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Chaos Continues in Federal Health System
Episode 383The Senate has yet to confirm a Health and Human Services secretary, but things around the department continue to change at a breakneck pace to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive orders. Payment systems have been shut down, webpages and entire datasets have been taken offline, and workers — including those with civil service protections — have been urged to quit or threatened with layoffs. Meanwhile, foreign and trade policy changes are also affecting health policy. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Appleby, who reported the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, about a young woman, a grandfathered health plan, and a $14,000 IUD.
RFK Jr. in the Hot Seat
Episode 382President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the vast Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., faced sharp questioning from senators this week, particularly over his history of vaccine denialism. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s second week has been even more disruptive than its first, with an on-again, off-again funding freeze that left many around the country scrambling to understand what was going on. Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor, who explains how the federal regulatory system is supposed to operate to make health policy.
The ‘Shkreli Awards’ — For Dysfunction and Profiteering in Health Care
Season 13, Episode 1The Lown Institute, a health care think tank, holds a contest every year for the most outrageous stories of greed in health care.
Creating Chaos at HHS
Episode 381President Donald Trump was sworn in Monday and by Wednesday had virtually stopped scientific policymaking at the Department of Health and Human Services. While incoming administrations often pause public communications, the acting HHS head ordered an unprecedented shutdown of all outside meetings, travel, and publications. Meanwhile, Trump issued a broad array of mostly nonbinding executive orders, but notably none directly concerning abortion. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a former congressional staffer, who explains the convoluted “budget reconciliation” process Republicans hope to use to enact Trump’s agenda.
Hello, Trump. Bye-Bye, Biden.
Episode 380With just days to go before the official launch of a new administration, the GOP-led Congress is putting together plans on how to enact incoming President Donald Trump’s agenda, with a particular emphasis on cutting spending on the Medicaid program. Meanwhile, the Biden administration makes major moves in its last days, including banning a controversial food dye and ordering cigarette companies to minimize their nicotine content. Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the latest 鶹Ů Health News “Bill of the Month” feature, about a colonoscopy that came with a much larger price tag than estimated.
New Year, New Congress, New Health Agenda
Episode 379Health is unlikely to be a top priority for the new GOP-led 119th Congress and President-elect Donald Trump. But it’s likely to play a key supporting role, with an abortion bill already scheduled for debate in the Senate. Meanwhile, it’s unclear when and how the new Congress will deal with the bipartisan bills jettisoned from the previous Congress’ year-end omnibus measure — including a major deal to rein in the power of pharmacy benefit managers. In this “catch up on all the news you missed” episode, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
A Listener Fighting the Good Fight
Season 12, Episode 10A medical resident who listens to “An Arm and a Leg” is pushing for change with the American Medical Association and at the hospital where he works.
Francis Collins on Supporting NIH and Finding Common Ground
Episode 378Francis Collins led the National Institutes of Health for 12 years, under three presidents. During the Biden administration, he added White House science adviser to his long list of roles. Now he runs his own lab on the NIH campus, and his latest book, “The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust,” came out in September. In this special holiday episode of 鶹Ů Health News’ “What the Health?” Collins joins host and chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss health misinformation, the Trump administration’s plans for the NIH, and bringing together a fractured society.
Revisiting ‘Christmas In July’
Season 12, Episode 9From the archives of “An Arm and a Leg”: a family tragedy, a 40-year tradition, and a million dollars in medical debt erased.
End-of-Year Chaos on Capitol Hill
Episode 377Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate successfully negotiated an enormous end-of-Congress health package, including bipartisan efforts to address prescription drug prices — only to see it blown up at the last minute after Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump applied pressure. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court accepted its first abortion-related case of the term, and the attorney general of Texas sued a doctor in New York for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas patient. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Victoria Knight of Axios join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 鶹Ů President and CEO Drew Altman about what happened in health policy in 2024 and what to expect in 2025.
A Killing Touches Off Backlash Against Health Insurers
Episode 376The shocking shooting death of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive in Midtown Manhattan prompted a public outcry about the problems with the nation’s health care system, as stories of delayed and denied care filled social media. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump continues to avoid providing specifics about his plans for the Affordable Care Act and other health issues. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Francis Collins, who was the director of the National Institutes of Health and a science adviser to President Joe Biden.
A Colorful Cast Could Lead Key Health Agencies
Episode 375President-elect Donald Trump has made his choices to fill some top jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services. They include controversial figures who were vocal critics of the Biden administration’s handling of the covid pandemic and have proposed sweeping changes to the agencies they would lead. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard its first two health-related cases of the term, challenging a Tennessee law barring transgender medical care for minors and, separately, challenging the FDA’s handling of e-cigarettes. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University and Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 鶹Ů Health News’ Bram Sable-Smith, who reported and wrote the latest 鶹Ů Health News-Washington Post Well+Being “Bill of the Month” feature, about an emergency room bill for a visit that didn’t get past the waiting room.
New Lessons in the Fight for Charity Care
Season 12, Episode 8Host Dan Weissmann checks back in on the fight for hospital charity care, with lessons from Dollar For and a savvy listener.
Public Health and the Dairy Cow in the Room
Episode 374Public health, one of the more misunderstood concepts in the health world, is about the health of entire populations, rather than individuals. As a result, public health is closely tied to things like the environment, nutrition, and safety. With major concerns such as bird flu looming, President-elect Donald Trump’s priorities could translate into efforts that undermine those of public health workers. In this special episode of 鶹Ů Health News’ “What the Health?”, chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner is joined by Healthbeat editor-in-chief Charlene Pacenti, 鶹Ů Health News public health correspondent Amy Maxmen, and Healthbeat New York City reporter Eliza Fawcett.
Trump’s Nontraditional Health Picks
Episode 373Not only has President-elect Donald Trump chosen prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Trump also has said he will nominate controversial TV host Mehmet Oz to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees coverage for nearly half of Americans. Meanwhile, the lame-duck Congress is back in Washington with just a few weeks to figure out how to wrap up work for the year. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Riley Ray Griffin of Bloomberg News join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Sarah Varney, who has been covering a trial in Idaho challenging the lack of medical exceptions in that state’s abortion ban.
Readying for Republican Rule
Episode 372With Republicans now set to control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives starting in January, their health agenda remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that just about anything could be on the table, from Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, to drug prices and public health. Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups are preparing to fight the implementation of abortion rights ballot measures just passed by voters in seven states. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.
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Silence in Sikeston
The Podcast “Silence in Sikeston” explores what it means to live with racism and violence, then charts the toll on people’s health — from hives, high blood pressure, inflammation and heart disease to struggles with mental health. In 1942, Cleo Wright was removed from a Sikeston, Missouri, jail and lynched by a mob. Nearly 80 […]
Fight Health Insurance — With Help From AI
Season 12, Episode 7Meet the tech worker on a quest to use artificial intelligence to combat denials for coverage from patients’ health plans.
Trump 2.0
Episode 371As Donald Trump readies for his return to the White House — with the backing of a GOP majority in the Senate and, possibly, the House — the entire health care industry is waiting to see what happens next. Clearly on the agenda: the future of abortion and reproductive rights, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and public health’s infrastructure. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 鶹Ů Health News’ Jackie Fortiér, who reported and wrote the latest 鶹Ů Health News-Washington Post “Bill of the Month” feature, about a 2-year-old who had a very expensive run-in with a rattlesnake.
The Campaign’s Final Days
Episode 370It’s the final days of the 2024 campaign, and Republicans are suddenly talking again about making changes to the Affordable Care Act if former President Donald Trump wins. Meanwhile, new reporting uncovers more maternal deaths under state abortion bans — and a case in which a Nevada woman was jailed after a miscarriage. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join 鶹Ů Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, 鶹Ů Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews Irving Washington, a senior vice president at 鶹Ů and the executive director of its Health Misinformation and Trust Initiative.