The Host
Julie Rovner
KFF Well being Information
@jrovner
Learn Julie’s tales.
Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Well being Information’ weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Well being?” A famous knowledgeable on well being coverage points, Julie is the creator of the critically praised reference ebook “Well being Care Politics and Coverage A to Z,” now in its third version.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is Vice President Kamala Harris’ alternative of operating mate. Walz — additionally a former U.S. congressman, highschool instructor, and member of the Nationwide Guard — has a folksy, Midwestern have an effect on and a liberal report. He has signed payments increasing abortion rights and medical look after transgender individuals as governor and represented a swing district within the Home of Representatives.
In the meantime, the variety of abortions going down within the U.S. for the reason that overturn of Roe v. Wade continued to rise into early this 12 months, in keeping with a brand new examine. That’s irritating abortion opponents, who’re searching for extra methods to carry the numbers down, even when it means barring pregnant girls from touring to different states.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Name, and Shefali Luthra of The nineteenth.
Panelists
Shefali Luthra
The nineteenth
@shefalil
Learn Shefali’s tales.
Sandhya Raman
CQ Roll Name
@SandhyaWrites
Learn Sandhya’s tales.
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
Walz has been energetic on well being points, together with capping insulin costs, codifying entry to abortion and gender-affirming care, and supporting veterans’ well being, in addition to difficult hospital consolidation efforts. In actual fact, the similarities between him and Harris spotlight unity amongst Democrats on key well being points.
In the meantime, the GOP vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, mentioned in an interview that reforming the Inexpensive Care Act would nonetheless be on the desk if Trump have been reelected, although he didn’t elaborate. The dearth of specificity within the GOP’s plans leaves quite a bit unknown about what a second Trump administration would do with well being coverage.
A latest report exhibits the variety of abortions continued to rise amid restrictions. How? Telehealth is a significant cause for the development. And a separate report exhibits a whole bunch of thousands and thousands in taxpayer {dollars} have been funneled to disaster being pregnant facilities for the reason that overturn of Roe v. Wade, reflecting an effort in conservative state legislatures to steer funding to facilities that discourage abortion.
And Congress has departed for its August recess with out funding the federal authorities, once more. These eyeing different must-pass laws, similar to prolonged telehealth flexibilities and pharmacy profit supervisor reform, are banking on the lame-duck session after the election.
Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they suppose it’s best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: JAMA Inner Drugs’s “Well being, Entry to Care, and Monetary Boundaries to Care Amongst Individuals Incarcerated in US Prisons,” by Emily Lupton Lupez; Steffie Woolhandler; David U. Himmelstein; et al.
Shefali Luthra: KFF Well being Information’ “Inside Venture 2025: Former Trump Official Outlines Arduous Proper Flip In opposition to Abortion,” by Stephanie Armour.
Sandhya Raman: The Warfare Horse’s “‘I Had a Physique Half Repossessed’: Submit-9/11 Amputee Vets Say VA Care Is Failing Them,” by Hope Hodge Seck.
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
ProPublica’s “Texas Sends Thousands and thousands to Disaster Being pregnant Facilities. It’s Meant To Assist Needy Households, However No One Is aware of if It Works,” by Cassandra Jaramillo, Jeremy Kohler, and Sophie Chou, ProPublica, and Jessica Kegu, CBS Information.
Vox’s “Free Medical College Gained’t Resolve the Physician Scarcity,” by Dylan Scott.
Stat’s “How UnitedHealth Turned a Questionable Artery-Screening Program Right into a Gold Mine,” by Casey Ross, Lizzy Lawrence, Bob Herman, and Tara Bannow.
The Wall Road Journal’s “The One-Hour Nurse Visits That Let Insurers Acquire $15 Billion From Medicare,” by Anna Wilde Mathews, Christopher Weaver, Tom McGinty, and Mark Maremont.
Credit
Francis Ying
Audio producer
Emmarie Huetteman
Editor
To listen to all our podcasts, click on right here.
And subscribe to KFF Well being Information’ “What the Well being?” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or wherever you take heed to podcasts.
KFF Well being Information is a nationwide newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about well being points and is among the core working applications at KFF—an impartial supply of well being coverage analysis, polling, and journalism. Study extra about KFF.
USE OUR CONTENT
This story could be republished without spending a dime (particulars).
We encourage organizations to republish our content material, freed from cost. Right here’s what we ask:
You need to credit score us as the unique writer, with a hyperlink to our kffhealthnews.org website. If doable, please embrace the unique creator(s) and KFF Well being Information” within the byline. Please protect the hyperlinks within the story.
It’s vital to notice, not every part on kffhealthnews.org is offered for republishing. If a narrative is labeled “All Rights Reserved,” we can not grant permission to republish that merchandise.
Have questions? Tell us at KHNHelp@kff.org
