What the Health? From 窪蹋勛圖厙 News

Join Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for 窪蹋勛圖厙 News, along with top health policy reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico and other media outlets to discuss the latest news and explain what the health is going on here in Washington.

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If you have a question for the podcast, you can send it to whatthehealth@kff.org.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    House GOP Plan Targets Medicaid

    Episode 386

    The House passed a budget plan that likely would result in major cuts to the Medicaid program. But the plan now faces a battle in the Senate, where even Republicans seem reluctant to dramatically reduce a health program that covers roughly 1 in 5 Americans. Meanwhile, federal judges and the Trump administration continue to differ over whether the administration has the authority to unilaterally cancel programs approved and funded by Congress and to fire federal workers. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Victoria Knight of Axios join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Medicaid in the Crosshairs, Maybe

    Episode 385

    President Donald Trump has said he wont support major cuts to the Medicaid health insurance program for people with low incomes, but he has endorsed a House budget plan that calls for major cuts, leaving the programs future in doubt. Meanwhile, thousands of workers at the Department of Health and Human Services were fired over the holiday weekend, from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with possibly more cuts to come.

    Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Courts Try To Curb Health Cuts

    Episode 384

    Some of the Trump administrations dramatic funding and policy shifts are facing major pushback for the first time not from Congress, but from the courts. Federal judges around the country are attempting to pump the brakes on efforts to freeze government spending, shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, eliminate access to health-related webpages and datasets, and limit grant funding provided by the National Institutes of Health. Meanwhile, Congress is off to a slow start in trying to turn President Donald Trumps agenda into legislation, although Medicaid is clearly high on the list for potential funding cuts. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Maya Goldman of Axios News join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Mark McClellan, director of the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy and a former health official during the George W. Bush administration, about the impact of cutting funding to research universities.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Chaos Continues in Federal Health System

    Episode 383

    The Senate has yet to confirm a Health and Human Services secretary, but things around the department continue to change at a breakneck pace to comply with President Donald Trumps executive orders. Payment systems have been shut down, webpages and entire datasets have been taken offline, and workers including those with civil service protections have been urged to quit or threatened with layoffs. Meanwhile, foreign and trade policy changes are also affecting health policy. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Appleby, who reported the latest Bill of the Month feature, about a young woman, a grandfathered health plan, and a $14,000 IUD.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    RFK Jr. in the Hot Seat

    Episode 382

    President Donald Trumps choice to lead the vast Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., faced sharp questioning from senators this week, particularly over his history of vaccine denialism. Meanwhile, the Trump administrations second week has been even more disruptive than its first, with an on-again, off-again funding freeze that left many around the country scrambling to understand what was going on. Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor, who explains how the federal regulatory system is supposed to operate to make health policy.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Creating Chaos at HHS

    Episode 381

    President Donald Trump was sworn in Monday and by Wednesday had virtually stopped scientific policymaking at the Department of Health and Human Services. While incoming administrations often pause public communications, the acting HHS head ordered an unprecedented shutdown of all outside meetings, travel, and publications. Meanwhile, Trump issued a broad array of mostly nonbinding executive orders, but notably none directly concerning abortion. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a former congressional staffer, who explains the convoluted budget reconciliation process Republicans hope to use to enact Trumps agenda.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Hello, Trump. Bye-Bye, Biden.

    Episode 380

    With just days to go before the official launch of a new administration, the GOP-led Congress is putting together plans on how to enact incoming President Donald Trumps agenda, with a particular emphasis on cutting spending on the Medicaid program. Meanwhile, the Biden administration makes major moves in its last days, including banning a controversial food dye and ordering cigarette companies to minimize their nicotine content. Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the latest 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Bill of the Month feature, about a colonoscopy that came with a much larger price tag than estimated.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    New Year, New Congress, New Health Agenda

    Episode 379

    Health is unlikely to be a top priority for the new GOP-led 119th Congress and President-elect Donald Trump. But its likely to play a key supporting role, with an abortion bill already scheduled for debate in the Senate. Meanwhile, its unclear when and how the new Congress will deal with the bipartisan bills jettisoned from the previous Congress year-end omnibus measure including a major deal to rein in the power of pharmacy benefit managers. In this catch up on all the news you missed episode, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Francis Collins on Supporting NIH and Finding Common Ground

    Episode 378

    Francis Collins led the National Institutes of Health for 12 years, under three presidents. During the Biden administration, he added White House science adviser to his long list of roles. Now he runs his own lab on the NIH campus, and his latest book, The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust, came out in September. In this special holiday episode of 窪蹋勛圖厙 News What the Health? Collins joins host and chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss health misinformation, the Trump administrations plans for the NIH, and bringing together a fractured society.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    End-of-Year Chaos on Capitol Hill

    Episode 377

    Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate successfully negotiated an enormous end-of-Congress health package, including bipartisan efforts to address prescription drug prices only to see it blown up at the last minute after Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump applied pressure. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court accepted its first abortion-related case of the term, and the attorney general of Texas sued a doctor in New York for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas patient. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Victoria Knight of Axios join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF President and CEO Drew Altman about what happened in health policy in 2024 and what to expect in 2025.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    A Killing Touches Off Backlash Against Health Insurers

    Episode 376

    The shocking shooting death of UnitedHealthcares chief executive in Midtown Manhattan prompted a public outcry about the problems with the nations health care system, as stories of delayed and denied care filled social media. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump continues to avoid providing specifics about his plans for the Affordable Care Act and other health issues. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Francis Collins, who was the director of the National Institutes of Health and a science adviser to President Joe Biden.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    A Colorful Cast Could Lead Key Health Agencies

    Episode 375

    President-elect Donald Trump has made his choices to fill some top jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services. They include controversial figures who were vocal critics of the Biden administrations handling of the covid pandemic and have proposed sweeping changes to the agencies they would lead. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard its first two health-related cases of the term, challenging a Tennessee law barring transgender medical care for minors and, separately, challenging the FDAs handling of e-cigarettes. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University and Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Bram Sable-Smith, who reported and wrote the latest 窪蹋勛圖厙 News-Washington Post Well+Being Bill of the Month feature, about an emergency room bill for a visit that didnt get past the waiting room.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Public Health and the Dairy Cow in the Room

    Episode 374

    Public health, one of the more misunderstood concepts in the health world, is about the health of entire populations, rather than individuals. As a result, public health is closely tied to things like the environment, nutrition, and safety. With major concerns such as bird flu looming, President-elect Donald Trumps priorities could translate into efforts that undermine those of public health workers. In this special episode of 窪蹋勛圖厙 News What the Health?, chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner is joined by Healthbeat editor-in-chief Charlene Pacenti, 窪蹋勛圖厙 News public health correspondent Amy Maxmen, and Healthbeat New York City reporter Eliza Fawcett.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Trumps Nontraditional Health Picks

    Episode 373

    Not only has President-elect Donald Trump chosen prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Trump also has said he will nominate controversial TV host Mehmet Oz to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees coverage for nearly half of Americans. Meanwhile, the lame-duck Congress is back in Washington with just a few weeks to figure out how to wrap up work for the year. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Riley Ray Griffin of Bloomberg News join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Sarah Varney, who has been covering a trial in Idaho challenging the lack of medical exceptions in that states abortion ban.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Readying for Republican Rule

    Episode 372

    With Republicans now set to control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives starting in January, their health agenda remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that just about anything could be on the table, from Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, to drug prices and public health. Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups are preparing to fight the implementation of abortion rights ballot measures just passed by voters in seven states. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Trump 2.0

    Episode 371

    As Donald Trump readies for his return to the White House with the backing of a GOP majority in the Senate and, possibly, the House the entire health care industry is waiting to see what happens next. Clearly on the agenda: the future of abortion and reproductive rights, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and public healths infrastructure. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Jackie Forti矇r, who reported and wrote the latest 窪蹋勛圖厙 News-Washington Post Bill of the Month feature, about a 2-year-old who had a very expensive run-in with a rattlesnake.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    The Campaigns Final Days

    Episode 370

    Its the final days of the 2024 campaign, and Republicans are suddenly talking again about making changes to the Affordable Care Act if former President Donald Trump wins. Meanwhile, new reporting uncovers more maternal deaths under state abortion bans and a case in which a Nevada woman was jailed after a miscarriage. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner interviews Irving Washington, a senior vice president at KFF and the executive director of its Health Misinformation and Trust Initiative.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Less Than Two Weeks To Go

    Episode 369

    With Election Day rapidly approaching, abortion is gaining traction as a voting issue, according to public opinion polls. Meanwhile, states with abortion bans are reviving the lawsuit dismissed by the Supreme Court on a technicality this year that could roll back the availability of the abortion pill mifepristone. Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, and Victoria Knight of Axios join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Tricia Neuman, senior vice president of KFF and executive director of its Program on Medicare Policy, about Medicare open enrollment and the changes to the federal program for 2025.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    LIVE From KFF: Health Care and the 2024 Election

    Episode 368

    The Affordable Care Act has not been a major issue in the 2024 campaign, but abortion and reproductive rights have been front and center. Those are just two of the dozens of health issues that could be profoundly affected by who is elected president and which party controls Congress in 2025. In this special live episode, Tamara Keith of NPR, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Cynthia Cox and Ashley Kirzinger of KFF join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss how health policy has affected the campaign and how the election results might affect health policy. Plus, the panel answers questions from the live audience.

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  • 窪蹋勛圖厙 News' 'What the Health?'

    Yet Another Promise for Long-Term Care Coverage

    Episode 367

    As part of her presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris has rolled out a plan for Medicare to provide in-home long-term care services. The proposal would fill a longtime need for families trying to simultaneously care for young children and older parents, but its enormous price tag makes it a promise unlikely to be fulfilled. Meanwhile, a growing number of Republican candidates up and down the ballot facing voter backlash over their support for abortion restrictions are trying to reinvent their positions. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, excerpts from a KFF lunch with Shark Tank panelist and generic drug discounter Mark Cuban, who has been consulting with the Harris campaign about health care issues.

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