\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 It\u2019s not yet clear how the federal government shutdown will end, but Democrats are continuing to draw attention to the issue they are promoting \u2014 the coming expiration of additional subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance plans. Some Republicans are now going public with their worries about the huge cost increases many of their constituents face.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration quietly approved a second generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, much to the dismay of anti-abortion groups \u2014 even as FDA officials are investigating new claims about potential safety risks posed by the drug.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico.<\/p>\n \tSarah Karlin-Smith \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \tTami Luhby \t\t\t \t\t\t \tAlice Miranda Ollstein \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n As the shutdown dragged on, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene \u2014 a Georgia Republican known for her vocal opposition to Democratic policies, including the ACA \u2014 spoke out this week in favor of renewing the federal subsidies. She noted that her adult children expect to see their health premiums double if the subsidies expire, a problem looming for many Americans on marketplace plans.<\/p>\n Federal officials recently warned that WIC \u2014 the supplemental nutrition program that helps many American families purchase staple foods \u2014 has nearly exhausted its funding. The Trump administration has said it will use the proceeds from tariffs to keep the program operating, yet it\u2019s unclear whether it has the authority to do that, as well as whether the tariffs themselves are legal.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard a case challenging Colorado\u2019s conversion therapy ban, and based on the tone of arguments, it seems likely the ban will be struck down. And the vaccine schedule is changing \u2014 though that change also jump-starts needed shipments for the Vaccines for Children Program.<\/p>\n Also this week, Rovner interviews Sarah Grusin of the National Health Law Program about the GOP\u2019s misleading claims that Democrats shut down the government in pursuit of free health care for immigrants in the country illegally.<\/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:<\/p>\n Julie Rovner:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cHow Some Veterans Exploit $193 Billion VA Program, Due to Lax Controls<\/a>,\u201d by Craig Whitlock, Lisa Rein, and Caitlin Gilbert.<\/p>\n Tami Luhby:<\/strong> The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cTrump Plan Would Limit Disability Benefits for Older Americans<\/a>,\u201d by Meryl Kornfield and Lisa Rein.<\/p>\n Sarah Karlin-Smith:<\/strong> The New York Times\u2019 \u201cIt\u2019s Just a Virus, the E.R. Told Him. Days Later, He Was Dead<\/a>,\u201d by Lisa Miller.<\/p>\n Alice Miranda Ollstein:<\/strong> The 19th\u2019s \u201cIce Fears Put Pregnant Immigrants and Their Babies at Risk<\/a>,\u201d by Mel Leonor Barclay and Shefali Luthra. \u00a0<\/p>\n Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n The Hill\u2019s \u201cGreene Doubles Down on Remarks About Affordable Care Act Subsidies<\/a>,\u201d by Tara Suter.The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cSix Surgeons General: It\u2019s Our Duty To Warn the Nation About RFK Jr.<\/a>,\u201d by Jerome Adams, Richard Carmona, Joycelyn Elders, Vivek Murthy, Antonia Novello, and David Satcher.<\/p>\n Politico\u2019s \u201cAnimal Welfare Is Now Part of RFK Jr.\u2019s MAHA Agenda<\/a>,\u201d by Erin Schumaker.<\/p>\n The Washington Post\u2019s \u201cHow Big Agriculture Got Its Way in the Latest MAHA Report<\/a>,\u201d by Amudalat Ajasa and Rachel Roubein.<\/p>\n Politico\u2019s \u201cHealth Agencies Lose \u2018the Backbone Folks Who Can Keep Things Running\u2019 to Indian Health Deployments<\/a>,\u201d by Alice Miranda Ollstein and Maya Kaufman.<\/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\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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