The Host
Emmarie Huetteman
KFF Health News
Emmarie Huetteman, senior editor, oversees a group of Washington reporters, in addition to “Bill of the Month” and KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” She beforehand spent greater than a decade reporting on the federal authorities, most just lately protecting shock medical payments, drug pricing reform, and different well being coverage debates in Washington and on the marketing campaign path.
The secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., contradicted his company’s researchers this week with unsubstantiated or outright false claims about autism spectrum dysfunction and people with the situation. His public remarks weren’t the one current instance of Kennedy talking in opposition to his staff; throughout an introductory look on the FDA, Kennedy mentioned the employees — reeling from the layoffs of three,500 colleagues — had turn into beholden to the industries they regulate.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued an government order aimed toward reducing drug costs as his administration signaled that tariffs on prescription drugs and pharmaceutical elements may very well be on deck. And new information exhibits that the variety of abortions carried out nationwide elevated barely final 12 months, as journey and telehealth prescribing maintained entry for some sufferers in states with abortion bans.
This week’s panelists are Emmarie Huetteman of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Shefali Luthra of The nineteenth.
Panelists
Anna Edney
Bloomberg News
Jessie Hellmann
CQ Roll Call
Shefali Luthra
The nineteenth
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
Kennedy’s declare that genetics don’t play a task within the growth of autism contradicts many years of scientific inquiry into the dysfunction — together with the work of his company’s personal researchers, on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who say there may be certainly a genetic part to autism. Further, his putting remarks concerning the extreme limitations of these with the dysfunction don’t mirror actuality for the many individuals dwelling with autism.
Trump’s government order to decrease drug costs requires adjustments to the Medicare drug negotiation program that might as a substitute enhance prices for the federal authorities. It additionally requires the FDA to make it simpler for states to import medication from different nations, together with Canada — however, amongst different issues, the introduction of tariffs on medication and drug elements might negate different efforts to decrease costs.
And the image of federal well being cuts remains to be coming into focus, as folks all through the well being care system grapple with the results of slashing authorities efforts to do issues like assist Americans afford utility payments, monitor the unfold of hepatitis, and far — a lot — extra.
Also this week, Julie Rovner of KFF Health News interviews Krista Harrison and Robbie Zimbroff, well being coverage researchers on the University of California-San Francisco. They share some background on a case earlier than the Supreme Court subsequent week, Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, which challenges the flexibility of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to make skilled suggestions for American well being.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume it’s best to learn, too:
Emmarie Huetteman: KFF Health News’ “States Push Medicaid Work Rules, but Few Programs Help Enrollees Find Jobs,” by Sam Whitehead, Phil Galewitz, and Katheryn Houghton.
Anna Edney: ProPublica’s “Unsanitary Practices Persist at Baby Formula Factory Whose Shutdown Led to Mass Shortages, Workers Say,” by Heather Vogell.
Jessie Hellmann: The Hill’s “Military’s Use of Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Leaves Lasting Scars,” by Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin.
Shefali Luthra: The nineteenth’s “Trump’s Push for ‘Beautiful Clean Coal’ Could Lead to More Premature Births,” by Jessica Kutz.
Also talked about on this week’s podcast:
Credits
Francis Ying
Audio producer
Stephanie Stapleton
Editor
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KFF Health News is a nationwide newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about well being points and is likely one of the core working applications at KFF—an impartial supply of well being coverage analysis, polling, and journalism. Learn extra about KFF.
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