\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 Department of Health and Human Services underwent an unprecedented purge this week, as thousands of employees from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies across the department were fired, placed on administrative leave, or offered transfers to far-flung Indian Health Service facilities in such places as New Mexico, Montana, and Alaska. Altogether, the layoffs mean the federal government, in a single day, shed hundreds if not thousands of years of health and science expertise.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard a case about whether states can bar Planned Parenthood from providing non-abortion-related services to Medicaid patients. But by the time the case is settled, it\u2019s unclear how much of Medicaid or the Title X Family Planning Program will remain intact.<\/p>\n \u00a0This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.<\/p>\n \tRachel Cohrs Zhang \t\t\t \tSarah Karlin-Smith \t\t\t \t\t\t \tLauren Weber \t\t\t \t\t\t Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n As details trickle out about the major staffing purge underway at HHS, long-serving and high-ranking health officials are among those who have been shown the door: in particular, senior scientists at FDA, including the top vaccine regulator, and even the head veterinarian working on bird flu response.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has also gutted entire offices, including the FDA\u2019s tobacco division \u2014 even though the division\u2019s elimination would not save taxpayer money because it\u2019s not funded by taxpayers. Still, the tobacco industry stands to benefit from less regulatory oversight. Many health agencies have their own examples of federal jobs cut under the auspices of saving taxpayer money when the true effect will be undermining federal health work.<\/p>\n Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey set a record this week during a marathon, 25-hour-plus chamber floor speech railing against Trump administration actions, and he used much of his time discussing the risks posed to Americans\u2019 health care. With Republicans considering deep cuts that could hit Medicaid hard, it\u2019s possible that health changes could be the area that resonates most with Americans and garner key support for Democrats come midterm elections.<\/p>\n And the tariffs unveiled by President Donald Trump this week reportedly touch at least some pharmaceuticals, leaving the drug industry scrambling to sort out the impact. It seems likely tariffs would raise the prices Americans pay for drugs, as tariffs are expected to do for other consumer products \u2014 leaving it unclear how Americans stand to benefit from the president\u2019s decision to upend global trade.<\/p>\n Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News\u2019 Julie Appleby, whose latest \u201cBill of the Month<\/a>\u201d feature is about a short-term health plan and a very expensive colonoscopy. Do you have a baffling, confusing, or outrageous medical bill to share with us? You can do that here<\/a>.<\/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> Stat\u2019s \u201cUber for Nursing Is Here \u2014 And It\u2019s Not Good for Patients or Nurses<\/a>,\u201d by Katie J. Wells and Funda Ustek Spilda.<\/p>\n Sarah Karlin-Smith:<\/strong> MSNBC\u2019s \u201cFlorida Considers Easing Child Labor Laws After Pushing Out Immigrants<\/a>,\u201d by Ja\u2019han Jones.<\/p>\n Lauren Weber:<\/strong> The Atlantic\u2019s \u201cMiscarriage and Motherhood<\/a>,\u201d by Ashley Parker.<\/p>\n Rachel Cohrs Zhang:<\/strong> The Wall Street Journal\u2019s \u201cFDA Punts on Major Covid-19 Vaccine Decision After Ouster of Top Official<\/a>,\u201d by Liz Essley White.<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n Stat\u2019s \u201cLaid-Off HHS Leaders Offered Transfers to Remote Indian Health Service Regions<\/a>,\u201d by Usha Lee McFarling.<\/p>\n The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cFired Health Workers Were Told To Contact an Employee. She\u2019s Dead<\/a>.\u201d By Lauren Weber.<\/p>\n Georgia Recorder\u2019s \u201cBill That Criminalizes Abortion, Undermines IVF Access Gets Georgia House Panel Hearing<\/a>,\u201d by Jill Nolin.<\/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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