\tJulie Rovner
\n\tKFF Health News<\/p>\n
\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, \u201cWhat the Health?\u201d A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book \u201cHealth Care Politics and Policy A to Z,\u201d now in its third edition.\t\t<\/p>\n The new, GOP-led, 119th Congress and President-elect Donald Trump have big legislative plans for the year \u2014 which mostly don\u2019t include health policy. But health is likely to play an important supporting role in efforts to renew tax cuts, revise immigration policies, and alter trade \u2014 if only to help pay for some Republican initiatives.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the outgoing Biden administration is racing to finish its health policy to-do list, including finalizing a policy that bars credit bureaus from including medical debt on individuals\u2019 credit reports.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.<\/p>\n \tShefali Luthra \t\t\t \t\t\t \tAlice Miranda Ollstein \t\t\t \t\t\t \tLauren Weber \t\t\t \t\t\t Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n The 119th Congress is now in session. Health care doesn\u2019t make the list of priorities as lawmakers lay the table for the incoming Trump administration \u2014 though Republicans have floated Medicaid work requirements to cut federal spending.<\/p>\n A lot of health legislation hit the cutting-room floor in December, including a bipartisan proposal targeting pharmacy benefit managers \u2014 which would have saved the federal government and patients billions of dollars. And speaking of bipartisan efforts, a congressional report from the Senate Budget Committee adds to evidence that private equity involvement in care is associated with worse outcomes for patients \u2014 notably, lawmakers\u2019 constituents.<\/p>\n As the nation bids a final farewell to former President Jimmy Carter, his global health work, in particular, is being celebrated \u2014 especially his efforts to eradicate such devastating diseases as Guinea worm disease and river blindness.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Biden administration finalized the rule barring medical debt from appearing on credit reports. The surgeon general cautions that alcohol should come with warning labels noting cancer risk. And the new Senate Republican leader is raising abortion-related legislation to require lifesaving care for all babies born alive \u2014 yet those protections already exist.<\/p>\n Plus, for \u201cextra credit,\u201d the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:<\/p>\n Julie Rovner:<\/strong> The Wall Street Journal\u2019s \u201cUnitedHealth\u2019s Army of Doctors Helped It Collect Billions More From Medicare<\/a>,\u201d by Christopher Weaver, Anna Wilde Mathews, and Tom McGinty.<\/p>\n Alice Miranda Ollstein:<\/strong> The New York Times\u2019 \u201cOzempic, Lego Bricks and Hearing Aids: What Trump\u2019s Greenland Plan Could Hit<\/a>,\u201d by Ana Swanson and Jenny Gross.<\/p>\n Shefali Luthra:<\/strong> Vox.com\u2019s \u201cGigantic SUVs Are a Public Health Threat. Why Don\u2019t We Treat Them Like One?<\/a>\u201d by David Zipper.<\/p>\n Lauren Weber:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cLaws Restrict U.S. Shipping of Vape Products. Many Companies Do It Anyway<\/a>,\u201d by David Ovalle and Rachel Roubein.<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n The Senate Budget Committee\u2019s \u201cProfits Over Patients: The Harmful Effects of Private Equity on the U.S. Health Care System<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \tTaylor Cook \tLonnie Ro \tEmmarie Huetteman To hear all our podcasts,\u00a0click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n And subscribe to KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cWhat the Health?\u201d on\u00a0Spotify<\/a>,\u00a0Apple Podcasts<\/a>,\u00a0Pocket Casts<\/a>, or wherever you listen to podcasts.<\/em><\/p>\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
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\n\t\t\t\tRead Julie’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\tPanelists\t<\/h3>\n
\n\tThe 19th<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tRead Shefali’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\tPolitico<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tRead Alice’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
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