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Julie Rovner KFF Health News
Read Julie’s story. Julie Rovner is a Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A renowned expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically acclaimed reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z”, now in its third edition.
2023 will be remembered as a summer in which Arizona sizzled, Vermont swamped, and nearly the entire East Coast smothered in smoke from wildfires in Canada, along with the Midwest’s mighty grasses. Nonetheless, none of that has been enough to urge policymakers in Washington to act on climate issues.
Meanwhile, at an open court hearing, a group of women in Texas took the stand to share their heartbreaking stories of not being able to get treatment for pregnancy complications, even though they should be exempt from restrictions under the state’s strict anti-abortion laws.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner from KFF Health News, Rachel Cohrs from Stat, Shefali Luthra from The 19th, and Alice Miranda Ollstein from Politico.
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Rachel Cohrs Statistics News
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Shefaly Loutra 19 years old
Read Shefali’s story
Alice Miranda Allstein Politico
Read Alice’s story
Highlights from this week’s episode:
- Tensions over abortion access between the medical and legal professions are emerging in the courts as doctors seek clarification over bans on the procedure and conservative state officials insist the law is clear enough. The risk of being taken to court and defending medically just treatment can be enough to dissuade doctors from providing abortion care.
- Conservative states are targeting the Biden administration’s efforts to update federal privacy. This would make it more difficult for law enforcement agencies to obtain information about individuals traveling outside of abortion-restricted states for procedures. The state of Nebraska is also investigating patient privacy. Cases involving abortions further illustrate how tech companies like Meta are sharing user data with authorities.
- And religious liberty laws are cited in debates challenging abortion bans, and plaintiffs claim these restrictions violate their religious rights. The debate appears to have legs as the initial challenges are being allowed to move forward in court.
- On Capitol Hill, leading Senate Democrats are holding off on a confirmation process that will appoint President Joe Biden to head the National Institutes of Health, calling for tougher drug price reform and ending the revolving door practice of government officials working for private companies.
- And shortages of key cancer drugs are fueling concerns about drug supply and drawing attention from Congress. But Republicans are skeptical of increasing FDA powers, and the supply chain issue is politically unconvincing.
Also this week, Rovner interviews Meena Seshamani, Medicare Center Director, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Also, for “extra credit,” the panelists will suggest which health policy articles you read this week that they think you should also read.
Julie Robner: Los Angeles Times’Comments: Overwhelming medical debt is turning Americans against doctors.,” Noam N. Levey of KFF Health News.
Rachel course: The New York Times'”They lost their legs. Doctors and health care giants benefit,” by Katie Thomas, Jessica Silver-Greenberg, and Robert Gebeloff.
Alice Miranda Allstein: The Atlantic’s “What Happened When Oregon Decriminalized Strong Drugs,” Jim Hinch.
Shefaly Loutra: KFF Health News, “Medical Asylum: Families Fleeing Amid Persecution for Transgender Treatment,” by Bram Sable-Smith, Daniel Chang, Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, and Sandy West.
Also mentioned in this week’s episode:
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Francis Ying Audio Producer Emmarie Huetteman Editor
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KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism on health issues and is one of KFF’s core operating programs as an independent source for health policy research, opinion polls and journalism. Learn more KFF.
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