KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Health Programs Are at Risk as Debt Ceiling Cave-In Looms
May 4, 2023
Podcast
A warning from the Treasury Department that the U.S. could default on its debt as soon as June 1 has galvanized lawmakers to intervene. But there is still no obvious way to reconcile Republican demands to slash federal spending with President Joe Biden’s demand to raise the debt ceiling and save the spending fight for a later date. Meanwhile, efforts to pass abortion bans in conservative states are starting to stall as some Republicans rebel against the most severe bans. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': GOP Platform Muddies Abortion Waters
July 11, 2024
Podcast
As Donald Trump prepares to be formally nominated as the GOP’s candidate for president next week, the platform he will run on is taking shape. And in line with Trump’s approach, it aims to simultaneously satisfy hard-core abortion opponents and reassure more moderate swing voters. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission takes on pharmacy benefits management firms. Shefali Luthra of The 19th News, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council, about the Biden administration’s policies to ensure access to reproductive health care.
A $200 Debit Card Won’t Do Much for Seniors’ Drug Costs
By Harris Meyer
October 30, 2020
KFF Health News Original
President Donald Trump wants to send seniors $200 apiece. Beyond the legal and logistical problems, health care experts point out it does little to help someone with even typical prescription costs.
Scientists Search for Cause of Mysterious Covid-Related Inflammation in Children
By Liz Szabo
October 20, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Scientists treating kids for MIS-C point to rare genes, leaky guts and a “superantigen.”
New Health Plans Offer Twists on Existing Options, With a Dose of ‘Buyer Beware’
By Julie Appleby
November 4, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Fueled by consumer frustration with high premiums and deductibles, two new offerings promise a means for consumers to take control of their health care costs. But experts say they pose risks.
‘Down to My Last Diaper’: The Anxiety of Parenting in Poverty
By Jenny Gold
October 22, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Diapers are a baby essential, but no federal program helps families cover their considerable cost. Jennifer Randles, a professor of sociology at Fresno State in California, spoke with KHN about her novel research exploring the outsize role “diaper math” plays in the lives of low-income moms.
Calming Computer Jitters: Help for Seniors Who Aren’t Tech-Savvy
By Judith Graham
June 24, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Millions of older adults want to be comfortable going online and using digital tools to enhance their lives. But many need help. A number of groups around the country offer assistance.
Dentists Chip Away at Uninsured Problem by Offering Patients Membership Plans
By Phil Galewitz
September 17, 2021
KFF Health News Original
The plans are designed for people who don’t get dental coverage through their jobs and can’t afford an individual plan. For about $300 to $400 a year, patients receive certain preventive services at no charge and other procedures at a discount.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Welcome Back, Congress. Now Get to Work.
September 7, 2023
Podcast
Congress returns from its summer recess with a long list of tasks and only a few work days to get them done. On top of the annual spending bills needed to keep the government operating, on the list are bills to renew the global HIV/AIDS program, PEPFAR, and the community health centers program. Meanwhile, over the recess, the Biden administration released the names of the first 10 drugs selected for the Medicare price negotiation program.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Newly Minted Doctors Are Avoiding Abortion Ban States
May 9, 2024
Podcast
For the second year in a row, medical school graduates across specialties are shying away from applying for residency training in states with abortion bans or significant restrictions, according to a new study. Meanwhile, Medicare’s trustees report that the program will be able to pay its bills longer than expected — which could discourage Congress from acting to address the program’s long-term financial woes. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University schools of nursing and public health and Politico Magazine, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
A ‘Dose of Hope’? Fact-Checking President Joe Biden’s First Speech to Congress
By Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact Amy Sherman, PolitiFact Miriam Valverde, PolitiFact Victoria Knight
April 29, 2021
KFF Health News Original
In his first speech before a joint session of Congress, President Joe Biden argued it was time to turn the coronavirus pandemic into a historic opportunity to expand government for the benefit of a wider range of Americans, urging investments in jobs, climate change, child care, infrastructure and more.
Covid Vaccine Rollout Leaves Most Older Adults Confused Where to Get Shots
By Phil Galewitz
January 22, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Nearly 6 in 10 people 65 and older say they don’t have enough information about how to get vaccinated, according to a new KFF poll.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Long Road to Reining In Short-Term Plans
July 13, 2023
Podcast
President Biden made good on a campaign promise this week with a proposal that would limit short-term health insurance plans that boast low premiums but also few benefits. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s decision to outlaw affirmative action programs could set back efforts to diversify the nation’s medical workforce. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Amy Goldstein of the Washington Post, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat News join KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Bram Sable-Smith, who reported the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” about how a hospital couldn’t track down a patient, but a debt collector could.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Harris in the Spotlight
July 25, 2024
Podcast
For the 2024 campaign, Joe Biden is out, and Kamala Harris is in. As the vice president makes moves toward the top of the Democratic presidential ticket, health policy is resurging as a campaign issue. Meanwhile, Congress tries — and again fails — to make timely progress on the annual government spending bills as abortion issues cause delays. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Stephanie Armour of KFF Health News, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Anthony Wright, the new executive director of Families USA, about his plans for the organization and his history working with Harris on health topics.
Want Fries With That Vaccine? Even at a Fast-Food Restaurant, Pop-Up Clinics See Slow Traffic
By Anna Almendrala
July 27, 2021
KFF Health News Original
At a pop-up vaccine clinic in a McDonald’s parking lot in the city of San Bernardino, fewer than two dozen people agreed to get a shot, offering a snapshot of the faltering vaccination effort.
You’ve Added Your Kids to Your Health Plan. What About Mom?
By Samantha Young
May 13, 2021
KFF Health News Original
A bill in the California legislature would require state-regulated health plans to cover policyholders’ dependent parents. Advocates say the measure would reduce the number of uninsured people, while business groups warn of premium increases.
Corporations Encourage Employee Vaccination but Stop Short of Mandates
By Anna Almendrala
May 25, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Public health officials fear that requiring jabs on the job would create a noisy, counterproductive backlash.
Countless Homebound Patients Still Wait for Covid Vaccine Despite Seniors’ Priority
By Judith Graham
February 22, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Health organizations have begun sending doctors and nurses to apartment buildings and private homes to vaccinate homebound seniors, but the efforts are slow and spotty.
Mississippi’s Black Communities Turned Around Their Covid Rates. Next Up: Make Strides on Vaccines.
By Michaela Gibson Morris
May 30, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Covid-19 tore through Mississippi’s Black population in the pandemic’s early days, but community efforts slowed the rate. Now health officials and community leaders aim to replicate the success as they dole out vaccines.
Why Your Dentist Might Seem Pushy
By Daryl Austin
May 19, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Dentists know how to maximize the profits in your mouth. But sometimes it’s outright fraud — to the tune of billions every year.
