What the Health? From KFF Health News

Latest Episodes:

Drug Price Bill Is a Go in the Senate Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

Two things happened in Washington this week that were inevitable: President Joe Biden tested positive for covid-19, and the Senate agreed to move forward on a budget bill that includes only a sliver of what Biden hoped it would. Still, the bill to allow Medicare to negotiate some drug prices, cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors, and extend temporary subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance premiums would represent a major step if Democrats can get it across the finish line. Meanwhile, abortion battles continue to escalate around the country, with Texas leading the way on restrictions.

Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., the new president of the American Medical Association.

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

Julie Rovner: KHN’s “Conservative Blocs Unleash Litigation to Curb Public Health Powers,” by Lauren Weber and Anna Maria Barry-Jester

Shefali Luthra: Stat’s “Health Care’s High Rollers: As the Pandemic Raged, CEOs’ Earnings Surged,” by Bob Herman, Kate Sheridan, J. Emory Parker, Adam Feuerstein, and Mohana Ravindranath

Rachel Cohrs: Politico’s “Anthony Fauci Wants to Put Covid’s Politicization Behind Him,” by Sarah Owermohle

Joanne Kenen: Inside Climate News’ “When the Power Goes Out, Who Suffers? Climate Epidemiologists Are Now Trying to Figure That Out,” by Laura Baisas

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

Life After ‘Roe’ Is ... Confusing Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

A rapidly changing landscape for abortion has left patients, providers, employers, and lawmakers alike wondering what is and is not legal and what to do next. Meanwhile, Democrats in Congress have resumed negotiations on legislation to lower drug prices and, potentially, continue expanded insurance subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Alice Miranda Ollstein: NiemanLab’s “Unimaginable Abortion Stories Will Become More Common. Is American Journalism Ready?” by Laura Hazard Owen

Sandhya Raman: The Atlantic’s “The Great Veterinary Shortage,” by Sarah Zhang

Tami Luhby: The Wall Street Journal’s “Medical Debt Is Being Wiped Off Credit Reports. What That Means for You,” by Ayse Kelce

Also mentioned on this week’s podcast:

KHN’s “Three Things to Know About Insurance Coverage for Abortion,” by Julie Appleby

KHN’s “How Much Health Insurers Pay for Almost Everything Is About to Go Public,” by Julie Appleby

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

A Chat With the Surgeon General on Health Worker Burnout Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

Health workers are not OK, and that poses a threat to anyone who may need health services. That’s the central finding of the latest report from the office of U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, “Addressing Health Worker Burnout.” This special episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” podcast is a conversation about the report between Murthy and KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner, which was recorded at the annual research meeting of AcademyHealth in June.

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

Supreme Court Overturns Roe Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

It was expected, but the reality was still jarring: The Supreme Court has formally overturned Roe v. Wade, erasing the nearly 50-year-old guarantee of abortion rights nationwide. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Varney of KHN, and Laurie Sobel, associate director for women’s health policy at KFF, join KHN’s Julie Rovner for this special episode to talk about the decision and what happens next for reproductive health care.

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

The FDA Goes After Nicotine Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

The FDA is using its power to regulate tobacco products — ordering the vaping device Juul off the market and announcing its intention to lower the amount of nicotine in cigarettes and other products. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court rules on Medicare and kidney dialysis, and Congress makes progress on legislation surrounding guns and mental health. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Noam N. Levey about the new KHN-NPR project on the growing impact of medical debt.

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’s “At Westminster Dog Show, New Focus on Veterinarians’ Welfare,” by Jennifer Peltz

Joanne Kenen: Fern.org’s “Back Forty: How to Protect Farmworkers From Heat-Related Kidney Disease,” by Nancy Averett

Rachel Cohrs: The Markup’s “Facebook Is Receiving Sensitive Medical Information From Hospital Websites,” by Todd Feathers, Simon Fondrie-Teitler, Angie Waller, and Surya Mattu

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

Closing In on Covid Vaccines for 'The Littles' Jun 16, 2022

Show notes

The wait is nearly over for parents of kids under 5 as a key advisory committee to the FDA recommends authorizing a covid-19 vaccine for the youngest children. Meanwhile, Congress is struggling to fill in the details of its gun control compromise, and, as the Supreme Court prepares to throw the question of abortion legality back to the states, the number of abortions has been rising.

Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues 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: Stat’s “The FTC Says It’s Getting Tougher on Hospital Consolidation. Antitrust Experts Aren’t Buying It,” by Tara Bannow

Shefali Luthra: Politico’s “Michigan’s Abortion Providers Brace for a Ban — Or a Surge,” by Alice Miranda Ollstein

Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Washington Post’s “You Agreed to What? Doctor Check-In Software Harvests Your Health Data,” by Geoffrey A. Fowler

Sandhya Raman: KHN’s “Race Is Often Used as Medical Shorthand for How Bodies Work. Some Doctors Want to Change That,” by Rae Ellen Bichell and Cara Anthony

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

Taking a Shot at Gun Control Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

The U.S. House passed a package of bills seeking to keep some guns out of the hands of children and teenagers, but its fate in the Senate remains a big question mark. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission takes on drug and hospital prices. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Cori Uccello of the American Academy of Actuaries about the most recent report from Medicare’s trustees board.

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

Julie Rovner: KHN’s “Misinformation Clouds America’s Most Popular Emergency Contraception,” by Sarah Varney

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Politico’s “How Many Covid Deaths Are Acceptable? Some Biden Officials Tried to Guess,” by Rachael Levy

Anna Edney: The 19th’s “Florida Could Be a Critical Access Point for Abortion, but the State’s Own Battle Is Just Starting,” by Shefali Luthra

Joanne Kenen: The Trace’s “In 2019, Congress Pledged Millions to Study Gun Violence. The Results Are Nearly Here,” by Chip Brownlee

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

Washington’s Slow Churn Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

Stemming gun violence is back on the legislative agenda following three mass shootings in less than a month, but it’s hard to predict success when so many previous efforts have failed. Meanwhile, lawmakers must soon decide if they will extend current premium subsidies for those buying health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, and the Biden administration acts, belatedly, on Medicare premiums.

Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Michelle Andrews, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a too-common problem: denial of no-cost preventive care for a colonoscopy under the ACA.

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

Julie Rovner: NPR Throughline’s “Before Roe: The Physicians’ Crusade,” by Rund Abdelfatah, Ramtin Arablouei, Julie Caine, Laine Kaplan-Levenson, Lawrence Wu, Victor Yvellez, Casey Miner, Yolanda Sangweni, Anya Steinberg, and Deborah George

Rachel Cohrs: The Wall Street Journal’s “Baby-Formula Shortage Worsened by Drop in Breast-Feeding Rates,” by Jennifer Maloney

Margot Sanger-Katz: The Washington Post’s “Opinion: Breastfeeding Isn’t ‘Free.’ Here’s What It Cost Me,” by Alyssa Rosenberg

Sandhya Raman: News from the States’ “From Skepticism to Insurance Denials, Long COVID Patients Face More Than Only Health Challenges,” by Annmarie Timmins

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

A(nother) Very Sad Week May 26, 2022

Show notes

Two mass shootings in two weeks — one at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 fourth graders and two teachers — have reignited the “guns-as-public-health-problem” debate. But political consensus seems as far away as ever. Meanwhile, the FDA is in the congressional hot seat over its handling of the infant formula shortage. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Rachana Pradhan of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Dr. Richard Baron, head of the American Board of Internal Medicine, about how doctors should discipline colleagues who spread medical misinformation.

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

Julie Rovner: “Strangerville” podcast’s “Episode 203: Jacob,” by Jessica and Justin Van Wyen

Joanne Kenen: NBC News’ podcast “Needle In/Tiffany Dover Is Dead*” by Brandy Zadrozny

Anna Edney: ProPublica’s “The Plot to Keep Meatpacking Plants Open During COVID-19,” by Michael Grabell

Rachana Pradhan: The Washington Post’s “We’re Ignoring a Major Culprit Behind the Teen Mental Health Crisis,” by Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

Waking Up to Baby Formula Shortage May 19, 2022

Show notes

The nationwide shortage of baby formula, which has been simmering for months, finally burst into public consciousness as more parents become less able to find food for their babies, prompting a belated federal response. Meanwhile, covid-19 cases rise but prevention activities don’t, and abortion-rights backers ready their legal arsenal for a post-Roe world. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists suggest their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: Fortune’s and KHN’s “The Frequently Long Waits for Insurance Prior Approvals Frustrate Doctors and Patients Needing Treatment,” by Michelle Andrews

Alice Miranda Ollstein: JAMA Health Forum’s “The Costs of Long COVID,” by David Cutler

Rachel Cohrs: ProPublica’s “The COVID Testing Company That Missed 96% of Cases,” by Anjeanette Damon

Tami Luhby: KHN’s “States Have Yet to Spend Hundreds of Millions of Federal Dollars to Tackle Covid Health Disparities,” by Phil Galewitz, Lauren Weber, and Sam Whitehead

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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