The Host

Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner @julierovner.bsky.social Read Julie's stories. Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third edition.

Open enrollment for health plans under the Affordable Care Act began Nov. 1, yet it remains unclear how much the estimated 24 million Americans who purchase from the ACA marketplaces will be expected to pay in premiums starting in January. Unless Congress acts to extend tax credits added to the program in 2021, most consumers will be expected to contribute much more out-of-pocket; in some cases, double or triple what they are paying in 2025. 

The politics of this year’s ACA fight are also complicated. Democrats are using the only leverage they have — a government shutdown — to try to force Republicans to negotiate over the expiring ACA tax credits. Yet many, if not most, of the people who will face much higher premiums in 2026 are from GOP-dominated states such as Texas and Florida, and belong to professions that tend to be more Republican than Democratic, such as farmers and ranchers, or small-business owners. 

In this special episode of “What the Health?” from KFF Health News and WAMU, host Julie Rovner talks to Cynthia Cox, a vice president at KFF and the director of its Program on the ACA. Cox explains what the nation’s health system looked like before the passage of the health law, how it has contributed to lower health spending and better insurance coverage, and the peculiar politics of the current fight.

Guest

Cynthia Cox KFF Read Cynthia's bio.

Credits

Taylor Cook Audio producer Stephanie Stapleton Editor

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