Kff Health News' 'what The Health?': Countdown To Government Shutdown

The host

Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner @julierovner.bsky.social

Julie Rovner is main Washington analogous and big of KFF Health News' play wellness argumentation news podcast, "What nan Health?" A noted master connected wellness argumentation issues, Julie is nan writer of nan critically praised reference book "Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z," now successful its 3rd edition.

Oct. 1 is nan commencement of nan adjacent fiscal year, and unless Congress reaches statement connected continued spending, large parts of nan authorities could unopen down that day. Democrats, whose votes will beryllium needed successful nan Senate, would for illustration Republicans to widen nan Biden-era other taxation credits for Affordable Care Act security plans arsenic portion of a compromise, but truthful acold Republicans don't look willing.

Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released his much-anticipated "Make America Healthy Again" blueprint to amended children's health, but nan study contained fewer specifics connected really his goals would beryllium reached.

This week's panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.

Panelists

• Anna Edney Bloomberg News @annaedney @annaedney.bsky.social
• Sandhya Raman CQ Roll Call @SandhyaWrites @SandhyaWrites.bsky.social
• Lauren Weber The Washington Post @LaurenWeberHP

Among nan takeaways from this week's episode:

• Congress has little than 3 weeks to o.k. national authorities spending for nan caller fiscal twelvemonth and avert a shutdown. Democrats are pushing for nan authorities to see an hold of enhanced subsidies for those covered by ACA plans, which different will expire astatine nan extremity of nan twelvemonth and lend to an summation successful premium costs. But that connection is already getting bogged down successful longtime fights complete abortion funding.
• The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to mention nan usage of Tylenol during gestation successful a pending study connected nan causes of autism — contempt a deficiency of definitive technological evidence. And nan remade Advisory Committee connected Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet adjacent week, while immoderate Americans are struggling to entree nan covid vaccine.
• The deficiency of teeth successful nan MAHA study — on pinch nan White House's lengthy reappraisal earlier publication — suggests manufacture officials helped style nan last product. Plus, its calls for things for illustration healthier meals successful schools and hospitals amid national backing cuts raise an important question: Who will salary for these argumentation changes?
• And nan Trump management is seeking changes to national regulations connected pharmaceutical advertizing that could efficaciously termination supplier ads connected television, though free-speech authorities could complicate that effort.

Plus, for "extra credit" nan panelists propose wellness argumentation stories they publication (or wrote) this week that they deliberation you should read, too: 

Julie Rovner: NPR's "What Kind of Dairy Does a Body Good? Science Is Updating nan Answer," by Will Stone.

Anna Edney: Bloomberg News' "The Implants Were Supposed to Dissolve. They Didn't," by Anna Edney and Tanaz Meghjani.

Sandhya Raman: The Texas Tribune's "Texas' New Parental Consent Law Leaves School Nurses Confused About Which Services They Can Provide to Students," by Jaden Edison.

Lauren Weber: ProPublica's "'Just Let Me Die,'" by Duaa Eldeib.

Also mentioned successful this week's podcast:

• The New York Times' "As Trump Weighs I.V.F., Republicans Back New 'Natural' Approach to Infertility," by Caroline Kitchener.

Credits

• Francis Ying Audio producer
• Emmarie Huetteman Editor