\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 Congress has left Washington for the campaign trail, but after the Nov. 5 general election lawmakers will have to complete work on the annual spending bills for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. While the GOP had hoped to push spending decisions into 2025, Democrats forced a short-term spending patch that\u2019s set to expire before Christmas.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, on the campaign trail, abortion continues to be among the hottest issues. Democrats are pressing their advantage with women voters while Republicans struggle \u2014 with apparently mixed effects \u2014 to neutralize it.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins schools of nursing and public health, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.<\/p>\n \tJoanne Kenen \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 When Congress returns after the election, there\u2019s a chance lawmakers could then make progress on government spending and<\/em> more consensus health priorities, like expanding telehealth access. After all, after the midterm elections in 2022, Congress passed federal patient protections against surprise medical billing.<\/p>\n As Election Day approaches, Democrats are banging the drum on health care \u2014 which polls show is a winning issue for the party with voters. This week, Democrats made a last push to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies expanded during the pandemic \u2014 an issue that will likely drag into next year in the face of Republican opposition.<\/p>\n The outcry over the first reported deaths tied to state abortion bans seems to be resonating on the campaign trail. With some states offering the chance to weigh in on abortion access via ballot measures, advocates are telling voters: These tragedies are examples of what happens when you leave abortion access to the states.<\/p>\n And Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont summoned the chief executive of Novo Nordisk before the health committee he chairs this week to demand accountability for high drug prices. Despite centering on a campaign issue, the hearing \u2014 like other examples of pharmaceutical executives being thrust into the congressional hot seat \u2014 yielded no concessions.<\/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> KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cAcross North Carolina, Medical Debt Exacts a Heavy Toll<\/a>,\u201d by Ames Alexander, The Charlotte Observer, and Noam N. Levey.<\/p>\n Lauren Weber:<\/strong> Stat\u2019s \u201cHow the Next President Should Reform Medicare<\/a>,\u201d by Paul Ginsburg and Steve Lieberman.\u00a0<\/p>\n Joanne Kenen:<\/strong> The Atlantic\u2019s \u201cThe Woo-Woo Caucus Meets<\/a>,\u201d by Elaine Godfrey.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alice Miranda Ollstein:<\/strong> Stat\u2019s \u201cHow Special Olympics Kickstarted the Push for Better Disability Data<\/a>,\u201d by Timmy Broderick.<\/p>\n Also mentioned on this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cFlorida\u2019s New Covid Booster Guidance Is Straight-Up Misinformation<\/a>,\u201d by Arthur Allen, Daniel Chang, and Sam Whitehead.<\/p>\n KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cFeds Killed Plan To Curb Medicare Advantage Overbilling After Industry Opposition<\/a>,\u201d by Fred Schulte.<\/p>\n KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cAudits \u2014 Hidden Until Now \u2014 Reveal Millions in Medicare Advantage Overcharges<\/a>,\u201d by Fred Schulte and Holly K. Hacker.<\/p>\n KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cACA Plans Are Being Switched Without Enrollees\u2019 OK<\/a>,\u201d by Julie Appleby.<\/p>\n KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cBiden Administration Tightens Broker Access to Healthcare.gov To Thwart Rogue Sign-Ups<\/a>,\u201d by Julie Appleby.<\/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\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\tPolitico<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t@AliceOllstein\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\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
\n\tAudio producer<\/p>\n
\n\tEditor <\/p>\nUSE OUR CONTENT<\/h3>\n