The host
Julie Rovner KHN
Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KHN’s weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Health?” A famous knowledgeable on well being coverage points, Julie is the writer of the critically praised reference guide “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third version.
The public well being emergency in impact for the reason that begin of the covid-19 pandemic will finish on May 11, the Biden administration introduced this week. The finish of the so-called PHE will carry a couple of raft of coverage adjustments affecting sufferers, well being care suppliers, and states. But Republicans in Congress, together with some Democrats, have been agitating for an finish to the “emergency” designation for months.
Meanwhile, regardless of Republicans’ less-than-stellar displaying within the 2022 midterm elections and broad public assist for preserving abortion entry, anti-abortion teams are pushing for even stronger restrictions on the process, arguing that Republicans did poorly as a result of they weren’t strident sufficient on abortion points.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Victoria Knight of Axios, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times.
Panelists
Victoria Knight Axios @victoriaregisk Read Victoria’s tales Rachel Roubein The Washington Post @rachel_roubein Read Rachel’s tales Margot Sanger-Katz The New York Times @sangerkatz Read Margot’s tales
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
- This week the Biden administration introduced the covid public well being emergency will finish in May, terminating many flexibilities the federal government afforded well being care suppliers in the course of the pandemic to ease the challenges of caring for sufferers.
- Some of the most important covid-era adjustments, just like the growth of telehealth and Medicare protection for the antiviral medicine Paxlovid, have already been prolonged by Congress. Lawmakers have additionally set a separate timetable for the tip of the Medicaid protection requirement. Meanwhile, the White House is pushing again on reviews that the tip of the general public well being emergency can even imply the tip of free vaccines, testing, and coverings.
- A brand new KFF ballot exhibits widespread public confusion over medicine abortion, with many respondents saying they’re not sure whether or not the abortion tablet is authorized of their state and the right way to entry it. Advocates say medicine abortion, which accounts for about half of abortions nationwide, is the process’s future, and state legal guidelines relating to its use are altering typically.
- On abortion politics, the Republican National Committee handed a decision urging candidates to “go on the offense” in 2024 and push stricter abortion legal guidelines. Abortion opponents have been sad that Republican congressional leaders didn’t push via a federal gestational restrict on abortion final 12 months, and the get together is signaling a want to enchantment to its conservative base within the presidential election 12 months.
- This week, the federal authorities introduced it’ll audit Medicare Advantage plans for overbilling. But in response to a KHN scoop, the federal government will restrict its clawbacks to latest years, permitting many plans to maintain the cash it overpaid them. Medicare Advantage is poised to enroll nearly all of seniors this 12 months.
Also this week, Rovner interviews Hannah Wesolowski of the National Alliance on Mental Illness about how the rollout of the brand new 988 suicide prevention hotline goes.
Plus, for “additional credit score,” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they suppose you need to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: Axios’ “Republicans Break With Another Historical Ally: Doctors,” by Caitlin Owens and Victoria Knight
Margot Sanger-Katz: The New York Times’ “Most Abortion Bans Include Exceptions. In Practice, Few Are Granted,” by Amy Schoenfeld Walker
Rachel Roubein: The Washington Post’s “I Wrote About High-Priced Drugs for Years. Then My Toddler Needed One,” by Carolyn Y. Johnson
Victoria Knight: The New York Times’ “Emailing Your Doctor May Carry a Fee,” by Benjamin Ryan
Also talked about on this week’s podcast:
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