“The Host” podcast, hosted by Julie Rovner, continues to cover important health policy news amidst the ongoing federal government shutdown. Democrats are highlighting the impending expiration of additional subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance plans, while some Republicans are expressing concerns about the potential cost increases for their constituents.
In the latest episode, panelists Julie Rovner, Sarah Karlin-Smith, Tami Luhby, and Alice Miranda Ollstein discussed various pressing issues. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, known for her opposition to the ACA, voiced support for renewing federal subsidies as her children face the prospect of doubled health premiums. Additionally, the panelists delved into topics such as the nearly depleted funding for the WIC program and the FDA’s approval of a second generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone.
The Supreme Court heard a case challenging Colorado’s conversion therapy ban, with indications pointing towards the ban being struck down. Changes to the vaccine schedule were also discussed, with implications for the Vaccines for Children Program. In an interview with Sarah Grusin of the National Health Law Program, Rovner addressed the GOP’s misleading claims regarding the government shutdown and healthcare for immigrants.
The panelists recommended health policy stories for further reading, including reports on veterans exploiting VA programs, Trump’s plan to limit disability benefits for older Americans, and the risks faced by pregnant immigrants in ICE custody. Additionally, they highlighted articles on animal welfare, agriculture lobbying, and the impact of Indian Health Service deployments.
The podcast episode also touched on recent news stories related to healthcare and policy, offering insights and analysis from a diverse range of perspectives. Listeners were encouraged to subscribe to “What the Health?” on various podcast platforms to access more in-depth coverage of health issues.
KFF Health News, the producer of “The Host” podcast, is dedicated to providing comprehensive journalism on health topics and operates as an independent source of health policy research, polling, and reporting. The podcast content is available for republication with proper attribution and preservation of the original HTML structure.
