The Host
Julie Rovner
KFF Health News
Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Health?” A famous skilled on well being coverage points, Julie is the creator of the critically praised reference guide “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third version.
As lengthy predicted, a lot of the federal authorities shut down on Oct. 1, after Congress did not agree on spending payments that preserve most applications operating. Republicans want a minimum of a handful of Democratic votes to move spending payments within the Senate. In change, Democrats demanded Republicans renew expanded premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act market plans, which had been handed throughout the pandemic — successfully forcing their very own shutdown over ACA insurance policies, as Republicans did in 2013. Republicans to this point have refused to proceed the subsidies and even focus on them — however now say they gained’t negotiate until Democrats comply with reopen the federal government.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump introduced a cope with the drugmaker Pfizer to decrease some drug costs within the U.S., but it surely’s unclear how a lot of a distinction it’s going to make for customers.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The nineteenth, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.
Panelists
Rachel Cohrs Zhang
Bloomberg News
Shefali Luthra
The nineteenth
Lauren Weber
The Washington Post
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
Democrats seized a chance to focus on how Republican insurance policies are reshaping the well being care system, as well being care tends to be a profitable marketing campaign problem for Democrats. But as they push to increase enhanced federal subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts, an enormous query arises: Will Americans discover?
Meanwhile, some Republicans counsel they’re open to renewing enhanced ACA plan subsidies with sure modifications — however don’t wish to handle the difficulty now, at the same time as open enrollment approaches. And in response to Democrats’ calls to undo Medicaid cuts, the GOP is repeating a deceptive speaking level about advantages for folks dwelling within the U.S. with out authorized standing — when, the truth is, the coverage change would largely assist hospitals.
And vaccine uncertainty continues, with new suggestions from the remade Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices awaiting sign-off — and holding up some vaccine shipments, significantly for uninsured and underinsured children. Plus, the Trump administration has struck a cope with Pfizer. Other drug corporations are more likely to observe with their very own offers to spare themselves tariffs. What’s much less clear is how sufferers would profit from these financial savings.
Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Cara Anthony, who wrote a current “Bill of the Month” characteristic about an out-of-network eye surgical procedure that left one kindergartner’s household with an enormous invoice. If you’ve gotten an outrageous or inexplicable medical invoice you’d prefer to share with us, you can do that here.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume it’s best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: KFF Health News’ “Big Loopholes in Hospital Charity Care Programs Mean Patients Still Get Stuck With the Tab,” by Michelle Andrews.
Shefali Luthra: The Washington Post’s “Trump’s USAID Pause Stranded Lifesaving Drugs. Children Died Waiting,” by Meg Kelly, Joyce Sohyun Lee, Rael Ombuor, Sarah Blaskey, Andrew Ba Tran, Artur Galocha, Eric Lau, and Katharine Houreld.
Lauren Weber: Time Magazine’s “Trump Is Breaking Americans’ Trust in Doctors,” by Dr. Craig Spencer.
Rachel Cohrs Zhang: ProPublica’s “Georgia’s Medicaid Work Requirement Program Spent Twice as Much on Administrative Costs as on Health Care, GAO Says,” by Margaret Coker, The Current.
Also talked about on this week’s podcast:
KFF’s “ACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More than Double on Average Next Year if Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire,” by Justin Lo, Larry Levitt, Jared Ortaliza, and Cynthia Cox.
KFF Health News’ “How Federal Shutdown Hits Health Agencies, Explained to Aspen the Corgi,” by Julie Rovner.
The Washington Post’s “White House Considers Funding Advantage for Colleges That Align With Trump Policies,” by Laura Meckler and Susan Svrluga.
Politico’s “Top US Researchers Rush To Relocate to Europe,” by Pieter Haeck.
Bloomberg News’ “RFK Jr. Mulls Adding Autism Symptoms to Vaccine Injury Program,” by Rachel Cohrs Zhang, Madison Muller, and Gerry Smith.
MSNBC’s “He Helped Build the Anti-Vaccine Movement. RFK Jr. Just Hired Him,” by Brandy Zadrozny.
Credits
Francis Ying
Audio producer
Emmarie Huetteman
Editor
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