What the Health? From KFF Health News

Latest Episodes:

The Covid Coordinator Speaks Dec 23, 2022

Show notes

In this special episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, talks with host Julie Rovner, KHN’s chief Washington correspondent, about where we are in the pandemic and how we should transition out of the public health emergency. This episode was taped on Dec. 20.

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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Health Spending? Only Congress Knows Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Top negotiators in Congress have agreed to a framework for government spending into next year, but there are details to iron out before a vote — such as the scheduled Medicare payment cuts that have providers worried.

Also, the Biden administration reopens its program allowing Americans to request free covid-19 home tests, as hopes for pandemic preparedness measures from Congress dim.

Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rebecca Adams of KHN join KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these topics and more.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Mary Agnes Carey: Scientific American’s “Kindness Can Have Unexpectedly Positive Consequences,” by Amit Kumar

Rachel Cohrs: The Washington Post’s “From Heart Disease to IUDs: How Doctors Dismiss Women’s Pain,” by Lindsey Bever

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Stat’s “Watch: With Little More Than a Typewriter, an Idaho Man Overturns the Entire State’s Policy on Hepatitis C Treatment in Prison,” by Nicholas Florko

Rebecca Adams: KHN’s “Mass Shootings Reopen the Debate Over Whether Crime Scene Photos Prompt Change or Trauma,” by Lauren Sausser

Also mentioned in this week’s podcast:

The New York Times’ “Two Decades After 9/11 Inquiry, a Similar Plan for Covid Stalls in Congress,” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
KHN’s “Schools, Sheriffs, and Syringes: State Plans Vary for Spending $26B in Opioid Settlement Funds,” by Aneri Pattani
The Washington Post’s “Cause of death: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America,” by Nick Miroff, Scott Higham, Steven Rich, Salwan Georges, and Erin Patrick O’Connor
STAT News’ “Congress has its sights set too low on addiction, advocates charge,” by Lev Facher
The Washington Post’s “Conservatives complain abortion bans not enforced, want jail time for pill ‘trafficking’,” by Caroline Kitchener

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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Congress Races the Clock Dec 08, 2022

Show notes

Sen. Raphael Warnock’s re-election in Georgia will give Democrats a clear-cut Senate majority for the first time in nearly a decade. Meanwhile, the current Congress has only days left to tackle major unfinished business on the health agenda, including fending off scheduled pay cuts for doctors and other health providers in the Medicare program.

Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: The AP Stylebook’s “Abortion Topical Guide,” by The Associated Press

Anna Edney: The Washington Post’s “Drugs Killed 8 Friends, One by One, in a Tragedy Seen Across the U.S.,” by Lenny Bernstein and Jordan-Marie Smith

Joanne Kenen: Columbia Journalism Review’s “Anonymous Woman,” by Becca Andrews

Sandhya Raman: CQ Roll Call’s “At International Conference, Dobbs Dominates Debate,” by Sandhya Raman

Also mentioned in this week’s podcast:

KHN’s “Paxlovid Has Been Free So Far. Next Year, Sticker Shock Awaits,” by Hannah Recht
KHN’s “The Business of Clinical Trials Is Booming. Private Equity Has Taken Notice,” by Rachana Pradhan
KFF’s “Operating Margins Among the Largest For-Profit Health Systems Have Exceeded 2019 Levels for the Majority of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” by Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, and Jamie Godwin
Reuters’ “Alabama Care Over Mistaken Pregnancy Highlights Risks in a Post-Roe World,” by Hassan Kanu

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Medicaid Machinations Dec 01, 2022

Show notes

The lame-duck Congress has returned to Washington with a long health care to-do list and only a little time.

Meanwhile, some of the states that have not yet expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act are rethinking those decisions.

Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.

Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Fred Clasen-Kelly, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about a mysterious mishap during minor surgery.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: Stat’s “Resistance to FDA’s Opioid-Disposal Plan Raises Concerns About CADCA, a Powerful Advocacy Group,” by Lev Facher

Alice Miranda Ollstein: ProPublica and The New York Times’ “She Wanted an Abortion. A Judge Said She Wasn’t Mature Enough to Decide,” by Lizzie Presser

Rachel Cohrs: The New Yorker’s “How Hospice Became a For-Profit Hustle,” by Ava Kofman

Sarah Karlin-Smith: The New York Times’ “Jail Is a Death Sentence for a Growing Number of Americans,” by Shaila Dewan

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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Changing of the Guard Nov 17, 2022

Show notes

Democrats retained control of the U.S. Senate in the midterm elections, while Republicans won a majority in the House, giving them the ability to block items on President Joe Biden’s agenda. Meanwhile, the lame-duck, Democratic-led Congress won’t have the votes to pass abortion rights legislation, although they may try to undo some long-standing anti-abortion policies in federal spending bills. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: The Philadelphia Inquirer’s “Spice Containers Are the Most Contaminated Surface in Your Kitchen,” by Sarah Gantz

Alice Miranda Ollstein: ProPublica’s “We Need to Defend This Law”: Inside an Anti-Abortion Meeting With Tennessee’s GOP Lawmakers,” by Kavitha Surana

Victoria Knight: The Daily Beast’s “COVID-Denying Medical Group Implodes Over Founder’s Extravagant Spending,” by Will Sommer

Joanne Kenen: The Pink Sheet’s “Califf’s Covid Twitter Communications Reveal Knowledge Gaps Partially of FDA’s Own Making,” by Sarah Karlin-Smith

Also mentioned in this week’s episode:

Axios’ “Nonprofit Scores With Progressive Health Ballot Measures in Red States,” by Sabrina Moreno

Cleveland.com’s “Some Electronic Messages to Cleveland Clinic Healthcare Providers Could Cost $50,” by Julie Washington

KHN’s “Sick Profit: Investigating Private Equity’s Stealthy Takeover of Health Care Across Cities and Specialties” by Fred Schulte

The Milbank Quarterly’s “Termites in the House of Health Care,” by John McDonough

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Midterm Shake-Up Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

Election night went better than expected for Democrats. Although they could still lose control of one or both houses of Congress, the predicted “red wave” for Republicans failed to materialize. Meanwhile, voters in both red and blue states approved ballot measures to protect abortion rights.

Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.

Also this week, Rovner interviews Carolee Lee, the former jewelry magnate, about her efforts to boost gender equity in medical research.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: Columbia Journalism Review’s “How Much Coverage Are You Worth?” by Kyle Pope

Alice Miranda Ollstein: PBS NewsHour’s “Study Reveals Stark Number of Alcohol-Related Deaths Among Young Americans,” by John Yang and Dorothy Hastings

Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Washington Post’s “Clock Runs Out on Efforts to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent,” by Dan Diamond

Rachel Cohrs: ESPN’s “Review Shows Favre-Backed Drug Companies Overstated Benefits, Connections,” by Mark Fainaru-Wada

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ACA Open Enrollment Without the Drama Nov 03, 2022

Show notes

The Affordable Care Act’s 10th annual open-enrollment period began Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2023, in most states. But for the first time, the health law seems to be enrolling Americans with far less controversy than in previous years. Meanwhile, as Election Day approaches, Democrats are focusing on GOP efforts to cut Social Security and Medicare. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Julie Appleby of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Arthur Allen, who wrote the latest KNH-NPR Bill of the Month, about an old but still very expensive cancer drug.

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voters Will Get Their Say on Multiple Health Issues Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

Abortion isn’t the only health issue voters will be asked to decide in state ballot questions next month. Proposals about medical debt, Medicaid expansion, and whether health care should be a right are on ballots in various states. Meanwhile, the latest lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act has expanded to cover all preventive care. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: The Washington Post’s “An Autistic Teen Needed Mental Health Help. He Spent Weeks in an ER Instead,” by William Wan

Alice Miranda Ollstein: CBS News’ “U.S. Offers Flu Shots to Migrants in Border Custody, Reversing Long-Standing Policy,” by Camilo Montoya-Galvez

Victoria Knight: Stat’s “Inside Michelle McMurry-Heath’s Departure From BIO: Firings, Internal Clashes, and a Pivotal Job Review,” by Rachel Cohrs

Jessie Hellmann: KHN’s “Hospitals Said They Lost Money on Medicare Patients. Some Made Millions, a State Report Finds,” by Fred Clasen-Kelly

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Biden Hits the Road to Sell Democrats’ Record Oct 20, 2022

Show notes

With the midterm elections rapidly approaching, President Joe Biden has taken to the road to convince voters that he and congressional Democrats have delivered for them during two years in power. Among the health issues highlighted by the administration this week are pandemic preparedness and the availability of over-the-counter hearing aids. The president also promised to sign a bill codifying the abortion protections of Roe v. Wade if Democrats maintain control of the House and Senate — even though it’s a long shot that there will be enough votes for that. Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Mary Agnes Carey of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read too:

Julie Rovner: KHN and NPR’s “Kids’ Mental Health Care Leaves Parents in Debt and in the Shadows,” by Yuki Noguchi

Sarah Karlin-Smith: Scientific American’s “Some People Really Are Mosquito Magnets, and They’re Stuck That Way,’ By Daniel Leonard

Sandhya Raman: Journal of the National Cancer Institute’s “Use of Straighteners and Other Hair Products and Incident Uterine Cancer,” by Che-Jung Chang, et al.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally Fixing the “Family Glitch” Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

The Biden administration has decided to try to fix the so-called “family glitch” in the Affordable Care Act without an act of Congress. The provision has prevented workers’ families from getting subsidized coverage if an employer offer is unaffordable. Meanwhile, Medicare’s open enrollment period begins Oct. 15, and private Medicare Advantage plans are poised to cover more than half of Medicare’s 65 million enrollees.

Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read:

Julie Rovner: KHN’s “If You’re Worried About the Environment, Consider Being Composted When You Die,” by Bernard J. Wolfson

Margot Sanger-Katz: KHN’s “Baby, That Bill Is High: Private Equity ‘Gambit’ Squeezes Excessive ER Charges From Routine Births,” by Rae Ellen Bichell

Joanne Kenen: The Food & Environmental Reporting Network’s “For One Historically Black California Town, a Century of Water Access Denied,” by Teresa Cotsirilos

Rachel Cohrs: Stat’s “A Miniscule New HHS Office Has a Mammoth Goal: Tackling Environmental Justice,” by Sarah Owermohle

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.