Kaiser Health hires Rosenthal as its editor in chief

New York Times reporter Elisabeth “Libby” Rosenthal has been hired as the new editor-in-chief of Kaiser Health News, the Kaiser Family Foundation’s nonprofit news service.

Rosenthal will start in early September.

Rosenthal succeeds John Fairhall who will be stepping down after nearly five years as editor-in-chief and taking on a part-time role in KHN’s new enterprise reporting group.

Rosenthal started at the Times as a health care reporter, but then took on a variety of postings, including European health and environment reporter and correspondent in the Beijing Bureau, where she produced groundbreaking coverage on issues including HIV, SARS and bird flu.

She was named science editor in 2003, but instead took on an assignment covering the 2004 presidential campaign.

“I’m so excited to be joining KHN, which I’ve watched grow into one of the most respected news outlets for health care coverage over the last few years,” said Rosenthal in a statement. “At a time when nearly everyone agrees the American health care system is broken, smart path-breaking independent journalism is a must. With financial pressures forcing traditional media to shrink newsrooms, nonprofit news organizations like KHN can lead the way.”

She will be based in the Kaiser Family Foundation’s offices in Washington. Rosenthal will continue to write for the New York Times Sunday Review, and will help lead KHN’s ongoing geographic and enterprise reporting expansion.