The Host
Julie Rovner
KHN
Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KHN’s weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Well being?” A famous skilled on well being coverage points, Julie is the writer of the critically praised reference guide “Well being Care Politics and Coverage A to Z,” now in its third version.
President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2024 price range proposal consists of new insurance policies and funding boosts for most of the Democratic Occasion’s vital constituencies, together with advocates for individuals with disabilities and reproductive rights. It additionally proposes methods to shore up Medicare’s dwindling Hospital Insurance coverage Belief Fund with out chopping advantages, principally daring Republicans to match him on the politically potent concern.
In the meantime, 5 ladies in Texas who have been denied abortions when their pregnancies threatened their lives or the viability of the fetuses they have been carrying are suing the state. They cost that the language of Texas’ abortion ban makes it unimaginable for docs to offer wanted care with out worry of monumental fines or jail sentences.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Shefali Luthra of The nineteenth, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Instances.
Panelists
Victoria Knight
Axios
Shefali Luthra
The nineteenth
Margot Sanger-Katz
The New York Instances
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- Biden’s price range manages to toe the road between preserving Medicare and protecting the Medicare belief fund solvent whereas advancing progressive insurance policies. Republicans have but to suggest a price range, however it appears possible any GOP plan would lean closely on cuts to Medicaid and subsidies offered beneath the Reasonably priced Care Act. Democrats will combat each of these.
- Though the president’s price range consists of one thing of a Democratic “want checklist” of social coverage priorities, the proposals are much less sweeping than these made final yr. Fairly, many — resembling extending to personal insurance coverage the $35 month-to-month Medicare value cap for insulin — construct on achievements already realized. That places new give attention to issues the president has completed.
- Walgreens, the nation’s second-largest pharmacy chain, is caught up within the abortion wars. In January, the chain stated it could apply for certification from the FDA to promote the abortion capsule mifepristone in states the place abortion is authorized. Nevertheless, final week, beneath threats from Republican attorneys normal in states the place abortion continues to be authorized, the chain wavered on whether or not it could search to promote the capsule there or not, which precipitated a backlash from each abortion rights proponents and opponents.
- The 5 ladies suing Texas after being denied abortions amid harmful being pregnant problems will not be asking for the state’s ban to be lifted. Fairly, they’re in search of clarification about who qualifies for exceptions to the ban, so docs and hospitals can present wanted care with out worry of prosecution.
- Though anti-abortion teams have for many years insisted that those that have abortions shouldn’t be prosecuted, payments launched in a number of state legislatures would do precisely that. In South Carolina, those that have abortions may even be topic to the demise penalty. Up to now none of those payments have handed, however the wave of measures may herald a serious coverage change.
Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the two latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” options. Each have been about households going through sudden payments after childbirth. If in case you have an outrageous or exorbitant medical invoice you need to share with us, you can do that here.
Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they suppose you must learn, too:
Julie Rovner: KHN’s “Girls in Texas Could Get Birth Control at Federal Clinics, Until a Christian Father Objected,” by Sarah Varney
Shefali Luthra: The nineteenth’s “Language for Treating Childhood Obesity Carries Its Own Health Risks to Kids, Experts Say,” by Jennifer Gerson
Victoria Knight: KHN’s “After People on Medicaid Die, Some States Aggressively Seek Repayment From Their Estates,” by Tony Leys
Margot Sanger-Katz: ProPublica’s “How Obamacare Enabled a Multibillion-Dollar Christian Health Care Grab,” by J. David McSwane and Ryan Gabrielson
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
Credit
Francis Ying
Audio producer
Stephanie Stapleton
Editor
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KHN (Kaiser Well being Information) is a nationwide newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about well being points. Along with Coverage Evaluation and Polling, KHN is likely one of the three main working applications at KFF (Kaiser Household Basis). KFF is an endowed nonprofit group offering data on well being points to the nation.
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