The Host
Incoming President Donald Trump’s inauguration is Monday, yet the new GOP-led Congress is already rushing to work his priorities into legislation, eyeing cuts to Medicaid to pay for new tax and immigration priorities. But even in its waning days, the Biden administration continues to make big policy moves, including a possible order for tobacco companies to dramatically decrease the amount of nicotine in cigarettes.
Meanwhile, the fires in Los Angeles are drawing new attention to the health dangers of not just smoke from organic matter, but also toxic substances released by burning plastic and other man-made materials — as well as the threat posed to both air and water quality.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call.
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
- Republican lawmakers are weighing options to cut federal spending on Medicaid, the nearly $900-billion-a-year government program that covers 1 in 5 Americans. They could use the savings to bolster Trump priorities, such as extending the 2017 tax cuts. The GOP made splashy but unsuccessful attempts to cut Medicaid when Trump first took office and the party held a larger House majority — though the party seems more aligned with Trump today than it was then.
- Congress has gotten down to business on messaging bills: It advanced legislation this week that would ban trans athletes from girls’ school sports and, separately, a measure to detain and even deport immigrants who are living in the U.S. without legal status and have been charged with, though not convicted of, minor crimes such as shoplifting.
- The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case later this year about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — an independent body of experts that issues recommendations in disease prevention and medicine. A ruling against its authority could strip coverage for key preventive health services from not just those with Affordable Care Act coverage, but also those on employer-sponsored health plans. The question stands: If not this task force, who would make the determinations about what preventive care should be covered?
- And the outgoing Biden administration issued a slew of health regulations this week, including a ban on the dye Red No. 3 in food and other ingested products, as well as an early regulation limiting the amount of nicotine in tobacco products. The incoming Trump administration could upend these and more regulations, though some do align with its policy interests.
Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News “Bill of the Month” feature, about a colonoscopy that came with a much larger price tag than estimated. If you have a mystifying or outrageous medical bill you’d like to share with us, you can do that here.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too:
Julie Rovner: KFF Health News’ “Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into the Primary Care Pipeline?” by Felice J. Freyer.
Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “It’s Not Just Sunscreen. Toxic Products Line the Drugstore Aisles,” by Anna Edney.
Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “A Secret Way To Fight Off Stomach Bugs,” by Daniel Engber.
Sandhya Raman: Nature’s “New Obesity Definition Sidelines BMI To Focus on Health,” by Giorgia Guglielmi.
Also mentioned in this week’s podcast:
To hear all our podcasts, click here.
And subscribe to KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Incoming President Donald Trump’s inauguration is Monday, yet the new GOP-led Congress is already rushing to work his priorities into legislation, eyeing cuts to Medicaid to pay for new tax and immigration priorities. But even in its waning days, the Biden administration continues to make big policy moves, including a possible order for tobacco companies to dramatically decrease the amount of nicotine in cigarettes. Meanwhile, the fires in Los Angeles are drawing new attention to the health dangers of not just smoke from organic matter, but also toxic substances released by burning plastic and other man-made materials — as well as the threat posed to both air and water quality. This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call. Among the takeaways from this week’s episode: Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News “Bill of the Month” feature, about a colonoscopy that came with a much larger price tag than estimated. If you have a mystifying or outrageous medical bill you’d like to share with us, you can do that here. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: KFF Health News’ “Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into the Primary Care Pipeline?” by Felice J. Freyer. Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “It’s Not Just Sunscreen. Toxic Products Line the Drugstore Aisles,” by Anna Edney. Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “A Secret Way To Fight Off Stomach Bugs,” by Daniel Engber. Sandhya Raman: Nature’s “New Obesity Definition Sidelines BMI To Focus on Health,” by Giorgia Guglielmi. Also mentioned in this week’s podcast: To hear all our podcasts, click here. And subscribe to KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. The Host
