird flu outbreak” (09/2006)”Debate rages over the ‘future of emergency care’” (08/2006)

International Health Journalism Fellowship Project: RUSSIA/UKRAINE

About the Project

The Kaiser Family Foundation and Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS joined to create the International Health Journalism Fellowship Project: Russia/Ukraine. The goal of the Media Fellowships Project was to encourage substantive coverage of the health, social, economic, political and cultural implications of HIV/AIDS and associated health problems, as well as policies and programs to address HIV/AIDS in Russia and Ukraine.

The program selected journalists to undertake individual projects that focused on Russia or Ukraine. These were all

• projects unlikely to be undertaken or completed without a grant
• projects that focused on issues currently under-reported or not reported at all
• projects that had a high likelihood of being published/broadcast
• projects accessible to a relatively large audience

Projects

• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004

Project Events

• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004

Partners

Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS (TPAA) is an independent, non-governmental organization that leverages the political, civic, scientific, and economic resources of North American, European, and Eurasian partners to combat the rapid and devastating spread of HIV/AIDS in Russia, Ukraine and neighboring countries.

For more information regarding the International Health Journalism Fellowship Project in Russia/Ukraine please email mediafellows@kff.org.

in Health Reporting

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Starting in 2007, the interns were asked to select one story from the many they produced during their internship to exhibit on our site along with a brief background on their experience reporting the story. Follow the links in the intern listing to read both the stories and background.

2011 Host Organizations(Learn more about the 2011 interns and see examples of their work)The Boston Globe – Neena SatijaThe Charlotte Observer – Deia de BritoKQED Public Radio, San Francisco – Alexander Liu (Listen)KTVU/2-TV, San Francisco-Oakland – Rose TibayanThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Grace PatuwoNPR, Washington DC – Linda Thrasybule (view story)The Oregonian – Tatiana SanchezThe Orlando Sentinel – Andrew DoughmanThe Philadelphia Inquirer – Juliana SchatzThe Plain Dealer, Cleveland –Teresa Chin (view multimedia package)Reuters, Washington DC – Andrew Seaman (view story)The Sacramento Bee –Lynn LaThe San Jose Mercury News – Jane LeeThe Seattle Times – Roberto Daza (view story)The Times-Picayune, New Orleans – Ashley HopkinsonThe Washington Post – Christian Torres

2010 Host Organizations

The Boston Globe – Patrick LeeThe Charlotte Observer – Amanda ChanEl Diario/La Prensa, New York City – Diego Aparicio (view multimedia report)KQED Public Radio, San Francisco – Victoria Chao (listen)KTVU/2-TV, San Francisco-Oakland – Jennifer Adaeze AnyaegbunamThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Tia GhoseNational Public Radio, Washington DC – Chao Deng (listen/view slideshow)The Orlando Sentinel – Marissa CevallosThe Philadelphia Inquirer – Brooke MintersThe Plain Dealer, Cleveland – Emmanuel RomeroReuters, Washington DC – Jon LentzThe Sacramento Bee – Jacqueline BaylonThe San Jose Mercury News- Julie ChangThe Seattle Times – Cassandra BrooksThe Times-Picayune, New Orleans – Aimee MilesThe Washington Post – Leslie Tamura (view interactive map)2009 Host OrganizationsThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Sharise DarbyThe Baltimore Sun – Angela BassThe Boston Globe – Tara BallengerThe Charlotte Observer – Alexa Garcia-DittaKTVU/2-TV, San Francisco-Oakland – Jennifer Austin (View Web Video)KQED Public Radio, San Francisco – Julieta Kusnir (Listen)The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Diana MontanoNational Public Radio, Washington DC – Anup Shah (Listen)The Orlando Sentinel – Erik MazaThe Plain Dealer, Cleveland – June WuReuters – I-Ching NgThe Sacramento Bee – Marissa LangThe San Jose Mercury News – April DemboskyThe Seattle Times – Marnette FederisThe Times-Picayune, New Orleans – Amber Sandoval-GriffinThe Washington Post – Ibby Caputo

2008 Host Organizations

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Jung Eun LeeThe Baltimore Sun – Euna LheeThe Boston Globe – Neil MunshiThe Charlotte Observer – Kristine CraneThe Detroit Free Press – Meghana KeshavanThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Jeannine AquinoThe Orlando Sentinel – Arelis HernandezReuters – Deepa SeetharamanThe Sacramento Bee – Jane LiawThe San Jose Mercury News – Vianna DavilaThe Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale – Yeganeh June TorbatiThe Times-Picayune, New Orleans – Jennifer EvansThe Washington Post – Brittney JohnsonBET News – Martha St. Jean KQED Public Radio, San Francisco – Ailsa Chang (Background)

2007 Host Organizations

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Kavita PillaiThe Baltimore Sun – Sindya BhanooThe Boston Globe – Felicia MelloThe Charlotte Observer – Megha SatyanarayanaThe Detroit Free Press – Catherine HoThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Belinda YuNewsday – Christina HernandezThe Oregonian – Tracie MoralesThe Orlando Sentinel – Tyeesha DixonReuters – Ishani GanguliThe Sacramento Bee – Danielle McNamaraThe San Jose Mercury News – Saqib RahimThe Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale – Tina ShahBET News – Shartia Brantley (Background)KQED Public Radio, San Francisco – Irene LiuKTVU/2-TV, San Francisco-Oakland – Azadeh Ansari (Background)

2006 Kaiser Media Interns in HealthToni De Aztlan – The Sun-Sentinel, Fort LauderdaleStephanie Beasley – The Baltimore SunErika Beras – The Plain Dealer, ClevelandSheena Bodie – KXAS/5-TV, Dallas-Fort WorthSophia Chang – Newsday Sachi Fujimori – The Charlotte Observer Tomio Geron – The Sacramento BeeJeffrey Ghassemi – The Washington PostPamela Harris – KTVU/2-TV, San Francisco-OaklandKendra Marr – The San Jose Mercury NewsDani McClain – The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Naila Fin Moreira – The Boston GlobeNneka Nwosu – BET News Ashima Singal – The Orlando Sentinel/El SentinelLubna Takruri – The Detroit Free Press*My-Thuan Tran – The Oregonian

*In 2006, The Detroit Free Press sponsored their own Kaiser intern.2005 Kaiser Media InternsDurrell Dawson – KXAS/5-TV, Dallas-Fort WorthMichelle Keller – The Orlando Sentinel/El Sentinel Kai Ma – NewsdayAyesha McAdams-Mahmoud – The OregonianKevin McCullough – The Los Angeles TimesMariana Minaya – The Baltimore Sun Melissa Navas – The San Jose Mercury NewsMadison Park – The Plain Dealer, ClevelandDinesh Ramde – The Milwaukee Journal SentinelMarisa Rodriguez – KTVU/2-TV, San Francisco-Oakland Robert Samuels – The Detroit Free PressNaseem Sowti – The Washington PostKadesha Thomas – The Boston Globe Chris Young – The Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale 2004 Kaiser Media InternsDaffodil Altan – The Los Angeles TimesChristin Ayers – KTVU/2-TV, San Francisco-OaklandYvette Bueno – The Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale Lorinda Bullock – The Detroit Free Press Dante Higgins – KXAS/5-TV, Dallas-Fort Worth Kylene Kiang – The Plain Dealer, Cleveland Jessica Lee – The Boston GlobeJanuary Payne The Washington Post Czerne M. Reid – The Milwaukee Journal SentinelSophia Tareen – The Oregonian Veronica Torrejon – The San Jose Mercury NewsElvira Viveros – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution2003 Kaiser Media InternsLauren Acu