\tJulie Rovner
\n\tKFF Health News<\/p>\n
\t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\tJulie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News\u2019 weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third edition.\t\t<\/p>\n After urging Republicans earlier this year to make health care a central issue in their midterm campaigns, President Donald Trump gave the issue only passing mention in his record-long State of the Union address this week.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Trump\u2019s nominee to become U.S. surgeon general, Casey Means, a favorite of the \u201cMake America Healthy Again\u201d movement, got her long-delayed hearing before a Senate committee this week. Means\u2019 nomination has been controversial not only because of her outside-the-mainstream medical views but also because she would be the first surgeon general without an active medical license.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.<\/p>\n \tAlice Miranda Ollstein \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \tSheryl Gay Stolberg \t\t\t \t\t\t \tLauren Weber \t\t\t \t\t\t Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n Trump devoted little of the State of the Union to health care, even though affordability is top of mind for voters. The topics he did address, briefly, included lowering drug prices \u2014 an effort that has yielded some benefit for some people \u2014 and, notably, fraud. The next day, the administration announced it would withhold Medicaid funding for Minnesota over fraud allegations. While fraud is a serious, persistent problem for Medicaid, which covers those who are low-income and disabled, withholding federal funds from a single, Democratic-led state is a major step that puts other states on edge.<\/p>\n Means, Trump\u2019s nominee for surgeon general, on Wednesday appeared before senators to make her case for confirmation. A central figure in the MAHA movement, Means was smooth and gracious in her presentation, yet there were worrying signs for public health \u2014 she declined to endorse the seasonal flu vaccine, for instance. She also faces questions about her medical credentials, a key qualification in particular for someone who would serve as the head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.<\/p>\n The issue of abortion access was downplayed in Trump\u2019s State of the Union and Means\u2019 nomination hearing, reinforcing how times have changed since the first Trump administration \u2014 and raising questions about whether voters who strongly oppose abortion will be motivated to turn out for the midterm elections. Instead, Trump discussed fertility drugs during his speech, and Means expressed what she said are her concerns about the risks of oral contraceptives.<\/p>\n Plus, for \u201cextra credit\u201d the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too:<\/p>\n Julie Rovner:<\/strong> KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cWhen It Comes to Health Insurance, Federal Dollars Support More Than ACA Plans<\/a>,\u201d by Julie Appleby. \u00a0<\/p>\n Sheryl Gay Stolberg:<\/strong> ProPublica\u2019s \u201cSouth Carolina Hospitals Aren\u2019t Required To Disclose Measles-Related Admissions. That Leaves Doctors in the Dark<\/a>,\u201d by Jennifer Berry Hawes. \u00a0<\/p>\n Lauren Weber:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cInside RFK Jr.\u2019s Push Against the Flu Vaccine That He Links to His Voice Condition<\/a>,\u201d by Lauren Weber, Lena H. Sun, and Caitlin Gilbert. \u00a0<\/p>\n Alice Miranda Ollstein:<\/strong> Stat\u2019s \u201cPharma Lobbyists Focus on a Surprising New Target: The FDA<\/a>,\u201d by Daniel Payne and Lizzy Lawrence. \u00a0<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n The Wall Street Journal\u2019s \u201cA Vaccine Skeptic as Surgeon General<\/a>,\u201d by The Journal\u2019s editorial board.<\/p>\n Stat\u2019s \u201cExit of CDC\u2019s Acting Director Highlights Agency\u2019s Lack of Leader<\/a>,\u201d by Helen Branswell.<\/p>\n The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cRFK Jr. Is Staying Quiet About His Vaccine Changes as GOP Pollsters Raise Red Flags<\/a>,\u201d by Rachel Roubein and Lauren Weber.<\/p>\n The New York Times\u2019 \u201cMAHA Moms Turn Against Trump: \u2018Women Feel Like They Were Lied To,\u2019<\/a>\u201d by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Hiroko Tabuchi.<\/p>\n \tFrancis Ying \tEmmarie Huetteman Click here to find all our podcasts.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n And subscribe to \u201cWhat the Health? From KFF Health News\u201d on Apple Podcasts<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, the NPR app<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Pocket Casts<\/a>, or wherever you listen to podcasts.<\/em><\/p>\n\n KFF Health News<\/a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF\u2014an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@jrovner\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@julierovner.bsky.social\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRead Julie’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\tPanelists\t<\/h3>\n
\n\tPolitico<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@AliceOllstein\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@alicemiranda.bsky.social\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRead Alice’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\tThe New York Times<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@SherylNYT\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRead Sheryl’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\tThe Washington Post<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@LaurenWeberHP\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRead Lauren’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\tCredits\t<\/h3>\n
\n\tAudio producer<\/p>\n
\n\tEditor <\/p>\nUSE OUR CONTENT<\/h3>\n