The host
Julie Rovner KFF Well being Information @jrovner
Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Well being Information’ weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Well being?” A famous knowledgeable on well being coverage points, Julie is the writer of the critically praised reference e book “Well being Care Politics and Coverage A to Z,” now in its third version.
After weeks of painstaking negotiations, Democrats and Republicans within the Home and Senate agreed to a serious year-end package deal of well being payments, together with new laws for drug firms and pharmacy profit managers, and renewals of packages to fight opioid abuse and put together for the following potential pandemic. However the effort could possibly be all for naught, as President-elect Donald Trump and his government-cutting adviser, Elon Musk, complained it gave Democrats an excessive amount of of what they wished and threatened Republicans who would possibly vote for it with challenges in upcoming main elections.
In the meantime, Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton sued a health care provider in New York for prescribing abortion tablets by way of telemedicine to a affected person in Texas, within the first main take a look at of whether or not “protect legal guidelines” — meant to guard docs in states like New York the place abortion stays authorized — can defend towards different states’ enforcement efforts.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Name, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico.
Panelists
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
Congress on the cusp of passing its authorities spending payments this week, then Trump spoke out. The package deal featured sturdy, bipartisan insurance policies — together with issues that Trump himself has endorsed, corresponding to reforming the pharmacy profit supervisor system. Now, it is not solely these insurance policies, plus key extensions on the Medicare telehealth program, opioids, and extra, that Trump has undermined: A authorities shutdown might additionally furlough the federal staff serving to his group transition forward of his inauguration subsequent month.
In the meantime, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill to achieve assist for his affirmation to steer the Division of Well being and Human Providers. And lots of senators appear surprisingly supportive of his bid. Some are leaning on shared objectives corresponding to limiting ultraprocessed meals. Normally, Republican senators don’t appear too involved about RFK Jr.’s nomination — regardless of a observe report of opposing scientific consensus on vaccines and supporting abortion rights.
New authorities knowledge exhibits well being care spending is up. The current deadly taking pictures of an insurance coverage government has triggered a backlash towards the insurance coverage trade, but the information exhibits prices are going up attributable to larger utilization — not essentially due to components inside insurers’ management. Backside line: In a system of fixed finger-pointing, insurers have earned ire for questionable protection choices and lack of transparency — however they don’t seem to be the principle, or solely, culprits of excessive prices and entry issues.
And, in reproductive well being information, the lawyer normal of Texas is suing a New York physician for prescribing the abortion capsule to a affected person in Texas. New York, like different extra Democratic states, has a protect regulation defending suppliers, but this case would be the first take a look at of such a regulation.
Additionally this week, Rovner interviews KFF President and CEO Drew Altman about what occurred in well being coverage in 2024 and what to anticipate in 2025.
Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume it’s best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: Vox.com’s “The Deep Roots of People’ Hatred of Their Well being Care System,” by Dylan Scott.
Alice Miranda Ollstein: KFF Well being Information’ “Native American Sufferers Are Despatched to Collections for Money owed the Authorities Owes,” by Katheryn Houghton and Arielle Zionts.
Jessie Hellmann: KFF Well being Information’ “How a Obligation To Spend Properly on Employee Advantages Might Loosen PBMs’ Grip on Drug Costs,” by Arthur Allen.
Victoria Knight: Bloomberg Information’ “The Weight-Loss Drug Gold Rush Has a Harmful Prescription Downside,” by Madison Muller.
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
Credit
Taylor Prepare dinner Audio producer
Lonnie Ro Audio producer
Emmarie Huetteman Editor
This text was reprinted from khn.org, a nationwide newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about well being points and is likely one of the core working packages at KFF – the impartial supply for well being coverage analysis, polling, and journalism.
