The Host
Julie Rovner
KHN
Learn Julie’s tales.
Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KHN’s weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Well being?” A famous professional 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.
Each Republicans and Democrats in Congress reacted with compassion to the information that Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has checked himself into Walter Reed Nationwide Army Medical Middle for remedy of medical melancholy. The response is a far cry from what it could have been 20 and even 10 years in the past, as extra politicians from each events are keen to confess they’re people with human frailties.
In the meantime, former South Carolina governor and GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley is pushing “competency” checks for politicians over age 75. She has not specified, nonetheless, who would decide what the check ought to embody and who would determine if politicians go or fail.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Faculty of Public Well being and Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Put up.
Panelists
Sarah Karlin-Smith
Pink Sheet
Learn Sarah’s tales
Joanne Kenen
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Faculty of Public Well being and Politico
Learn Joanne’s tales
Rachel Roubein
The Washington Put up
Learn Rachel’s tales
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- Acknowledging a psychological well being dysfunction might spell doom for a politician’s profession previously, however fairly than elevating questions on his health to serve, Sen. John Fetterman’s resolution to make his melancholy prognosis and remedy public raises the likelihood that non-public experiences with the well being system might make lawmakers higher representatives.
- In Medicare information, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) dropped Medicare and Social Safety from his proposal to require that each federal program be particularly renewed each 5 years. Scott’s plan has been hammered by Democrats after President Joe Biden criticized it this month in his State of the Union tackle.
- Medicare shouldn’t be politically “untouchable,” although. Two Biden administration proposals search to rein within the excessive price of the favored Medicare Benefit program. These are already proving controversial as effectively, significantly amongst Medicare beneficiaries who like the extra advantages that usually include the private-sector plans.
- New research on the effectiveness of ivermectin and masks use are drawing consideration to pandemic preparedness. The research of ivermectin revealed that the drug shouldn’t be efficient towards the covid-19 virus even in increased doses, elevating the query about how far researchers should go to persuade skeptics fed misinformation about utilizing the drug to deal with covid. Additionally, a brand new evaluation of research on masks use leaned on pre-pandemic research, probably undermining masks suggestions for future well being crises.
- On the abortion entrance, abortion rights supporters in Ohio are pushing for a poll measure enshrining entry to the process in its state structure, whereas a lawyer in Florida is making an uncommon “personhood” argument to advocate for a pregnant girl to be launched from jail.
Plus for “further credit score,” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume it is best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: Stat’s “Present Remedies for Cramps Aren’t Reducing It. Why Aren’t There Higher Choices,” by Calli McMurray
Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “Eagles Are Falling, Bears Are Going Blind,” by Katherine J. Wu
Rachel Roubein: The Washington Put up’s “Her Child Has a Lethal Analysis. Her Florida Medical doctors Refused an Abortion,” by Frances Stead Sellers
Sarah Karlin-Smith: DCist’s “Locals Who Don’t Communicate English Want Medical Translators, however Some Say They Don’t All the time Get the Service,” by Amanda Michelle Gomez and Hector Alejandro Arzate
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
Credit
Francis Ying
Audio producer
Emmarie Huetteman
Editor
To listen to all our podcasts, click on right here.
And subscribe to KHN’s What the Well being? on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, or wherever you hearken to podcasts.
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 packages at KFF (Kaiser Household Basis). KFF is an endowed nonprofit group offering data on well being points to the nation.
USE OUR CONTENT
This story may be republished without spending a dime (particulars).
We encourage organizations to republish our content material, freed from cost. Right here’s what we ask:
You need to credit score us as the unique writer, with a hyperlink to our khn.org web site. If potential, please embody the unique writer(s) and “Kaiser Well being Information” within the byline. Please protect the hyperlinks within the story.
It’s essential to notice, not every thing on khn.org is on the market for republishing. If a narrative is labeled “All Rights Reserved,” we can’t grant permission to republish that merchandise.
Have questions? Tell us at KHNHelp@kff.org