Podcasts about kff health news

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:Natalie Wynn, creator of the YouTube channel Contrapoints, discusses her work including her latest video titled "CONSPIRACY" in which she delves into the history of conspiracies in American politics, the allure of conspiratorial thinking, and how this way of thought negatively impacts democracy.James Sanders, architect, author, filmmaker, and co-writer with Ric Burns of the PBS series: New York: A Documentary Film and its companion volume, New York: An Illustrated History (Knopf, 2021) and the author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies (Knopf, 2001), talks about the New York seen in films since the beginning of movie-making, as part of our centennial series.Each year the news division hosts the WNYC Health Convening with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as an opportunity for health care experts and practitioners to inform WNYC's health reporting. This year, as part of our centennial series "100 Years of 100 Things," Paul Goldberg, editor and publisher of The Cancer Letter, co-editor of The Cancer History Project, and author of The Dissident (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2023), discusses the century of cancer treatment advancements and how the U.S. government played a major part in funding the science for treatment, early detection and prevention.The WNYC Health Convening with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation continues with a look at the current state of cancer research in the United States.Sudip Parikh, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and executive publisher of the Science family of journals;Otis Brawley, professor of oncology at The Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkin and co-editor of The Cancer History Project; andJulie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent at KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast; discuss what the impacts of the Trump administration's funding cuts to the National Health Institute have meant to clinical trials—and what a future without government funding to find a cure might look like should the science continue to be underfunded. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:Contrapoints' Natalie Wynn Deep Dives into the Philosophy of Conspiracies (May 29, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: New York Films (May 19, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: Cancer Research (Jun 3, 2025)A Roundtable on the Current State of U.S. Cancer Research (Jun 3, 2025)

President Donald Trump's big budget bill became his big budget law on July 4, codifying about $1 trillion in cuts to the Medicaid program. But the law includes many less-publicized provisions that could reshape the way the nation pays for and receives health care. Meanwhile, at the Department of Health and Human Services, uncertainty reigns as both staff and outside recipients of federal funds face cuts. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News' Julie Appleby, who reported the latest KFF Health News' “Bill of the Month” feature, about some very pricey childhood immunizations.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 England Journal of Medicine's “The Corporatization of U.S. Health Care — A New Perspective Series,” by Debra Malina, et al. Rachel Roubein: The AP's “RFK Jr. Promoted a Food Company He Says Will Make Americans Healthy. Their Meals Are Ultraprocessed,” by Amanda Seitz and JoNel Aleccia. Rachel Cohrs Zhang: The Wall Street Journal's “Prosecutors Question Doctors About UnitedHealth's Medicare Billing Practices,” by Christopher Weaver and Anna Wilde Mathews. Tami Luhby: The Washington Post's “A New D.C. Hospital Grapples With Too Many Patients and Too Few Nurses,” by Jenna Portnoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump's megabill is now law and it's sending shockwaves through California's healthcare system. The legislation makes major cuts to Medicaid, known here as Medi-Cal, which covers about one in three Californians.  Supporters say the bill reins in government spending. But critics warn it could shutter hospitals and force the state into painful budget choices. KQED Health Correspondent Lesley McClurg is joined by Angela Hart, senior correspondent for KFF Health News, to dig into what's at stake.  Check out Political Breakdown's weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House on Thursday moved to approve the largest-ever cuts to federal safety net programs, the last step before the measure goes to President Donald Trump's desk. After the Senate very narrowly passed the bill, House GOP leaders ushered it past resistance from conservatives wary of adding trillions to the federal debt and moderates concerned about its cuts to Medicaid. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has continued to pursue his anti-vaccine agenda, despite promises that he would not. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Maya Goldman of Axios, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: The Lancet's “Evaluating the Impact of Two Decades of USAID Interventions and Projecting the Effects of Defunding on Mortality up to 2030: A Retrospective Impact Evaluation and Forecasting Analysis,” by Daniella Medeiros Cavalcanti, et al. Alice Miranda Ollstein: The New York Times' “‘I Feel Like I've Been Lied To': When a Measles Outbreak Hits Home,” by Eli Saslow. Maya Goldman: Axios' “New Docs Get Schooled in Old Diseases as Vax Rates Fall,” by Tina Reed. Sarah Karlin-Smith: Wired's “Snake Venom, Urine, and a Quest to Live Forever: Inside a Biohacking Conference Emboldened by MAHA,” by Will Bahr. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:08 — Mouin Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, previously principal political affairs officer with the Office of the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria. 00:33 — Phil Galewitz is senior correspondent for KFF Health News. 00:45 — Daniel Costa is Director of Immigration Law and Policy Research at Economic Policy Institute. The post Trump Executive Order Signs Away Major Syria Sanctions; Plus, “Big Beautiful Bill” Cuts Healthcare, Expands ICE appeared first on KPFA.

Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent at KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, talks about the House and Senate budget bills and what they would mean for Americans' access to healthcare.

Today, the domestic funding bill that President Trump has been pushing through Congress is undergoing a vote in the House of Representatives.On Today's Show:Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent, KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, talks about the House and Senate budget bills and what they would mean for Americans' access to health care.

The massive budget bill that Senate Republicans are debating pays for some of its tax cuts by slashing hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid spending. The latest report from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates nearly 12 million people will lose health insurance if the Senate version of the bill becomes law. Trump insists the cuts come from eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. Democrats have said they break Trump's promise not to touch Medicaid — and over the weekend, Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina agreed. "What do I tell 663,000 people in two years or three years when President Trump breaks his promise by pushing them off of Medicaid because the funding's not there anymore?" We asked Sarah Jane Tribble, the chief rural correspondent for KFF Health News, what the cuts will mean for rural residents of states like North Carolina — and the hospitals that serve them.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In this special episode taped before a live audience at Aspen Ideas: Health, three former governors — one of whom also served as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services — have a wide-ranging discussion about how state and federal officials can more effectively work together to improve Americans' health. Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, a former governor of Kansas and HHS secretary under President Barack Obama; Republican Chris Sununu, former governor of New Hampshire; and Democrat Roy Cooper, former governor of North Carolina, join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner for this discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Extreme Heat: More Dangerous Than We Think?Extreme heat, one of the adverse consequences of climate change, exacerbates drought, damages agriculture, and profoundly impacts human health. Heat is the top weather-related killer in the United States, contributing to deaths that arise from heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. As temperatures are projected to increase, so will the risk of heat-related deaths. Urban heat islands, cities with large numbers of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure, are ‘islands' of hot temperatures due to the reduced natural landscape, heat-generating human-made activities, and large-scale urban configuration. More than 40 million people live in urban heat islands in the United States, with this number only increasing as people continue to move from rural to urban areas. Around 56% of the world's total population lives in cities. Those living in large cities are more vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat, with research showing an increased mortality risk of 45% compared to rural areas. The risk of heat-related exhaustion and death is a major public health concern that is exacerbated by the climate crisis. The National Weather Service is in the process of creating a new interface known as HeatRisk, which uses a five-point scale to monitor the heat-related risk for vulnerable populations based on local weather data and health indicators. By mapping heat risk, climate scientists hope that individuals will now have a better understanding of the safety concerns associated with being outside during times of extreme heat. Understanding Heat Index DynamicsBefore stepping outside, most individuals check the daily weather prediction to get a sense of the average temperature. In order to measure the perceived temperature, climate scientists use a heat index, a calculation that combines air temperature and relative humidity to create a human-perceived equivalent temperature. Accurate prediction of the heat index is imperative as every passing year marks the warmest on record, with dangerous extreme heat predicted to become commonplace across arid regions of the world. Therefore, tracking such calculations is necessary in assessing future climate risk. Areas especially vulnerable to extreme heat heavily rely on an accurate prediction of temperature to determine if it is safe to go outside.However, there are over 300 heat indexes used worldwide to calculate the threat from heat, defeating the potential universality of this metric. Each heat index weighs factors differently, making it difficult to differentiate between various metrics. Dozens of factors are used to estimate the daily temperature based on predictions of vapor pressure, height, clothing, or sunshine levels. In addition, most heat indexes report the temperature assuming that you are a young, healthy adult and are resting in the shade, not in the sun. If outdoors, the heat index could be 15 degrees higher. If you are older, you may not be as resilient during intense temperatures.As a result, many climate scientists are calling for heat indexes that reveal the apparent risk of being outdoors on any given day. The elderly, children and infants, and those suffering from chronic diseases are more vulnerable to high temperatures than healthy, young adults, which needs to be accounted for when surveying temperature risk. Advanced Heat Assessment Tools: HeatRisk and WBGTThe National Weather Service's HeatRisk index is different from previous models as it identifies unusual heat times and places, also taking into account unusually warm nights. As such, it provides a more universal measure accounting for the degree to which people in the area are acclimated to various heat temperatures. The HeatRisk index can thus be used to gauge levels of danger associated with temperature, potentially altering an individual's behavioral patterns. For those working in outdoor fields, the WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measure can be particularly useful as a way to measure heat stress as it takes into account temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud coverage. Different from the heat index, the WBGT includes both temperature and humidity and is calculated for areas in the shade. If not exercising or working outdoors, people can revert to the HeatRisk scale to calculate the potential hazards of being outside for longer periods. Heat Indexes are Harder to Calculate Than They AppearBecause scientists have to account for a variety of factors like geography, physics, and physiology, establishing a truly universal heat index is unlikely. For regions like Colorado, creating the criteria for a heat advisory has proven shockingly difficult. Heat indexes typically rely on temperature and humidity, however, the Colorado landscape is so dry that an advisory is very rarely triggered, even during heat waves. In such scenarios, the HeatRisk index provides a better gauge for outdoor safety. Most people underestimate the dangers of extreme heat and often ignore warning messages from local authorities. Educational programs are vital in informing the public on the dangers of extreme heat.Who is David Romps?David Romps, UC Berkeley professor of Earth and Planetary Science, is at the forefront of heat index research. Romps has found that those exposed to extreme heat suffer restricted blood flow and are often unable to physiologically compensate. Through his research, Romps believes that heat index calculations often underestimate the potential heat impacts on individuals, with the human body being more susceptible to heightened temperatures than commonly understood. Further ReadingCenter for Climate and Energy Solutions, Heat Waves and Climate ChangeHuang, et.al, Economic valuation of temperature-related mortality attributed to urban heat islands in European cities, Nature Communications, 2023National Weather Service, What is the heat index?National Weather Service, NWS Heat Risk PrototypeNational Weather Service, WetBulb Globe TemperatureSharma, More than 40 million people in the U.S. live in urban heat islands, climate group finds, NBC News, 20232023 was the world's warmest year on record, by far, NOAA, 2024Coren, The world needs a new way to talk about heat,  The Washington Post, 2023Hawryluk and KFF Health News, A New Way to Measure Heat Risks for People, Scientific American, 2022UC Berkeley Heat Index Research, David RompsUS EPA, Climate Change Indicators: Heat-Related DeathsUS EPA, What are Heat Islands? For at transcript of this episode, please visit  https://climatebreak.org/calculating-threats-from-rising-temperatures-using-heat-indexing-with-professor-david-romps/

The Supreme Court this week said Tennessee may continue to enforce its law banning most types of gender-affirming care for minors. The ruling is likely to greenlight similar laws in two dozen states. Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing to vote on a budget reconciliation bill that includes even deeper Medicaid cuts than the bill that barely passed the House in May. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. 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' “The Bureaucrat and the Billionaire: Inside DOGE's Chaotic Takeover of Social Security,” by Alexandra Berzon, Nicholas Nehamas, and Tara Siegel Bernard. Alice Miranda Ollstein: Wired's “What Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets Do to the Human Body,” by Emily Mullin. Victoria Knight: The New York Times' “They Asked an A.I. Chatbot Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling,” by Kashmir Hill. Sandhya Raman: North Carolina Health News' “Ambulance Companies Collect Millions by Seizing Wages, State Tax Refunds,” by Michelle Crouch and Charlotte Ledger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week did something he had promised not to do: He fired every member of the scientific advisory committee that recommends which vaccines should be given to whom. And he replaced them, in some cases, with vaccine skeptics. Meanwhile, hundreds of employees of the National Institutes of Health sent an open letter of dissent to the agency's director, Jay Bhattacharya, accusing the Trump administration of policies that “undermine the NIH mission, waste our public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe.” Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum and former director of the Congressional Budget Office, to discuss how the CBO works and why it's so controversial. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: Stat's “Lawmakers Lobby Doctors To Keep Quiet — or Speak Up — on Medicaid Cuts in Trump's Tax Bill,” by Daniel Payne. Joanne Kenen: ProPublica's “DOGE Developed Error-Prone AI Tool To ‘Munch' Veterans Affairs Contracts,” by Brandon Roberts, Vernal Coleman, and Eric Umansky. Anna Edney: KFF Health News' “Two Patients Faced Chemo. The One Who Survived Demanded a Test To See if It Was Safe,” by Arthur Allen. Sarah Karlin-Smith: Wired's “The Bleach Community Is Ready for RFK Jr. To Make Their Dreams Come True,” by David Gilbert. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Celine Gounder, KFF Health News joins Megan Lynch discussing the impact of Health Secretary Kennedy dismissing all members of a CDC vaccine committee.

The House's gigantic tax-and-spending budget reconciliation bill has landed with a thud in the Senate, where lawmakers are divided in their criticism over whether it increases the deficit too much or cuts Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act too deeply. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office's estimate that the bill, if enacted, could increase the ranks of the uninsured by nearly 11 million people over a decade won't make it an easy sell.Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News' Arielle Zionts, who reported and wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, about a Medicaid patient who had an out-of-state emergency.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' “Native Americans Hurt by Federal Health Cuts, Despite RFK Jr.'s Promises of Protection,” by Katheryn Houghton, Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, and Arielle Zionts.Alice Miranda Ollstein: Politico's “‘They're the Backbone': Trump's Targeting of Legal Immigrants Threatens Health Sector,” by Alice Miranda Ollstein.Lauren Weber: The New York Times' “Take the Quiz: Could You Manage as a Poor American?” by Emily Badger and Margot Sanger-Katz.Jessie Hellmann: The New York Times' “A DNA Technique Is Finding Women Who Left Their Babies for Dead,” by Isabelle Taft. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year's WNYC Health Convening with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation continues with a look at the current state of cancer research in the United States. Sudip Parikh, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and executive publisher of the Science family of journals, and Otis Brawley, professor of oncology at The Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkin and co-editor of The Cancer History Project, and Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent at KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, discuss what the impacts of the Trump administration's funding cuts to the National Health Institute have meant to clinical trials, and what a future without government funding to find a cure might look like should the science continue to be underfunded.

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: Alan Condon, “CMS cracks down on states using Medicaid to treat undocumented immigrants,” May 27, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/cms-cracks-down-on-states-using-medicaid-to-treat-undocumented-immigrants/, Becker's Hospital Review.  KFF Health News, “Health Provisions in the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill,” Updated May 22, 2025, https://www.kff.org/tracking-the-medicare-provisions-in-the-2025-budget-bill/.  Donna Levally, “Four Changes to Medicare in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Updated May 27, 2025, https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/changes-to-medicare-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act, Kiplinger. Chartis, “New Chartis Study Explores Rural Hospital Instability and Models Potential Impact of Rural Emergency Hospital Designation,” February 7, 2023, https://www.chartis.com/about/news/new-chartis-study-explores-rural-hospital-instability-and-models-potential-impact-rural. Madeline Ashely, et. al, “House GOP's 1,112-page budget: 23 notes for hospital leaders,” May 27, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/uncategorized/house-gops-1112-page-budget-23-notes-for-hospital-leaders/, Becker's Hospital Review. Noam N. Levey, “In Arizona County That Backed Trump, Conflicted Feelings About Cutting Medicaid,” May 28, 2025, https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-cuts-arizona-county-trump-voters-conflicted/, KFF Health News. Modern Medicaid Alliance, “Opposition Continues to Grow As Proposed Medicaid Cuts Move Forward Through Reconciliation Process,” May 20, 2025, https://modernmedicaid.org/opposition-continues-to-grow-as-proposed-medicaid-cuts-move-forward-through-reconciliation-process/. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com.

From cuts to Medicaid to trying to remove fluoride from water – Trump's administration is making America's health worse off. Dr Celine Gounder is the Editor-at-Large for Public Health at KFF Health News and a leading voice on American healthcare – she joins Jacob Jarvis and Chris Jones to get into how dangerous Trump's view on health is becoming and how it could be risking another global health crisis. Follow us on social media:  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction   We're now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod   Follow us on social media:  BlueSky Instagram  TikTok Written and presented by Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Audio editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: Alan Condon, “CMS cracks down on states using Medicaid to treat undocumented immigrants,” May 27, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/cms-cracks-down-on-states-using-medicaid-to-treat-undocumented-immigrants/, Becker's Hospital Review.  KFF Health News, “Health Provisions in the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill,” Updated May 22, 2025, https://www.kff.org/tracking-the-medicare-provisions-in-the-2025-budget-bill/.  Donna Levally, “Four Changes to Medicare in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Updated May 27, 2025, https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/changes-to-medicare-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act, Kiplinger. Chartis, “New Chartis Study Explores Rural Hospital Instability and Models Potential Impact of Rural Emergency Hospital Designation,” February 7, 2023, https://www.chartis.com/about/news/new-chartis-study-explores-rural-hospital-instability-and-models-potential-impact-rural. Madeline Ashely, et. al, “House GOP's 1,112-page budget: 23 notes for hospital leaders,” May 27, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/uncategorized/house-gops-1112-page-budget-23-notes-for-hospital-leaders/, Becker's Hospital Review. Noam N. Levey, “In Arizona County That Backed Trump, Conflicted Feelings About Cutting Medicaid,” May 28, 2025, https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-cuts-arizona-county-trump-voters-conflicted/, KFF Health News. Modern Medicaid Alliance, “Opposition Continues to Grow As Proposed Medicaid Cuts Move Forward Through Reconciliation Process,” May 20, 2025, https://modernmedicaid.org/opposition-continues-to-grow-as-proposed-medicaid-cuts-move-forward-through-reconciliation-process/. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com. Follow Rural Health Today on social media! ⁠https://x.com/RuralHealthPod⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ruralhealthtoday7665⁠  Follow Hillsdale Hospital on social media! ⁠https://www.facebook.com/hillsdalehospital/⁠ ⁠https://www.twitter.com/hillsdalehosp/⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/hillsdale-community-health-center/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/hillsdalehospital/⁠ 

After an unusual all-night session, the House narrowly passed a budget reconciliation bill, including billions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthy, along with billions of dollars in spending cuts to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and the food stamp program. But the Senate is expected to make major changes to the measure before it can go to President Trump for his signature.Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services has made some significant changes affecting the availability of covid-19 vaccines.Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.Also this week, Rovner interviews University of California-Davis School of Law professor and abortion historian Mary Ziegler about her new book on the past and future of the “personhood” movement aimed at granting legal rights to fetuses and embryos.Visit our website for a transcript of this episode.Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too:Julie Rovner: The Washington Post's “White House Officials Wanted To Put Federal Workers ‘in Trauma.' It's Working,” by William Wan and Hannah Natanson.Alice Miranda Ollstein: NPR's “Diseases Are Spreading. The CDC Isn't Warning the Public Like It Was Months Ago,” by Chiara Eisner.Anna Edney: Bloomberg News' “The Potential Cancer, Health Risks Lurking in One Popular OTC Drug,” by Anna Edney.Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Farmingdale Observer's “Scientists Have Been Studying Remote Work for Four Years and Have Reached a Very Clear Conclusion: ‘Working From Home Makes Us Happier,'” by Bob Rubila. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when your zip code threatens your health? Broadband access is often framed as a tech issue, but in some rural communities it's a matter of health equity. Broadband internet is so limited in some areas that patients can't use remote monitoring devices, hospitals can't support telehealth, and electronic health records slow down care instead of streamlining it. On this week's episode of The Dose, journalist Sarah Jane Tribble joins host Joel Bervell to explain how internet dead zones are deepening chronic illness in rural communities. Drawing from her reporting for KFF Health News, Tribble shares the stories of people managing diabetes and kidney failure without reliable digital tools, and hospitals lacking the internet speeds needed to monitor high-risk patients.

Very early this morning the U.S. House passed a bill that would result in more than 7 million people losing Medicaid coverage if it became law; that estimate is from the Congressional Budget Office. As the bill was coming together, the chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News shared her analysis. Julie Rovner highlighted that to get a bill across the finish line was going to require overcoming the skepticism of some politicians. “There's a growing group of Republicans who... Read More Read More The post Breaking News: House Budget Hawks Victorious Over Medicaid Defenders   appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

Today we're sharing something different with you: an episode of the “First Opinion Podcast” from our friends at Stat. In this episode, host and Stat opinion editor Torie Bosch talks to a veterinarian and epidemiologist about what cats have to do with H5N1 bird flu. Every week, Bosch goes in depth with newsmakers and leading experts, such as politicians, researchers, and health care providers. These conversations cover anything from health policy, to using comedy to critique medicine, to the use of AI scribes. If you like this episode, please give the podcast a follow. Learn more about “First Opinion Podcast” here. KFF Health News' “What the Health?” will be back with a new episode Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former President Joe Biden's cancer has spread to his bones and his team is reviewing treatment options. The diagnosis comes at a pivotal moment as questions about his health resurface ahead of a new book release.CBS News medical contributor Dr. Celine Gounder, editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, discusses former President Joe Biden's prognosis and treatment options following his aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis.After 19 months being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, U.S.-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander is finally free. His parents share the emotional moment they reunited and the dangers he faced from both Hamas and Israeli airstrikes. Born in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV received the symbols of his office during a historic inaugural Mass at the Vatican. He urged an end to global conflict and unity within the Catholic Church, as world leaders including Vice President JD Vance and President Volodymr Zelenskyy looked on.Five very special educators, this year's inductees in the National Teachers Hall of Fame, join us on set at “CBS Mornings” in New York City for a special surprise. Canva, which is free for school districts nationwide, is giving these teachers and schools $200,000. (Sponsored by Canva)As the newest member of the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, Hayley Atwell shares how she prepared for her role, the bond with Tom Cruise, and what her character Grace brings to the high-stakes mission. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

00:08 — Christine Mai-Duc is California Correspondent for KFF Health News, covering healthcare policy. Alexei Koseff covers state politics for Calmatters. 00:33 — Dr. John Swartzberg is clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. The post Republican Budget Bill and California Budget Impact on Healthcare; Plus, Corona Calls appeared first on KPFA.

GOP-controlled House committees approved parts of President Donald Trump's “one big, beautiful bill” this week, including more than $700 billion in cuts to health programs over the next decade — mostly from Medicaid, which covers people with low incomes or disabilities.Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before Congress for the first time since taking office and told lawmakers that Americans shouldn't take medical advice from him.Julie Appleby of KFF Health News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. 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' “Elizabeth Holmes's Partner Has a New Blood-Testing Start-Up,” by Rob Copeland. Alice Miranda Ollstein: ProPublica's “He Became the Face of Georgia's Medicaid Work Requirement. Now He's Fed Up With It.” by Margaret Coker, The Current. Julie Appleby: Scientific American's “How Trump's National Weather Service Cuts Could Cost Lives,” by Andrea Thompson. Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic's “Now Is Not the Time To Eat Bagged Lettuce,” by Nicholas Florko. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Dr. Damon Arnold, retired U.S. Army combat medic and host of America's Heroes Group, as he speaks with Susan Jaffe, a contributing writer for KFF Health News and the DC Correspondent for The Lancet. In this compelling discussion, they delve into Jaffe's recent article, "When Hospitals Ditch Medicare Advantage Plans, Thousands of Members Get to Leave Too," published on April 28, 2025. Learn about the complex dynamics behind hospitals opting out of Medicare Advantage plans, the impact on beneficiaries, and the special enrollment periods that can provide relief.Topics:Overview of Medicare and Medicare Advantage PlansWhy Hospitals Leave Medicare Advantage NetworksThe Impact on Patients and ProvidersSpecial Enrollment Periods and Patient RightsDifferences Between Urban and Rural Access to CareHow to Navigate Medicare Advantage Plan ChangesLegislative Responses and Consumer AdvocacyResources for Affected Patients and Families

Join Col. Dr. Damon Arnold, host of America's Heroes Group, as he speaks with Julie Appleby, Senior Correspondent for KFF Health News. In this episode, they explore the implications of Julie's recent article, "The Ranks of Obamacare 'Fixers' Axed in Trump's Reduction of Health Agency Workforce," published on April 22, 2025. Discover how critical caseworker positions at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are being cut, the consequences for ACA enrollees, and the broader impact on public health systems across the United States.Topics:Introduction to Julie Appleby and Her Work with KFF Health NewsOverview of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Caseworker ProgramThe Role of Caseworkers: Who Are the "Fixers" and What Do They Do?The Trump Administration's Reduction in Health Agency WorkforceThe Fallout: How ACA Enrollees Are Affected by Caseworker LayoffsImpact on the CMS Exchange Customer Solutions GroupImplications for ACA Navigators and the Reduction in Support ServicesBroader Public Health Concerns: Medicaid, Mental Health, and Chronic DiseasesThe Future of Healthcare Access in the U.S.: What to Expect in 2025 and BeyondQ&A and Final Remarks

Republicans on Capitol Hill are struggling to reach consensus on cutting the Medicaid program as they search for nearly a trillion dollars in savings over the next decade — as many observers predicted.Meanwhile, turmoil continues at the Department of Health and Human Services, with more controversial cuts and personnel moves, including the sudden nomination of Casey Means, an ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s, to become surgeon general.Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Maya Goldman of Axios, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News' Lauren Sausser, who co-reported the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, about an unexpected bill for what seemed like preventive care. 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: NPR's “Fired, Rehired, and Fired Again: Some Federal Workers Find They're Suddenly Uninsured,” by Andrea Hsu. Maya Goldman: STAT's “Europe Unveils $565 Million Package To Retain Scientists, and Attract New Ones,” by Andrew Joseph. Anna Edney: Bloomberg News' “A Former TV Writer Found a Health-Care Loophole That Threatens To Blow Up Obamacare,” by Zachary R. Mider and Zeke Faux. Sandhya Raman: The Louisiana Illuminator's “In the Deep South, Health Care Fights Echo Civil Rights Battles,” by Anna Claire Vollers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With news blasting from Washington like a firehose, it feels impossible to take it all in — to stay on top of all the changes the Trump administration has been trying to make. But for health care, one person is probably closer to anyone than to understanding the full picture: KFF Heath News Chief Washington Correspondent Julie Rover. In this episode, Julie helps us see that picture, by telling us two stories: The first concerns a teeny part of the health care system — an obscure federal agency, one of many that the Trump administration has taken a chainsaw to. The other is anything but obscure: Possible cuts to Medicaid —which Julie thinks Republicans will actually find very difficult to make. Plus, reporting from Julie’s KFF Health News colleague Arthur Allen. And a cameo from one of Julie’s beloved corgis. Check out Julie’s weekly health policy news podcast: What the Health? Read more from Arthur Allen on cuts to AHRQ in KFF Health News: What’s Lost: Trump Whacks Tiny Agency That Works To Make the Nation’s Health Care Safer Trump HHS Eliminates Office That Sets Poverty Levels Tied to Benefits for at Least 80 Million People Here’s a transcript of this episode. Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. Of course we’d love for you to support this show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congress is back in Washington this week, and Republicans are struggling to find ways to reduce Medicaid spending without cutting benefits, as the program has grown in popularity and relevance with their voters. Meanwhile, confusion continues to reign at the Department of Health and Human Services as programs are cut, reinstated, and then cut again — often leaving even agency leaders unsure what remains. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: KFF Health News' “As a Diversity Grant Dies, Young Scientists Fear It Will Haunt Their Careers,” by Brett Kelman. Alice Miranda Ollstein: ProPublica's “Utah Farmers Signed Up for Federally Funded Therapy. Then the Money Stopped,” by Jessica Schreifels, The Salt Lake Tribune. Margot Sanger-Katz: CNBC's “GLP-1s Can Help Employers Lower Medical Costs in 2 Years, New Study Finds,” by Bertha Coombs. Joanne Kenen: NJ.com's “Many Nursing Homes Feed Residents on Less Than $10 a Day: ‘That's Appallingly Low'” and “Inside the ‘Multibillion-Dollar Game' To Funnel Cash From Nursing Homes to Sister Companies,” by Ted Sherman, Susan K. Livio, and Matthew Miller. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: Alex Montero et. al, “KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: The Public's Views on Measles Outbreaks and Misinformation,” April 23, 2025, https://www.kff.org/health-information-and-trust/poll-finding/kff-tracking-poll-on-health-information-and-trust-the-publics-views-on-measles-outbreaks-and-misinformation/, KFF Health News. CDC SchoolVaxView, “Vaccination Coverage and Exemptions among Kindergartners,” October 2, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/schoolvaxview/data/index.html.  Bram Sable-Smith et. al, “Slashed Federal Funding Cancels Vaccine Clinics Amid Measles Surge,” April 9, 2025, https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/vaccine-clinics-canceled-measles-surge-federal-funding-cuts/, KFF Health News. Madeline Ashley, “4 hospital closures in 2 weeks,” April 22, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/4-hospital-closures-in-2-weeks/?origin=BHRE&utm_source=BHRE&utm_medium=email&utm_content=newsletter&oly_enc_id=8018I7467278H7C, Becker's Hospital Review. Richard Menger, MD, MPA, “Hospital Job Cuts Leave Local Economies Struggling,” April 2, 2025, https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardmenger/2025/04/02/when-hospitals-slash-jobs-towns-suffer-economic-pain/, Forbes. Madeline Ashley, “Prime to suspend pediatric inpatient care at Illinois hospital,” April 23, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/prime-to-end-pediatric-inpatient-care-at-illinois-hospital/, Becker's Hospital Review. Kelly Gooch, “Providence freezes nonclinical hiring amid economic ‘perfect storm,'” April 21, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/providence-freezes-nonclinical-hiring-amid-economic-perfect-storm/, Becker's Hospital Review. Paige Minemyer, “Walgreens launches program to support pharmacy techs in securing a PharmD,” April 23, 2025, https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/retail/walgreens-launches-program-support-pharmacy-techs-securing-pharmd, Fierce Healthcare. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com

When Congress returns from spring break next week, its first order of business will be writing a budget reconciliation bill that's expected to cut taxes but also make deep cuts to Medicaid. But at least some Republicans are concerned about cutting a program that aids so many of their constituents. Also this week, the Supreme Court heard a case that could threaten the availability of no-cost preventive care under the Affordable Care Act. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these breaking stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News' Rae Ellen Bichell about her story on how care for transgender minors is changing in Colorado. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: MedPage Today's “Medical Journals Get Letters From DOJ,” by Kristina Fiore. Alice Miranda Ollstein: The New York Times' “A Scientist Is Paid to Study Maple Syrup. He's Also Paid to Promote it,” by Will Evans, Ellen Gabler, and Anjali Tsui. Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Tampa Bay Times' “Countering DeSantis, $10M Hope Florida Donation Came From Medicaid, Draft Shows,” by Alexandra Glorioso and Lawrence Mower. Tami Luhby: Stat's “In Ireland, a Global Hub for the Pharma Industry, Trump Tariffs Are a Source of Deep Worry,” by Andrew Joseph. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tensions between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his employees at the Department of Health and Human Services are mounting, as he made a series of claims about autism this week — contradicting his agency's findings. Plus, President Donald Trump unveiled an executive order to lower drug prices as his administration explores tariffs that could raise them.Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News' Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more.Plus, KFF Health News' Julie Rovner interviews two University of California-San Francisco researchers about an upcoming Supreme Court case that could have major ramifications for preventive care. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Emmarie Huetteman: KFF Health News' “States Push Medicaid Work Rules, but Few Programs Help Enrollees Find Jobs,” by Sam Whitehead, Phil Galewitz, and Katheryn Houghton. Anna Edney: ProPublica's “Unsanitary Practices Persist at Baby Formula Factory Whose Shutdown Led to Mass Shortages, Workers Say,” by Heather Vogell. Jessie Hellmann: The Hill's “Military's Use of Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals' Leaves Lasting Scars,” by Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin. Shefali Luthra: The 19th's “Trump's Push for ‘Beautiful Clean Coal' Could Lead to More Premature Births,” by Jessica Kutz. Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, breaks down the headlines from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s so-called "Make American Healthy Again" tour, designed to highlight Kennedy's plan to fight chronic disease and promote a healthy diet, amid cuts to chronic disease prevention programs and widespread layoffs at the Food and Drug Administration.

A harried emergency room doctor rushes between patients; his waiting room is filled to the brim with sick and injured people, he’s dodging a RAT infestation, all while overseeing a new crop of residents getting up to speed on their ER rotation. AND oh yes… sparring with a hospital administrator who’s reminding him: He needs to get those patient satisfaction scores up. It’s all in the day in the life of Dr. Robby of “The Pitt,” the fictional Pittsbourgh Emergency Department at the heart of HBO’s buzzy new streaming show. The show has received praise from medical pros, and close readings from fans who say it portrays the financial pressure of ERs in a new and compelling way. One of those fans is the host and creator of the "An Arm and A Leg" podcast - a show about the cost of healthcare in America, co-produced with KFF Health News and distributed in partnership with KUOW. GUEST: Dan Weismann RELATED LINKS: An Arm and A Leg Podcast A Real-Life ER Doctor Examines The Pitt ‘The Pitt’ Has Impressed Real Doctors With Its Accuracy - The New York Times 'The Pitt' Wins Praise From Pittsburgh ER Staff for Being 'Most Realistic' "ER" Sues "The Pitt" Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 2 million Americans are living with limb loss. A federal report says that number is expected to almost double by 2050. Recent reporting by KFF Health News found that many who have lost limbs are hitting roadblocks when they try to get insurance to cover the cost of prosthetic limbs. Ali Rogin speaks with KFF Health News contributing writer Michelle Andrews to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

More than 2 million Americans are living with limb loss. A federal report says that number is expected to almost double by 2050. Recent reporting by KFF Health News found that many who have lost limbs are hitting roadblocks when they try to get insurance to cover the cost of prosthetic limbs. Ali Rogin speaks with KFF Health News contributing writer Michelle Andrews to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A week after the announcement of the reorganization and staff cuts ordered by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the scope of the reductions is only starting to crystallize. Across such agencies as the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and FDA, entire divisions have been wiped out, and it is unclear who will be left to enforce hundreds of laws and regulate millions of products. Meanwhile, legislators in a growing number of states are introducing abortion bans that would punish women as well as abortion providers. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss this enormous breaking story and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Georgetown Law School professor Stephen Vladeck about the limits of presidential power. 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 New York Times' “Why the Right Still Embraces Ivermectin,” by Richard Fausset. Victoria Knight: Wired's “Dr. Oz Pushed for AI Health Care in First Medicare Agency Town Hall,” by Leah Feiger and Steven Levy. Alice Miranda Ollstein: The Guardian's “‘We Are Failing': Doctors and Students in the US Look to Mexico for Basic Abortion Training,” by Carter Sherman. Sandhya Raman: CQ Roll Call's “In Sweden, a Focus on Smokeless Tobacco,” by Sandhya Raman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration is defending sweeping tariffs that sent markets careening. Shawn Donnan of Bloomberg News discusses what might happen next. Trump has attempted to revoke temporary protected status for some Venezuelans. KFF Health News reporter Vanessa G. Sánchez tells us how the caregiving industry could be affected. The Wall Street Journal examines the recent killing of Palestinian paramedics and how cellphone video footage helped detail the incident. Plus, a second child has died of measles in Texas, a judge ordered the government to return a man who was mistakenly deported, and the Connecticut Huskies won the women’s NCAA basketball championship. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

Does a new bill actually protect Medicaid—or is it smoke and mirrors? In this powerful episode of America's Heroes Corp Roundtable, Dr. Damon Arnold interviews KFF Health News senior correspondent Julie Appleby about her fact-checked exposé on a House budget resolution that claims to safeguard Medicaid... but doesn't.Together, they break down what the bill really says (and doesn't say), how $880 billion in cuts could only realistically come from Medicaid, and what that means for:Veterans in long-term careSeniors in nursing homesWorking families relying on supportState Medicaid programsThe future of U.S. healthcare equityJulie exposes why PolitiFact rated the congressman's statement as FALSE, and how behind-the-scenes budget maneuvers could change Medicaid as we know it.

The Department of Health and Human Services underwent an unprecedented purge this week, as thousands of employees from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies were fired, placed on administrative leave, or offered transfers to far-flung Indian Health Service facilities. Altogether, the layoffs mean the federal government, in a single day, shed hundreds if not thousands of combined years of health and science expertise. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss this enormous breaking story and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News' Julie Appleby, who reported and wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature about a short-term health plan and a very expensive colonoscopy. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: Stat's “Uber for Nursing Is Here — And It's Not Good for Patients or Nurses,” by Katie J. Wells and Funda Ustek Spilda. Sarah Karlin-Smith: MSNBC's “Florida Considers Easing Child Labor Laws After Pushing Out Immigrants,” by Ja'han Jones. Lauren Weber: The Atlantic's “Miscarriage and Motherhood,” by Ashley Parker. Rachel Cohrs Zhang: The Wall Street Journal's “FDA Punts on Major Covid-19 Vaccine Decision After Ouster of Top Official,” by Liz Essley White. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a proposed reorganization for the department — which, counting those who already have left the agency, amounts to about a 25% cut in its workforce — as well as a new “Administration for a Healthy America” that will collapse several existing HHS agencies into one. Meanwhile, the department continues to cut billions of dollars in health spending at a time when the nation is facing measles outbreaks in several states and the continuing possibility of another pandemic, such as bird flu. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Maya Goldman of Axios News, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF senior vice president Larry Levitt about the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act and the threats the health law continues to face. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: CNN's “State Lawmakers Are Looking To Ban Non-Existent ‘Chemtrails.' It Could Have Real-Life Side Effects,” by Ramishah Maruf and Brandon Miller. Alice Miranda Ollstein: The New York Times Wirecutter's “23andMe Just Filed for Bankruptcy. You Should Delete Your Data Now,” by Max Eddy. Maya Goldman: KFF Health News' “‘I Am Going Through Hell': Job Loss, Mental Health, and the Fate of Federal Workers,” by Rachana Pradhan and Aneri Pattani. Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic's “America Is Done Pretending About Meat,” by Yasmin Tayag. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the Trump administration vs. the federal courts, as the Department of Government Efficiency continues to try to cancel federal contracts and programs and fire workers — while federal judges continue to label those efforts illegal. In the haste to cut things, jobs and programs are being eliminated even if they align with the new administration's goal to “Make America Healthy Again.” Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: The Washington Post's “The Free-Living Bureaucrat,” by Michael Lewis. Rachel Roubein: The Washington Post's “Her Research Grant Mentioned ‘Hesitancy.' Now Her Funding Is Gone.” by Carolyn Y. Johnson. Sarah Karlin-Smith: KFF Health News' “Scientists Say NIH Officials Told Them To Scrub mRNA References on Grants,” by Arthur Allen. Jessie Hellmann: Stat's “NIH Cancels Funding for a Landmark Diabetes Study at a Time of Focus on Chronic Disease,” by Elaine Chen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Senate Finance Committee got its chance March 14 to question Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the vast Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the largest agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Oz, with his long history in television, was as polished as one would expect, brushing off even some more controversial parts of his past with apparent ease. In this special bonus episode of “What the Health?,” KFF Health News' Rachana Pradhan and Stephanie Armour join Julie Rovner to recap the Oz hearing. They also provide an update on the progress of nominees to lead the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration's efforts to downsize the federal government continue, with both personnel and programs being cut at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Social Security Administration. Meanwhile, the fight over cuts to the Medicaid program for those with low incomes heats up, as Republicans worry that more of their voters than ever before are Medicaid beneficiaries. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Jeff Grant, who recently retired from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after 41 years in government service. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: NBC News' “‘You Lose All Hope': Federal Workers Gripped by Mental Health Distress Amid Trump Cuts,” by Natasha Korecki. Shefali Luthra: The New York Times' “15 Lessons Scientists Learned About Us When the World Stood Still,” by Claire Cain Miller and Irineo Cabreros. Alice Miranda Ollstein: The Atlantic's “His Daughter Was America's First Measles Death in a Decade,” by Tom Bartlett. Anna Edney: Bloomberg News' “India Trade Group Blasts Study Linking Drugs to Safety Risks,” by Satviki Sanjay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court opined for the first time that Trump administration officials may be exceeding their authority to reshape the federal government by refusing to honor completed contracts, even as lower-court judges started blocking efforts to fire workers, freeze funding, and cancel ongoing contracts. Meanwhile, public health officials are alarmed at the Department of Health and Human Services' public handling of Texas' widening measles outbreak, particularly the secretary's less-than-full endorsement of vaccines. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Stephanie Armour of KFF Health News join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: KFF Health News' “Future of Cancer Coverage for Women Federal Firefighters Uncertain Under Trump,” by Kylie Mohr. Joanne Kenen: ProPublica's “How Illinois' Hands-Off Approach to Homeschooling Leaves Children at Risk,” by Molly Parker and Beth Hundsdorfer, Capitol News Illinois. Stephanie Armour: The New York Times' “Organ Transplant System ‘in Chaos' as Waiting Lists Are Ignored,” by Brian M. Rosenthal, Mark Hansen, and Jeremy White. Lauren Weber: The Washington Post's “Amid West Texas Measles Outbreak, Vaccine Resistance Hardens,” by Fenit Nirappil and Elana Gordon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent at KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, and Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today Wellness reporter, discuss moves made by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including a recent vow to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and SSRIs.

Today we’re talking about bird flu. It’s infecting flocks of chickens, causing egg prices to rise across the country, plus herds of dairy cattle and people are getting sick too. And all of this is happening amid sweeping changes at U.S. federal health agencies. The Trump administration has ordered mass firings and limits on public communications at agencies including the Centers for Disease Control, hindering its ability to keep the public informed. On the show today,  Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist and science communicator explains the scale of the current bird flu outbreak, how the response in the United States has been disrupted by chaos in the federal government, and why state health systems may struggle to fill the gaps after years of underfunding. Plus, for one listener, doing something is better than nothing. And, another listener shares how they changed their mind about the value of government work. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Urgent CDC Data and Analyses on Influenza and Bird Flu Go Missing as Outbreaks Escalate” from KFF Health News “Mass firings at HHS: Thousands impacted across federal health agencies including CMS, FDA” from Fierce Healthcare “RFK Jr. confirmed, elevating anti-vaccine activist to nation's top health post” from The Washington Post “How Trump's Medical Research Cuts Would Hit Colleges and Hospitals in Every State” from The New York Times “The U.S. and the WHO: An Imperfect but Essential Relationship” from Johns Hopkins What’s something you thought you knew but later found out you were wrong about? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

In this episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, Stacey speaks to Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist and editor at large for public health at KFF Health News, about the threats to public health with the incoming Trump Administration. They talk through Trump's appointees for the nation's top health and science agencies like RFK Jr., how to bring scientific thinking back to policy making, and how to differentiate between public health and individual healthcare. Then Stacey explains how to make change by “power-mapping” an issue, finding out who is responsible for the problem, who has jurisdiction over it, and who is already thinking and talking about solutions. Make sure you subscribe to Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams wherever you get your podcasts and on Youtube, so you don't miss an episode.Learn & Do More:Check out KFF Health News to get health news and read about health policy research, and sign up for their newsletters at KFF.Org/Email

The Pod Save The Word team is off this week, but we're excited to bring you an episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams. In this episode, Stacey speaks to Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist and editor at large for public health at KFF Health News, about the threats to public health with the incoming Trump Administration. They talk through Trump's appointees for the nation's top health and science agencies like RFK Jr., how to bring scientific thinking back to policy making, and how to differentiate between public health and individual healthcare. Then Stacey explains how to make change by “power-mapping” an issue, finding out who is responsible for the problem, who has jurisdiction over it, and who is already thinking and talking about solutions. Make sure you subscribe to Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams wherever you get your podcasts and on Youtube, so you don't miss an episode. Learn & Do More:Check out KFF Health News to get health news and read about health policy research, and sign up for their newsletters at KFF.Org/Email