KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Life After ‘Roe’ Is … Confusing

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Click on right here for a transcript of the episode.

The Supreme Court docket’s determination overturning the federal constitutional proper to abortion has left confusion in its wake. State abortion legal guidelines are in fixed flux, sufferers and suppliers are not sure what companies are authorized the place, and employers struggling to accommodate employees face privateness and, probably, authorized obstacles.

In the meantime, Congress is again from its July Fourth recess, with time operating out if lawmakers are to go laws that may proceed expanded subsidies for insurance coverage bought below the Reasonably priced Care Act. With out the subsidies, premiums will soar and voters will begin getting these notices proper earlier than the midterm elections. Congressional Democrats have additionally resumed talks on a few of President Joe Biden’s agenda objects, together with efforts to decrease Medicare drug prices.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Name.

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

• The Supreme Court docket’s determination has created turmoil in lots of states as abortion rights supporters and opponents battle over the problem in state courts. It’s creating whiplash for sufferers and well being care suppliers in states like Louisiana as courts wobble forwards and backwards about whether or not strict abortion restrictions can take impact.
• Though the choice is lower than a month outdated, abortion suppliers in states that shield the appropriate to abortion say they’re already seeing excessive numbers of sufferers touring for care.
• The administration is searching for to buttress abortion entry, however abortion rights advocates proceed to complain that the federal response to the court docket’s motion has been sluggish and weak. Officers say, nevertheless, that they’ve little energy on this new battle over abortion as a result of it is going to be fought on the state stage and they’re cautious of organising new instances that would enable the Supreme Court docket to strip extra federal powers.
• President Joe Biden final Friday ordered federal companies to evaluate choices to assist folks searching for abortion companies. This week, the Division of Well being and Human Companies issued steerage to medical doctors, hospitals, and different suppliers reaffirming that federal legislation protects them if they provide lifesaving companies to pregnant ladies in emergency conditions. HHS additionally notified pharmacies that in the event that they didn’t fill prescriptions for medication which might be used for medical abortions but additionally for different situations, they could possibly be violating federal civil rights legislation.
• In different reproductive well being information, a French drugmaker has utilized to the FDA for permission to market an over-the-counter contraception capsule. A call shouldn’t be seemingly till subsequent 12 months, however a brewing controversy might hinge on whether or not the capsule can be obtainable to minors.
• States are starting to set the charges for 2023 insurance coverage bought on the ACA marketplaces, and the charges are going up. That could possibly be a shock to customers buying these plans if Congress doesn’t renew the improved premium subsidies that Democrats pushed via two years in the past. These elevated subsidies look like in jeopardy on Capitol Hill.

Plus, for additional credit score, the panelists suggest their favourite well being coverage tales of the week they assume it’s best to learn, too:

Julie Rovner: KHN-NPR’s “In America, Most cancers Sufferers Endure Debt on High of Illness” by Noam N. Levey

Alice Miranda Ollstein: NiemanLab’s “Unimaginable Abortion Tales Will Grow to be Extra Widespread. Is American Journalism Prepared?” by Laura Hazard Owen

Sandhya Raman: The Atlantic’s “The Nice Veterinary Scarcity,” by Sarah Zhang

Tami Luhby: The Wall Road Journal’s “Medical Debt Is Being Wiped Off Credit score Reviews. What That Means for You,” by Ayse Kelce

Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:

KHN’s “Three Issues to Know About Insurance coverage Protection for Abortion,” by Julie Appleby

KHN’s “How A lot Well being Insurers Pay for Nearly Every thing Is About to Go Public,” by Julie Appleby

CNN’s “HHS Unlawfully Different Hospital Reimbursement Charges, Supreme Court docket Says,” by Tierney Sneed, Ariane de Vogue, and Tami Luhby

The Los Angeles Instances’ “Submit-Roe, Many Autoimmune Sufferers Lose Entry to ‘Gold Commonplace’ Drug,” by Sonja Sharp

Politico’s “FDA Weighs First-Ever Utility for Over-the-Counter Delivery Management Drugs within the Wake of Roe’s Fall,” by Alice Miranda Ollstein

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