\tJulie Rovner
\n\tKFF Health News<\/p>\n
\t\t\t \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 As long predicted, much of the federal government shut down on Oct. 1, after Congress failed to agree on spending bills that keep most programs running. Republicans need at least a handful of Democratic votes to pass spending bills in the Senate. In exchange, Democrats demanded Republicans renew expanded premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, which were passed during the pandemic \u2014 effectively forcing their own shutdown over ACA policies, as Republicans did in 2013. Republicans so far have refused to continue the subsidies or even discuss them \u2014 but now say they won\u2019t negotiate unless Democrats agree to reopen the government.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, President Donald Trump announced a deal with the drugmaker Pfizer to lower some drug prices in the U.S., but it\u2019s unclear how much of a difference it will make for consumers.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.<\/p>\n \tRachel Cohrs Zhang \t\t\t \tShefali Luthra \t\t\t \t\t\t \tLauren Weber \t\t\t \t\t\t Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n Democrats seized an opportunity to highlight how Republican policies are reshaping the health care system, as health care tends to be a winning campaign issue for Democrats. But as they push to extend enhanced federal subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts, a big question arises: Will Americans notice?<\/p>\n Meanwhile, some Republicans suggest they are open to renewing enhanced ACA plan subsidies with certain changes \u2014 but do not want to address the issue now, even as open enrollment approaches. And in response to Democrats\u2019 calls to undo Medicaid cuts, the GOP is repeating a misleading talking point about benefits for people living in the U.S. without legal status \u2014 when, in fact, the policy change would largely help hospitals.<\/p>\n And vaccine uncertainty continues, with new recommendations from the remade Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices awaiting sign-off \u2014 and holding up some vaccine shipments, particularly for uninsured and underinsured kids. Plus, the Trump administration has struck a deal with Pfizer. Other drug companies are likely to follow with their own deals to spare themselves tariffs. What\u2019s less clear is how patients would benefit from these savings.<\/p>\n Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News\u2019 Cara Anthony, who wrote the latest \u201cBill of the Month<\/a>\u201d feature about an out-of-network eye surgery that left one kindergartner\u2019s family with a big bill. If you have an outrageous or inexplicable medical bill you\u2019d like to share with us, you can do that here<\/a>.<\/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> KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cBig Loopholes in Hospital Charity Care Programs Mean Patients Still Get Stuck With the Tab<\/a>,\u201d by Michelle Andrews.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Shefali Luthra:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cTrump\u2019s USAID Pause Stranded Lifesaving Drugs. Children Died Waiting<\/a>,\u201d by Meg Kelly, Joyce Sohyun Lee, Rael Ombuor, Sarah Blaskey, Andrew Ba Tran, Artur Galocha, Eric Lau, and Katharine Houreld.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Lauren Weber: <\/strong>Time Magazine\u2019s \u201cTrump Is Breaking Americans\u2019 Trust in Doctors<\/a>,\u201d by Dr. Craig Spencer.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Rachel Cohrs Zhang: <\/strong>ProPublica\u2019s \u201cGeorgia\u2019s Medicaid Work Requirement Program Spent Twice as Much on Administrative Costs as on Health Care, GAO Says<\/a>,\u201d by Margaret Coker, The Current.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n KFF\u2019s \u201cACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More than Double on Average Next Year if Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire<\/a>,\u201d by Justin Lo, Larry Levitt, Jared Ortaliza, and Cynthia Cox.<\/p>\n KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cHow Federal Shutdown Hits Health Agencies, Explained to Aspen the Corgi<\/a>,\u201d by Julie Rovner.<\/p>\n The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cWhite House Considers Funding Advantage for Colleges That Align With Trump Policies<\/a>,\u201d by Laura Meckler and Susan Svrluga.<\/p>\n Politico\u2019s \u201cTop US Researchers Rush To Relocate to Europe<\/a>,\u201d by Pieter Haeck.<\/p>\n Bloomberg News\u2019 \u201cRFK Jr. Mulls Adding Autism Symptoms to Vaccine Injury Program<\/a>,\u201d by Rachel Cohrs Zhang, Madison Muller, and Gerry Smith.<\/p>\n MSNBC\u2019s \u201cHe Helped Build the Anti-Vaccine Movement. RFK Jr. Just Hired Him<\/a>,\u201d by Brandy Zadrozny.<\/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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