KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Midterm Shake-Up


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The predicted Republican “red wave” was a no-show in this week’s midterm elections, but the margins in both the U.S. House and Senate are so small that the GOP could still wrest control from the Democrats as the last few “too close to call” races are settled. Whichever party holds the majority starting in 2023 will also influence how much Congress tries to finish during its lame-duck session that starts Nov. 14.

Meanwhile, supporters of abortion rights won big. Voters in three states (Michigan, California, and Vermont) approved ballot measures to make abortion rights part of their state constitutions, while two other states (Montana and Kentucky) defeated efforts to further restrict abortion.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet.

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

Also this week, Rovner interviews Carolee Lee, a former jewelry magnate, about her efforts to boost gender equity in medical research.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: Columbia Journalism Review’s “How Much Coverage Are You Worth?” by Kyle Pope

Alice Miranda Ollstein: PBS NewsHour’s “Study Reveals Stark Number of Alcohol-Related Deaths Among Young Americans,” by John Yang and Dorothy Hastings

Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Washington Post’s “Clock Runs Out on Efforts to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent,” by Dan Diamond

Rachel Cohrs: ESPN’s “Review Shows Favre-Backed Drug Companies Overstated Benefits, Connections,” by Mark Fainaru-Wada

Also mentioned in this week’s episode:


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