\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 second Trump presidency launched with a bang at the Department of Health and Human Services, where a traditional pause on public communications was expanded to an effective stoppage of scientific work, as health agencies were ordered to cancel meetings, travel, and efforts on outside publications. It is unclear how long the order will stay in effect; President Donald Trump\u2019s nominee to run the department, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., won\u2019t go before Senate committees for his confirmation hearings until the end of the month.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, starting on his first day in office, the new president issued a raft of executive orders aimed at reversing Biden administration policy \u2014 but, notably, none directly addressing abortion, which has been a traditional focus every time the White House changes parties.\u00a0<\/p>\n This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat.<\/p>\n \tAlice Miranda Ollstein \t\t\t \t\t\t \tRachel Roubein \t\t\t \t\t\t \tRachel Cohrs Zhang \t\t\t \t\t\t Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n The Trump administration took a very firm grip on federal agencies this week, sowing uncertainty with blanket cancellations of upcoming meetings and travel \u2014 as well as by implementing a broad pause on external communications. The cancellations reached deep into agencies\u2019 core functions, affecting, for instance, meetings to review grant applications for federally funded research.<\/p>\n Kennedy\u2019s confirmation hearings to be Health and Human Services secretary are scheduled for Jan. 29 and 30. Yet questions remain about his nomination, including more recent revelations about conflicts of interest \u2014 such as his financial stake in ongoing litigation with Merck & Co. related to the HPV vaccine.<\/p>\n Trump issued a slew of executive orders this week. (It is worth noting that executive orders largely instruct federal agencies to start making a change, rather than constituting the change themselves.) Of note on health, Trump\u2019s orders instructed the removal of the U.S. from the World Health Organization; revoked a Biden administration order to reduce drug prices; and laid the groundwork to undermine health care for transgender people. Notably, though, none of the orders directly addressed abortion.<\/p>\n Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a consultant with McDermott+ and an adjunct faculty member at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Whitlock is a former House and Senate staffer and provides a primer on how Congress\u2019 convoluted budget reconciliation process is supposed to work.<\/p>\n\n Plus, for \u201cextra credit,\u201d the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:\u00a0<\/p>\n Julie Rovner:<\/strong> CNN\u2019s \u201cWith Bird Flu Cases Rising, Certain Kinds of Pet Food May Be Risky for Animals \u2014 And People<\/a>,\u201d by Brenda Goodman.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Rachel Roubein:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cAntiabortion Advocates Look for Men To Report Their Partners\u2019 Abortion<\/a>,\u201d by Caroline Kitchener.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Rachel Cohrs Zhang:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cIn Florida, a Rebellion Against Fluoride Is Winning<\/a>,\u201d by Fenit Nirappil.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Alice Ollstein:<\/strong> The Los Angeles Times\u2019 \u201cNow That You Can Return Home After the Fires, How Do You Clean Up Safely?<\/a>\u201d by Karen Garcia and Tony Briscoe.\u00a0<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n The Texas Tribune\u2019s \u201cLongtime Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards Dies After Battle With Brain Cancer<\/a>,\u201d by Eleanor Klibanoff.<\/p>\n \tFrancis Ying \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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