KFF Health News' 'What the Health?'

Join Politico reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein, Pink Sheet's Sarah Karlin-Smith, and civil rights attorney Sarah Grusin as they dive into the effects of the ongoing government shutdown on health programs like Medicare. They discuss the unsettling impacts on telehealth services and the FDA's recent approval of a generic abortion pill, igniting fierce political debate. Grusin clarifies misconceptions about health care for undocumented immigrants, and the panel shares eye-opening articles on health systems, underscoring pressing issues in current policy.

As long predicted, much of the federal government shut down Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass required spending bills, with Democrats demanding Republicans renew the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for votes. While a shutdown does not affect Medicare and Medicaid, it could eventually hinder activities from every corner of the Department of Health and Human Services.Meanwhile, as Democrats and Republicans point fingers, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pursues policies and personnel undermining vaccines.Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss the news.Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Cara Anthony, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, about an out-of-network eye surgery that left one kindergartner’s family with a big bill. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, 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.  Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a rambling news conference that shocked public health experts, President Donald Trump this week — without scientific evidence — blamed the over-the-counter drug acetaminophen, and too many childhood vaccines, for the increase in autism diagnoses in the U.S. That came days after a key immunization advisory committee, newly reconstituted with vaccine doubters, changed several long-standing recommendations.Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official Demetre Daskalakis joins KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories. Meanwhile, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join Rovner with the rest of the news, including a threat by the Trump administration to fire rather than furlough federal workers if Congress fails to fund the government beyond the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: NBC News’ “RFK Jr. Has the Federal Vaccine Court in His Sights. Attacking It Could Threaten Vaccine Production in the U.S.,” by Liz Szabo.  Anna Edney: The Washington Post’s “Do State Abortion Laws Affect Women’s Recruiting? That’s Up to Athletes,” by Kevin B. Blackistone.  Sandhya Raman: ProPublica’s “Psychiatric Hospitals Turn Away Patients Who Need Urgent Care. The Facilities Face Few Consequences,” by Eli Cahan.  Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The recently fired head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told senators that health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered her to fire top officials and agree to approve changes to national vaccine recommendations — before the recommendations were made and regardless of what the science says. Meanwhile, Congress heads toward a government shutdown, with expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans in the balance.Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss the news.Also, Rovner interviews Troyen Brennan, former chief medical officer at Aetna and CVS, about his new book on primary care.Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: The New York Times Magazine’s “Trump Is Shutting Down the War on Cancer,” by Jonathan Mahler.  Margot Sanger-Katz: ProPublica’s “Programs for Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-Diversity Push,” by Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards.  Alice Miranda Ollstein: The New York Times’ “I Have Dental Insurance. Why Do I Pay So Much for Care?” by Erica Sweeney.  Joanne Kenen: Politico Magazine’s “Why Voters Will Feel the Impact of GOP Health Cuts Before the Midterms,” by Joanne Kenen.  Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With less than three weeks to go before the deadline to pass legislation to keep the federal government running, lawmakers are still far apart on a strategy. Democrats hope Republicans agree to extend expanded tax credits for the Affordable Care Act as part of a compromise, but so far Republicans are not negotiating. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released his long-awaited “Make America Healthy Again” report, with few specific action items.Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.Visit our website for a transcript of this episode.Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: NPR’s “What Kind of Dairy Does a Body Good? Science Is Updating the Answer,” by Will Stone.  Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “The Implants Were Supposed to Dissolve. They Didn’t,” by Anna Edney and Tanaz Meghjani.  Sandhya Raman: The Texas Tribune’s “Texas’ New Parental Consent Law Leaves School Nurses Confused About Which Services They Can Provide to Students,” by Jaden Edison.  Lauren Weber: ProPublica’s “‘Just Let Me Die,’” by Duaa Eldeib.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A combative Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, appeared before a Senate committee Thursday, defending his firing of the newly confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as other changes that could limit the availability of vaccines. Meanwhile, Congress has only a few weeks to complete work on annual spending bills to avoid a possible government shutdown and to ward off potentially large increases in premiums for Affordable Care Act health plans.  Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.  Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Tony Leys, who discusses his “Bill of the Month” report about a woman’s unfortunate interaction with a bat — and her even more unfortunate interaction with the bill for her rabies prevention treatment.Visit our website for 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: ProPublica’s “Gutted: How Deeply Trump Has Cut Federal Health Agencies,” by Brandon Roberts, Annie Waldman, and Pratheek Rebala. Jessie Hellmann: KFF Health News’ “When Hospitals and Insurers Fight, Patients Get Caught in the Middle,” by Bram Sable-Smith.  Sarah Karlin-Smith: NPR’s “Leniency on Lice in Schools Meets Reality,” by Blake Farmer.  Alice Miranda Ollstein: Vox’s “Exclusive: RFK Jr. and the White House Buried a Major Study on Alcohol and Cancer. Here’s What It Shows,” by Dylan Scott.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jonathan Oberlander, a Medicare historian from UNC, and Sara Rosenbaum, a Medicaid expert from GWU, as they celebrate 60 years of these pivotal programs. They discuss Medicare’s evolution from bipartisan support to the rise of privatization, addressing its financial sustainability myths. Rosenbaum reflects on Medicaid's journey from an afterthought to a vital lifeline for low-income individuals. Together, they explore ongoing healthcare reforms and the crucial roles these programs play in ensuring access to health for all.

Join healthcare experts Sarah Karlin-Smith and Aaron Carroll as they dive into the controversial implications of a new executive order that shifts scientific funding from career experts to political appointees. They unpack the challenges posed by this politicization, including its effects on public trust and vaccine research. Carroll offers insights on restoring faith in public health initiatives, while the group discusses pressing issues like Medicaid cuts and the evolution of youth health insurance policies, highlighting stories that reflect broader trends in healthcare.

The Health and Human Services secretary is winding down nearly $500 million in mRNA research funding, citing false claims that the technology is ineffective against respiratory illnesses — and notching a victory for critics of the covid vaccines. And President Donald Trump is demanding drugmakers drop their prices, quickly, but it’s unclear how he could make them comply. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Visit our website for a transcript of this episode.Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too: Emmarie Huetteman: KFF Health News’ “New Medicaid Federal Work Requirements Mean Less Leeway for States,” by Katheryn Houghton and Bram Sable-Smith. Sarah Karlin-Smith: Slate’s “Confessions of a Welfare Queen,” by Maria Kefalas. Sandhya Raman: CQ Roll Call’s “Sweden’s Push for Smokeless Products Leads Some To Wonder About Risks,” by Sandhya Raman. Lauren Weber: The New York Times’ “‘Hot Wasps’ Found at Nuclear Facility in South Carolina,” by Emily Anthes.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, is eyeing an overhaul of two more key entities as part of his ongoing effort to reshape health policy. And President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week that would enable localities to force some homeless people into residential treatment.Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Sara Rosenbaum, one of the nation’s leading experts on Medicaid, to mark Medicaid’s 60th anniversary this week.  Visit our website for 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: KFF Health News’ “Cosmetic Surgeries Led to Disfiguring Injuries, Patients Allege,” by Fred Schulte. Anna Edney: The Washington Post’s “Morton Mintz, Post Reporter With a Muckraker Spirit, Dies at 103,” by Stefanie Dazio. Joanne Kenen: ScienceAlert’s “New Kind of Dental Floss Could Replace Vaccine Needles, Study Finds,” by David Nield. Shefali Luthra: The New Yorker’s “Mexico’s Molar City Could Transform My Smile. Did I Want It To?” by Burkhard Bilger.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.