What the Health? From KFF Health News

KFF Health News
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Join Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, along with top health policy reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico and other media outlets to discuss the latest news and explain what the health is going on here in Washington, D.C.

  1. 2D AGO

    HHS Gets Funding, But How Will Trump Spend It?

    Congress has passed — and President Donald Trump has signed — the annual spending bill for the Department of Health and Human Services. But it’s unclear whether the administration will spend the money as Congress directed. In 2025, billions of dollars were stalled, disrupting patient care and scientific research, until federal judges ordered funding resumed.  Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Renuka Rayasam about a new reporting project, “Priced Out.” Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: Politico’s “DeSantis’ Canadian Drug Import Plan in Florida Goes From Campaign Trail to Tough Realities,” by Arek Sarkissian.   Sandhya Raman: The Washington Post’s “Free HIV Drugs Save Lives. Why One State Is Restricting Access for Thousands,” by David Ovalle.   Anna Edney: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Associated Press’s “Forever Stained: Inside America’s Carpet Capital: An Empire and its Toxic Legacy,” by Dylan Jackson, Jason Dearan, and Justin Price.   Joanne Kenen: Inside Climate News’ “‘Toxic Colonialism’ on the Bay of Bengal,” by Johnny Sturgeon.

    34 min

  2. JAN 29

    The Hazards of ICE for Public Health

    The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is not just roiling politics but also directly affecting the provision of health care, medical groups say. Meanwhile, in Washington, federal spending bills on their way to passage have been stalled by the fight over immigration enforcement funding after the shooting death of a second person in Minneapolis this month.  Maya Goldman of Axios, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.  Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: Science’s “U.S. Government Has Lost More Than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s Since Trump Took Office,” by Monica Hersher and Jeffrey Mervis.   Maya Goldman: NBC News’ “Many Obamacare Enrollees Have Switched to Cheaper Bronze Plans. Here’s Why That Could Be Risky,” by Berkeley Lovelace Jr.   Alice Miranda Ollstein: The New York Times’ “After Donations, Trump Administration Revoked Rule Requiring More Nursing Home Staff,” by Kenneth P. Vogel and Christina Jewett.   Rachel Roubein: Stat’s “HHS Appoints 21 New Members to Federal Autism Advisory Committee,” by O. Rose Broderick.

    33 min

  3. JAN 22

    Health Spending Is Moving in Congress

    Lawmakers appear on the brink of passing a spending bill for the Department of Health and Human Services and a bipartisan health policy bill delayed for over a year. But the outlook is considerably bleaker for the health care outline released by President Donald Trump last week.  Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews oncologist and bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel to discuss his new book, “Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life.”  Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: CIDRAP’s “Minnesota Residents Delay Medical Care for Fear of Encountering ICE,” by Liz Szabo.   Sheryl Gay Stolberg: Rolling Stone’s “HHS Gave a $1.6 Million Grant to a Controversial Vaccine Study. These Emails Show How That Happened,” by Katherine Eban.   Paige Winfield Cunningham: Politico’s “RFK Jr. Is Bringing the GOP and the Trial Bar Together,” by Amanda Chu.  Sandhya Raman: Popular Information’s “ICE Has Stopped Paying for Detainee Medical Treatment,” by Judd Legum.

    46 min

  4. JAN 15

    Culture Wars Take Center Stage

    With lawmakers still mired over renewing enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, much of Washington has turned its attention to culture war issues, including abortion and gender-affirming care.  Meanwhile, “confusion” remains the watchword at the Department of Health and Human Services as personnel and funding decisions continue to be made and unmade with little notice.  Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.  Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who created the “Bill of the Month” series and wrote the latest installment, about a very hot pepper and a very late ER bill.  Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: The New York Times’ “E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved When Setting Rules on Air Pollution,” by Maxine Joselow.   Alice Miranda Ollstein: ProPublica’s “After Sowing Distrust in Fluoridated Water, Kennedy and Skeptics Turn to Obstructing Other Fluoride Sources,” by Anna Clark.   Joanne Kenen: The New Yorker’s “What ‘The Pitt’ Taught Me About Being a Doctor,” by Dhruv Khullar.   Anna Edney: MedPage Today’s “Worried About Liability After CDC Vaccine Changes? You Shouldn’t Be,” by Joedy McCreary.

    41 min

  5. JAN 8

    New Year, Same Health Fight

    Congress returned from its holiday break facing a familiar question: whether to extend the expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans that expired at the end of 2025.   Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke a promise to Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the chairman of Senate health committee, by overhauling the federal government’s childhood vaccine schedule to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines will be recommended.   Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.  Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: KFF Health News’ “Advertisements Promising Patients a ‘Dream Body’ With Minimal Risk Get Little Scrutiny,” by Fred Schulte.   Alice Miranda Ollstein: SFGate’s “A Calif. Teen Trusted ChatGPT for Drug Advice. He Died From an Overdose,” by Lester Black and Stephen Council.   Sarah Karlin-Smith: ProPublica’s “The End of Aid: Trump Destroyed USAID. What Happens Now?” by Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Brett Murphy.   Lauren Weber: The Washington Post’s “How RFK Jr. Upended the Public Health System,” by Rachel Roubein, Lena H. Sun, and Lauren Weber.

    40 min

  6. JAN 1 · BONUS

    Rerun: Happy 60th, Medicare and Medicaid!

    This past year marked the 60th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, the twin government programs that have shaped the health care system into what it is today. In this special episode, re-aired for the holidays, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews two experts on the history, significance, and future of these perennially popular programs. First up, Medicare historian and University of North Carolina health policy professor Jonathan Oberlander talks about Medicare. He’s followed by Sara Rosenbaum of the George Washington University, who has not only studied Medicaid since nearly its beginning but has helped shape Medicaid policy over the past four decades. Visit our website for a transcript of this episode.

    57 min

  7. 12/18/2025

    Time’s Up for Expanded ACA Tax Credits

    A last-minute push from Democrats and four moderate Republicans will force a House vote on renewing enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, but not until January. That means millions will have to choose between paying dramatically more or dropping coverage next year.  Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially drops the federal recommendation for newborns to receive a hepatitis B shot.  Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lizzy Lawrence of Stat join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.  Also this week, Rovner interviews Tony Leys, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, and the panel discusses the year’s biggest developments in health policy.  Visit our website for a transcript of this episode.  Plus, for a special year-end “extra-credit” segment, the panelists suggest what they consider 2025’s biggest health policy themes:  Julie Rovner: The future of the workforce in biomedical research and health care.  Lizzy Lawrence: The politicization of science.  Tami Luhby: The systemic impacts of cuts to the Medicaid program.  Alice Miranda Ollstein: The resurgence of infectious diseases.

    41 min

  8. 12/11/2025

    Crunch Time for ACA Tax Credits

    December 15 is the deadline to sign up for Affordable Care Act plans that begin January 1. Congress remains at odds over letting expanded tax credits for the plans’ premiums expire, dramatically increasing the cost of insurance for millions of Americans.  Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to remake vaccine policy to reflect ideology rather than science.  Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Maya Goldman of Axios join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.  Also this week, Rovner interviews Georgetown University professor Linda Blumberg about what the GOP’s health plans have in common.   Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: The Washington Post’s “Rural America Relies on Foreign Doctors. Trump’s Visa Fee Shuts Them Out,” by David Ovalle.   Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “Abbott Fired a Warning Shot on Baby Formula — Then Launched a Lobbying Blitz,” by Anna Edney.   Sheryl Gay Stolberg: The New York Times’ “The Married Scientists Torn Apart by a Covid Bioweapon Theory,” by Katie J.M. Baker.   Maya Goldman: ProPublica’s “These Health Centers Are Supposed to Make Care Affordable. One Has Sued Patients for as Little as $59 in Unpaid Bills,” by Aliyya Swaby.

    44 min
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Join Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, along with top health policy reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico and other media outlets to discuss the latest news and explain what the health is going on here in Washington, D.C.

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