The Host
Julie Rovner
KFF Well being Information
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 skilled on well being coverage points, Julie is the creator of the critically praised reference e book “Well being Care Politics and Coverage A to Z,” now in its third version.
In any case-night markups, two key Home committees authorised GOP price range laws that may reduce a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} from federal well being applications over the following decade, largely from the Medicaid program for individuals with low incomes or disabilities. The laws is way from a performed deal, although, with at the least one Republican senator voicing opposition to Medicaid cuts.
In the meantime, Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified earlier than Congress for the primary time since taking workplace. In generally surprisingly combative exchanges with lawmakers within the Home and Senate, Kennedy denied reducing applications regardless of proof on the contrary and mentioned at one level that he doesn’t assume People “needs to be taking medical recommendation from me.”
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Julie Appleby of KFF Well being Information, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins College Bloomberg Faculty of Public Well being and Politico Journal, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico.
Panelists
Julie Appleby
KFF Well being Information
Joanne Kenen
Johns Hopkins College and Politico
Alice Miranda Ollstein
Politico
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- Home Republicans this week launched — then rapidly ushered by committee — main laws that may make deep cuts to federal spending whereas funding President Donald Trump’s home priorities, together with renewing tax cuts and boosting border safety. A preliminary estimate by the Congressional Finances Workplace discovered the invoice would reduce at the least $715 billion from federal well being spending over 10 years — with most of that cash coming from the Medicaid program.
- General, the Home GOP’s proposal would make it more durable to enroll, and keep enrolled, in Medicaid and Reasonably priced Care Act protection. Amongst different modifications, the invoice would impose a requirement that nondisabled adults (with some exceptions) work, volunteer, or research at the least 80 hours monthly to be eligible for protection. However Democrats and affected person advocates level to proof that, moderately than encouraging employment, such a mandate ends in extra individuals dropping or dropping protection underneath burdensome paperwork necessities.
- Republicans additionally declined to increase the improved tax credit launched throughout the covid-19 pandemic that assist many individuals afford ACA market protection. These tax credit expire on the finish of the 12 months, and premiums are anticipated to balloon, which might immediate many individuals to not renew their protection.
- And Kennedy’s appearances on Capitol Hill this week supplied Congress the primary alternative to query the well being secretary since he assumed his publish. He was grilled by Democrats about vaccines, congressionally appropriated funds, company firings, and way more.
Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume it is best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: The New York Instances’ “Elizabeth Holmes’s Companion Has a New Blood-Testing Begin-Up,” by Rob Copeland.
Alice Miranda Ollstein: ProPublica’s “He Grew to become the Face of Georgia’s Medicaid Work Requirement. Now He’s Fed Up With It.” by Margaret Coker, The Present.
Julie Appleby: Scientific American’s “How Trump’s Nationwide Climate Service Cuts Might Value Lives,” by Andrea Thompson.
Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “Now Is Not the Time To Eat Bagged Lettuce,” by Nicholas Florko.
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
Credit
Francis Ying
Audio producer
Emmarie Huetteman
Editor
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