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.

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