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The Host

Julie Rovner
KHN

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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 e-book “Well being Care Politics and Coverage A to Z,” now in its third version.

President Joe Biden’s fiscal 2024 funds proposal contains new insurance policies and funding boosts for lots of the Democratic Celebration’s necessary constituencies, together with advocates for folks 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 challenge.

In the meantime, 5 girls 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 not possible for docs to supply wanted care with out concern 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 Occasions.

Panelists

Victoria Knight
Axios

@victoriaregisk

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Shefali Luthra
The nineteenth

@Shefalil

Learn Shefali’s tales

Margot Sanger-Katz
The New York Occasions

@sangerkatz

Learn Margot’s tales

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

Biden’s funds manages to toe the road between preserving Medicare and preserving the Medicare belief fund solvent whereas advancing progressive insurance policies. Republicans have but to suggest a funds, nevertheless it appears possible any GOP plan would lean closely on cuts to Medicaid and subsidies supplied underneath the Inexpensive Care Act. Democrats will battle each of these.
Although the president’s funds contains one thing of a Democratic “want checklist” of social coverage priorities, the proposals are much less sweeping than these made final 12 months. Moderately, many — reminiscent of extending to personal insurance coverage the $35 month-to-month Medicare price cap for insulin — construct on achievements already realized. That places new deal with issues the president has achieved.
Walgreens, the nation’s second-largest pharmacy chain, is caught up within the abortion wars. In January, the chain mentioned it might apply for certification from the FDA to promote the abortion capsule mifepristone in states the place abortion is authorized. Nonetheless, final week, underneath threats from Republican attorneys basic in states the place abortion continues to be authorized, the chain wavered on whether or not it might search to promote the capsule there or not, which precipitated a backlash from each abortion rights proponents and opponents.
The 5 girls suing Texas after being denied abortions amid harmful being pregnant issues are usually not asking for the state’s ban to be lifted. Moderately, they’re searching for clarification about who qualifies for exceptions to the ban, so docs and hospitals can present wanted care with out concern 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 might even be topic to the dying penalty. To date none of those payments have handed, however the wave of measures might herald a serious coverage change.

Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the 2 newest KHN-NPR “Invoice of the Month” options. Each have been about households going through sudden payments after childbirth. When you have an outrageous or exorbitant medical invoice you need to share with us, you are able to do that right here.

Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they suppose it is best to learn, too:

Julie Rovner: KHN’s “Ladies in Texas May Get Beginning Management at Federal Clinics, Till a Christian Father Objected,” by Sarah Varney

Shefali Luthra: The nineteenth’s “Language for Treating Childhood Weight problems Carries Its Personal Well being Dangers to Children, Specialists Say,” by Jennifer Gerson

Victoria Knight: KHN’s “After Folks on Medicaid Die, Some States Aggressively Search Reimbursement From Their Estates,” by Tony Leys

Margot Sanger-Katz: ProPublica’s “How Obamacare Enabled a Multibillion-Greenback Christian Well being Care Seize,” 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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