\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 Can the Trump administration refuse to spend money appropriated through Congress by firing federal workers and canceling existing contracts? And if the courts say it cannot, will the administration obey those directives? That key confrontation crept closer this week as the Supreme Court weighed in, suggesting the federal government could not refuse to pay for services already provided.<\/p>\n \u00a0Meanwhile, the measles outbreak that started in Texas continues to expand, while the secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, offers a less-than-full-throated endorsement of the vaccine that has long checked the spread of measles in the U.S.<\/p>\n \u00a0This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Stephanie Armour of KFF Health News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.<\/p>\n \u00a0Also this week, Rovner interviews Sandy West, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cBill of the Month\u201d feature, about a runner hit by a car \u2014 and then by a very expensive ambulance bill.<\/p>\n \tStephanie Armour \t\t\t \t\t\t \tJoanne Kenen \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 Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration\u2019s attempt to continue its freeze on foreign aid. One notable lesson of the administration\u2019s efforts to shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development is that health spending abroad not only supports foreign communities but also helps protect Americans from infectious diseases.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Jay Bhattacharya, Trump\u2019s pick to lead the National Institutes of Health, appeared before a Senate committee this week as big changes at the agency rippled through the nation. NIH grants pump key research funding into every state, and turning off funding is expected to have significant economic ramifications. Some universities are pausing or revoking graduate student acceptances, potentially shutting down research avenues and a key source of future educators.<\/p>\n As expected, the Trump administration said it would no longer pursue a legal effort to block Idaho\u2019s abortion ban for its lack of compliance with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, known as EMTALA. But the state ban remains on hold because the state\u2019s largest hospital system has stepped in to replace the federal government in challenging it.<\/p>\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> KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cFuture of Cancer Coverage for Women Federal Firefighters Uncertain Under Trump<\/a>,\u201d by Kylie Mohr.\u00a0<\/p>\n Joanne Kenen:<\/strong> ProPublica\u2019s \u201cHow Illinois\u2019 Hands-Off Approach to Homeschooling Leaves Children at Risk<\/a>,\u201d by Molly Parker and Beth Hundsdorfer, Capitol News Illinois.\u00a0<\/p>\n Stephanie Armour:<\/strong> The New York Times\u2019 \u201cOrgan Transplant System \u2018in Chaos\u2019 as Waiting Lists Are Ignored<\/a>,\u201d by Brian M. Rosenthal, Mark Hansen, and Jeremy White.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lauren Weber:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cAmid West Texas Measles Outbreak, Vaccine Resistance Hardens<\/a>,\u201d by Fenit Nirappil and Elana Gordon.\u00a0<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n Fox News\u2019 \u201cRobert F. Kennedy Jr.: Measles Outbreak Is Call To Action for All of Us<\/a>,\u201d by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.<\/p>\n CBS News\u2019 \u201cUSAID Freeze Hits American Manufacturer of Product That Saves Babies\u2019 Lives,<\/a>\u201d by Graham Kates and Dan Ruetenik.<\/p>\n The Atlantic\u2019s \u201cInside the Collapse at the NIH<\/a>,\u201d by Katherine J. Wu.<\/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
\n\t\t\t\t@jrovner\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\tKFF Health News<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@StephArmour1\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRead Stephanie’s stories.\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\tJohns Hopkins University and Politico<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@JoanneKenen\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRead Joanne’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