The host

Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner

Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Health?” A famous knowledgeable on well being coverage points, Julie is the writer of the critically praised reference e-book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third version.

In its first abortion case for the reason that overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the Supreme Court this week appeared unlikely to uphold an appeals court docket ruling that will dramatically limit the provision of the abortion tablet mifepristone. But the court docket already has one other abortion-related case teed up for April, and abortion opponents have a number of extra challenges in thoughts to restrict the process in states the place it stays authorized.

Meanwhile, Republicans, together with former President Donald Trump, proceed to take goal at common well being applications like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act on the marketing campaign path — a lot to the delight of Democrats, who really feel they’ve a bonus on the difficulty.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.

Panelists

Sarah Karlin-Smith Pink Sheet @SarahKarlin

Alice Miranda Ollstein Politico @AliceOllstein

Lauren Weber The Washington Post @LaurenWeberHP

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

• At least two conservative Supreme Court justices joined the three extra progressive members of the bench throughout Tuesday’s oral arguments in expressing skepticism concerning the problem to the abortion drug mifepristone. Their questions centered totally on whether or not the docs difficult the drug had confirmed they had been harmed by its availability — in addition to whether or not one of the best treatment was to broadly limit entry to the drug for everybody else.
• A ruling in favor of the docs difficult mifepristone would have the potential to cut back the drug’s security and efficacy: In specific, one FDA resolution topic to reversal adjusted dosing, and switching to utilizing solely the second drug within the present two-drug abortion tablet routine would additionally barely enhance the danger of issues.
• Two conservative justices additionally raised the applicability of the Comstock Act, a long-dormant, Nineteenth-century legislation that restricts mail distribution of abortion-related gadgets. Their questions are notable as advisers to Trump discover reviving the unenforced legislation ought to he win this November.
• Meanwhile, a Democrat in Alabama flipped a state House seat campaigning on abortion-related points, as Trump once more discusses implementing a nationwide abortion ban. The subject is constant to show thorny for Republicans.
• Even as Republicans attempt to keep away from operating on well being care points, the Heritage Foundation and a gaggle of House Republicans have proposed plans that embody modifications to the well being care system. Will the plans do extra to rev up their base — or Democrats?
• This Week in Medical Misinformation: TikTok’s algorithm is boosting deceptive details about hormonal contraception — and in some instances leading to extra unintended pregnancies.

Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Tony Leys, who wrote a KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” characteristic about Medicare and a really costly air-ambulance trip. If you will have a baffling or outrageous medical invoice you’d prefer to share with us, you are able to do that right here.

Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week they assume it is best to learn, too:

Julie Rovner: KFF Health News’ “Overdosing on Chemo: A Common Gene Test Could Save Hundreds of Lives Each Year,” by Arthur Allen.

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Stat’s “Fetal Tissue Research Gains in Importance as Roadblocks Multiply,” by Olivia Goldhill.

Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Washington Post’s “The Confusing, Stressful Ordeal of Flying With a Breast Pump,” by Hannah Sampson and Ben Brasch.

Lauren Weber: Stateline’s “Deadly Fires From Phone, Scooter Batteries Leave Lawmakers Playing Catch-Up on Safety,” by Robbie Sequeira.

Also talked about on this week’s podcast:

Credits

• Francis Ying Audio producer
• Emmarie Huetteman Editor