KFF Health News' 'What the Health?'

Courts Try To Curb Health Cuts

Feb 13, 2025

Shefali Luthra, a healthcare policy reporter at The 19th, and Mark McClellan, director of the Duke-Margolis Center, delve into the judicial pushback against recent healthcare funding cuts. They discuss the impact of funding challenges on NIH grants and academic research. The conversation also highlights how federal judges are influencing health policy transparency and the implications for vulnerable populations amid potential Medicaid cuts. They emphasize the urgent need for strong leadership within health agencies to navigate these tumultuous changes.

39:28

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Episode guests

Mark McClellan

Shefali Luthra

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The recent policy changes regarding NIH grants could jeopardize research sustainability and discourage future generations of scientists.

Increasing judicial pushback against the administration's funding cuts highlights the potential legal and economic ramifications on health initiatives.

Deep dives

The Impact of Policy Changes on NIH Grants

Recent changes proposed by the administration regarding the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants are causing significant concern among researchers and academic institutions. The policy aims to cap indirect costs associated with grants at 15%, which represents a drastic reduction for many universities that have relied on higher rates, sometimes exceeding 60%. This shift in funding structure has prompted fears about the sustainability of research projects and could potentially lead to layoffs and halted hiring cycles in research institutions. Many researchers worry that such changes will discourage the next generation of scientists from pursuing careers in academia, as uncertainty looms over funding availability.

Intro

3min

Funding Fractures: NIH Under Fire

6min

Judicial Orders and Health Policy Transparency

2min

Navigating Policy Changes in Health and Research

15min

Funding Dynamics in Biomedical Research

7min

Navigating Leadership Challenges in Health Agencies

2min

Navigating Healthcare Challenges Amid Policy Changes

3min

Controversy Over Healthcare Advertising Amid Spending Cuts

2min

Some of the Trump administration’s 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 Trump’s 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 KFF Health 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.

Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode.

Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: Axios’ “Nonprofit Hospital Draws Backlash for Super Bowl Ad,” by Maya Goldman.

Shefali Luthra: Politico’s “‘Americans Can and Will Die From This’: USAID Worker Details Dangers, Chaos,” by Jonathan Martin.

Maya Goldman: KFF Health News’ “Doctor Wanted: Small Town in Florida Offers Big Perks To Attract a Physician,” by Daniel Chang.

Jessie Hellmann: NPR’s “Trump’s Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Young People Puts Hospitals in a Bind,” by Selena Simmons-Duffin.

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