What the Health? From KFF Health News

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is drawing criticism for his hands-off handling of the covid crisis even though the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and FDA report to him.

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor looks to enforce mental health “parity laws” that have failed to achieve their goals.

Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of 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, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a large emergency room bill for a small amount of medical care.

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 “Researchers Are Asking Why Some Countries Were Better Prepared for Covid. One Surprising Answer: Trust,” by Adam Taylor

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Politico’s “Next Big Health Crisis: 15M People Could Lose Medicaid When Pandemic Ends,” by Megan Messerly

Margot Sanger-Katz: KHN’s “Faxes and Snail Mail: Will Pandemic-Era Flaws Unleash Improved Health Technology?” by Bram Sable-Smith

Rachel Cohrs: Stat’s “How a Decades-Old Database Became a Hugely Profitable Dossier on the Health of 270 Million Americans,” by Casey Ross

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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Temporary subsidies helped boost enrollment under the Affordable Care Act to a record 14.5 million, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. But unless Democrats in Congress extend those subsidies, many of those new enrollees will be in for a rude surprise just ahead of midterm elections.

Meanwhile, the need to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer further crowds an already tight legislative schedule.

Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Also this week, Rovner interviews Diana Greene Foster, author of “The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having — or Being Denied — an Abortion.”

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 “After Miscarriages, Workers Have Few Guarantees for Time Off or Job-Based Help,” by Bryce Covert

Anna Edney: The AP’s “How a Kennedy Built an Anti-Vaccine Juggernaut amid COVID-19,” by Michelle R. Smith

Joanne Kenen: HuffPost’s “The Right’s War on Government Is Working and It Could Cost Lives,” by Jonathan Cohn

Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Column’s “Covid Isn’t a Human Being, It Doesn’t Care What You Think About It,” by Adam Johnson

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

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Jan. 22 marks the 49th — and very likely last — anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark abortion decision, Roe v. Wade. The court’s conservative supermajority seems poised to overturn later this year the ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

Also this week, the Biden administration turns 1, with much of its domestic and health agenda yet unrealized. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of the 19th, and Kimberly Leonard of Insider join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Also this week, Rovner interviews Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, about what a post-Roe world might look like.

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

Julie Rovner: Politico’s “How Many Health Care Workers Are Vaccinated? It’s Anyone’s Guess,” by Rachael Levy.

Alice Miranda Ollstein: The New York Times’ “When My Mom Got Covid, I Went Searching for Pfizer’s Pills,” by Rebecca Robbins.

Shefali Luthra: The Atlantic’s “The Real Reason Americans Aren’t Isolating,” by Olga Khazan.

Kimberly Leonard: Insider’s “Some of the Same Members of Congress Pushing to Restrict Cigarettes and Vapes Are Quietly Investing in Tobacco Giants,” by Kimberly Leonard.

Click here for a transcript of the episode.



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Medicare officials tentatively plan to restrict the use of a controversial Alzheimer’s drug to only those patients participating in clinical trials, while the Department of Health and Human Services looks into lowering the monthly Medicare Part B premium.

Meanwhile, covid confusion still reigns, as the Biden administration moves, belatedly, to make more masks and tests available.

Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat 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 that they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: The AP’s “Flush With COVID-19 Aid, Schools Steer Funding to Sports,” by Collin Binkley and Ryan J. Foley

Joanne Kenen: The New York Times’ “Covid Test Misinformation Spikes Along With Spread of Omicron,” by Davey Alba

Rachel Cohrs: KHN and Fortune’s “App Attempts to Break Barriers to Bankruptcy for Those in Medical Debt,” by Blake Farmer

Sarah Karlin-Smith: Stat’s “‘I’m Going to Prove You Wrong’: How a D.C. Power Couple Used an ALS Diagnosis to Create a Political Juggernaut,” by Lev Facher

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

It’s 2022 and the covid-19 pandemic is still with us, as are congressional efforts to pass President Joe Biden’s big health and social spending bill. But other issues seem certain to take center stage on this year’s health agenda, including abortion, the state of the health care workforce, and prescription drug prices.

Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Victoria Knight, who reported the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode.

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 “Men Across America Are Getting Vasectomies ‘as an Act of Love,’” by Emily Wax-Thibodeaux

Tami Luhby: The Washington Post’s “Nursing Home Staff Shortages Are Worsening Problems at Overwhelmed Hospitals,” by Lenny Bernstein and Andrew Van Dam

Alice Miranda Ollstein: The 19th’s “ACA Health Insurance Plans Need More Protections for LGBTQ+ People, White House Says,” by Orion Rummler

Mary Ellen McIntire: The New York Times’ “When They Warn of Rare Disorders, These Prenatal Tests Are Usually Wrong,” by Sarah Kliff and Aatish Bhatia

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) dealt a blow to congressional efforts to pass President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda bill, forcing Democrats to regroup starting in 2022.

Meanwhile, the omicron covid variant spreads rapidly in the U.S., threatening the stability of the nation’s health care system.

Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Rachel Cohrs of Stat and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more, plus a look back at the year in health policy.

Also this week, Rovner interviews Ceci Connolly, president and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.

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 “Crash Course: Injured Patients Who Sign ‘Letters of Protection’ May Face Huge Medical Bills and Risks,” by Fred Schulte

Rachel Cohrs: NBC’s “’Get That Money!’ Dermatologist Says Patient Care Suffered After Private Equity-Backed Firm Bought Her Practice,” by Gretchen Morgenson

Joanne Kenen: ProPublica’s “This Scientist Created a Rapid Test Just Weeks Into the Pandemic. Here’s Why You Still Can’t Get It,” by Lydia DePillis

Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Atlantic’s “I Canceled My Birthday Party Because of Omicron,” by Ed Yong

Click here for a transcript of the episode.



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Even before the omicron variant of covid starts to spread widely in the U.S., hospitals are filling up with post-holiday delta cases.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court signals — loudly — that 2022 will be the year it rolls back abortion rights in a big way.

Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Mary Ellen McIntire 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: KHN’s “West Virginia Sen. Manchin Takes the Teeth Out of Democrats’ Plan for Seniors’ Dental Care,” by Phil Galewitz

Margot Sanger-Katz: HuffPost’s “Insulin Prices Could Be in for a Pretty Big Change if Democrats Get Their Way,” by Jonathan Cohn

Alice Miranda Ollstein: The AP’s “How a Kennedy Built an Anti-Vaccine Juggernaut Amid COVID-19,” by Michelle R. Smith

Mary Ellen McIntire: CQ Roll Call’s “Burnout Among Pharmacists Slows COVID-19 Booster Shots,” by Emily Kopp and Ariel Cohen

Click here for a transcript of the episode.



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The fight over covid vaccines continues to intensify, with Republicans on Capitol Hill pushing — with some success — to cancel President Joe Biden’s “test regularly or vaccinate” requirement for private employers.

Meanwhile, abortion is not the only health issue before the Supreme Court this term.

Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat News 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: NPR’s “Inside the Growing Alliance Between Anti-Vaccine Activists and Pro-Trump Republicans,” by Geoff Brumfiel

Joanne Kenen: Slate’s “We’re Not Going Back to 'Before Roe,'” by Dahlia Lithwick

Sarah Karlin-Smith: Axios’ “Documents Reveal the Secrecy of America’s Drug Pricing Matrix,” by Bob Herman

Rachel Cohrs: Stat News’ “Biogen’s Reckoning: How the Aduhelm Debacle Pushed a Troubled Company and Its Fractured Leadership to the Brink,” by Adam Feuerstein and Damian Garde

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

A Supreme Court majority appears ready to overturn nearly 50 years of abortion rights, at least judging by the latest round of oral arguments before the justices.

And a new covid variant, omicron, gains attention as it spreads around the world.

Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Blake Farmer of Nashville Public Radio about the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode.

Extra credit reads:

Julie Rovner: KHN and PBS NewsHour’s “How Unresolved Grief Could Haunt Children Who Lost a Parent or Caregiver to COVID,” by Sarah Varney and Jason Kane

Alice Miranda Ollstein: The Washington Post’s “Long Overstretched, Abortion Funds in D.C., Maryland and Virginia Mobilize for an Uncertain Future,” by Rebecca Tan

Sarah Karlin-Smith: Axios’ “The Push to Revive an Industry-Backed Medical Device Rule,” by Bob Herman

Shefali Luthra: The 19th’s “’Am I Even Fit to Be a Mom?’ Diaper Need Is an Invisible Part of Poverty in America,” by Chabeli Carrazana

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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

President Joe Biden’s social spending budget is on its way to the U.S. Senate, where Democratic leaders are (optimistically) hoping to complete work by the end of the year. Meanwhile, covid is surging again in parts of the country, along with the political divides it continues to cause.

Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Mary Agnes Carey of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Also this week, Rovner previews next week’s Supreme Court abortion oral arguments with Florida State University law professor Mary Ziegler.

Extra credit links:

Julie Rovner: The Wall Street Journal’s “Telehealth Rollbacks Leave Patients Stranded, Some Doctors Say,” by Stephanie Armour and Robbie Whelan.

Margot Sanger-Katz: The New York Times’ “Everything in the House Democrats’ Budget Bill,” by Alicia Parlapiano and Quoctrung Bui.

Joanne Kenen: Politico’s “VA Stats Show Devastating Covid Toll at Vets’ Nursing Homes,” by Joanne Kenen, Darius Tahir and Allan James Vestal.

Mary Agnes Carey: KHN’s “A Covid Head-Scratcher: Why Lice Lurk Despite Physical Distancing,” by Rae Ellen Bichell.

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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