What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

Join Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    Medicaid in the Crosshairs, Maybe

    Episode 385

    President Donald Trump has said he won鈥檛 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 program鈥檚 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    Courts Try To Curb Health Cuts

    Episode 384

    Some of the Trump administration鈥檚 dramatic funding and policy shifts are facing major pushback for the first time 鈥 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鈥檚 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 Trump鈥檚 executive orders. Payment systems have been shut down, webpages and entire datasets have been taken offline, and workers 鈥 including those with civil service protections 鈥 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Appleby, who reported the latest 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature, about a young woman, a grandfathered health plan, and a $14,000 IUD.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    RFK Jr. in the Hot Seat

    Episode 382

    President Donald Trump鈥檚 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 administration鈥檚 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a former congressional staffer, who explains the convoluted 鈥渂udget reconciliation鈥 process Republicans hope to use to enact Trump鈥檚 agenda.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 Trump鈥檚 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the latest 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature, about a colonoscopy that came with a much larger price tag than estimated.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 it鈥檚 likely to play a key supporting role, with an abortion bill already scheduled for debate in the Senate. Meanwhile, it鈥檚 unclear when and how the new Congress will deal with the bipartisan bills jettisoned from the previous Congress鈥 year-end omnibus measure 鈥 including a major deal to rein in the power of pharmacy benefit managers. In this 鈥渃atch up on all the news you missed鈥 episode, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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, 鈥淭he Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust,鈥 came out in September. In this special holiday episode of 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 鈥淲hat the Health?鈥 Collins joins host and chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss health misinformation, the Trump administration鈥檚 plans for the NIH, and bringing together a fractured society.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 鈥 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    A Killing Touches Off Backlash Against Health Insurers

    Episode 376

    The shocking shooting death of UnitedHealthcare鈥檚 chief executive in Midtown Manhattan prompted a public outcry about the problems with the nation鈥檚 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 administration鈥檚 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 FDA鈥檚 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Bram Sable-Smith, who reported and wrote the latest 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News-Washington Post Well+Being 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature, about an emergency room bill for a visit that didn鈥檛 get past the waiting room.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 Trump鈥檚 priorities could translate into efforts that undermine those of public health workers. In this special episode of 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 鈥淲hat the Health?鈥, chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner is joined by Healthbeat editor-in-chief Charlene Pacenti, 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News public health correspondent Amy Maxmen, and Healthbeat New York City reporter Eliza Fawcett.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    Trump鈥檚 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 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 state鈥檚 abortion ban.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for 鈥渆xtra credit,鈥 the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    Trump 2.0

    Episode 371

    As Donald Trump readies for his return to the White House 鈥 with the backing of a GOP majority in the Senate and, possibly, the House 鈥 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 health鈥檚 infrastructure. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Jackie Forti茅r, who reported and wrote the latest 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News-Washington Post 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature, about a 2-year-old who had a very expensive run-in with a rattlesnake.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    The Campaign鈥檚 Final Days

    Episode 370

    It鈥檚 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 鈥 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 鈥 dismissed by the Supreme Court on a technicality this year 鈥 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health 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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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, excerpts from a KFF lunch with 鈥淪hark Tank鈥 panelist and generic drug discounter Mark Cuban, who has been consulting with the Harris campaign about health care issues.

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  • What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News

    The Health of the Campaign

    Episode 366

    The 2024 presidential race is taking on a familiar tone 鈥 with Democrats accusing Republicans of wanting to ban abortion and repeal the Affordable Care Act and Republicans insisting they have no such plans. Voters will determine whom they believe. Meanwhile, for the second time in a month, a state judge overturned an abortion ban, but few expect the decision to settle the matter. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Lauren Sausser, who reported and wrote the latest 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News-Washington Post 鈥淏ill of the Month,鈥 about a teenage athlete whose needed surgery lacked a billing code.

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