What the Health? From KFF Health News: New Year, Same Health Fight

The Host

Julie Rovner
KFF Health News

@jrovner

@julierovner.bsky.social

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Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third edition.

Congress returned from its holiday break to the same question it faced in December: whether to extend covid-era premium subsidies for health plans sold under the Affordable Care Act. The expanded subsidies expired at the end of 2025, leaving more than 20 million Americans facing dramatically higher out-of-pocket costs for insurance.

Meanwhile, the Robert F. Kennedy Jr.-led Department of Health and Human Services announced an overhaul of the federal vaccine schedule for children, reducing the number of diseases for which vaccines are recommended from 17 to 11.

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

Panelists

Sarah Karlin-Smith
Pink Sheet

@SarahKarlin

@sarahkarlin-smith.bsky.social

Read Sarah’s stories.

Alice Miranda Ollstein
Politico

@AliceOllstein

@alicemiranda.bsky.social

Read Alice’s stories.

Lauren Weber
The Washington Post

@LaurenWeberHP

Read Lauren’s stories.

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

• The conservative movement to end abortion access nationwide has ensnared a last-ditch effort in Congress to help millions afford their health plans. As lawmakers consider a compromise to revive enhanced federal tax credits for ACA plans, some Republicans are arguing that the tax credits should be barred from subsidizing any plan that covers abortion care — even though the federal dollars would not be used to pay for abortions anyway. That change would force some states to choose between dropping their requirements for insurance coverage for abortion care or forgoing that federal assistance.
• President Donald Trump this week urged Republicans in Congress to be “flexible” about abortion restrictions. Meanwhile, his health policies so far are not yielding notable benefits for Americans, with most of the savings from his high-profile pharmaceutical deals going to the federal and state Medicaid programs. And the $50 billion federal funding boost for rural health — intended to counterbalance nearly $1 trillion in expected Medicaid spending cuts — is unlikely to make a meaningful dent, in no small part because rural facilities are barred from using the money for general expenses.
• While Kennedy announced an overhaul of federal recommendations for childhood vaccines, the action’s impact on vaccination rates and insurance coverage will depend in large part on how various states react, since states are the ones that impose mandates — such as for school enrollment — and regulate some insurers. Nonetheless, it is likely to result in a patchwork of state policies, which is problematic for public health efforts.
• Federal health officials also unveiled new nutritional guidelines, turning the decades-old food pyramid upside down. Some of the recommendations adhere to scientific findings, such as cutting added sugar from one’s diet. Others are more controversial, particularly the suggestion that Americans should eat more red meat and the softening of guidelines on saturated fats.

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’ “Advertisements Promising Patients a ‘Dream Body’ With Minimal Risk Get Little Scrutiny,” by Fred Schulte. 

Alice Miranda Ollstein: SFGate’s “A Calif. Teen Trusted ChatGPT for Drug Advice. He Died From an Overdose,” by Lester Black and Stephen Council.  

Sarah Karlin-Smith: ProPublica’s “The End of Aid: Trump Destroyed USAID. What Happens Now?” by Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Brett Murphy.  

Lauren Weber: The Washington Post’s “How RFK Jr. Upended the Public Health System,” by Rachel Roubein, Lena H. Sun, and Lauren Weber.  

Also mentioned in this week’s podcast:

• NBC News’ “Trump Has Announced Deals With Drugmakers To Cut Costs. Will They Save People Money?” by Berkeley Lovelace Jr.
• Stat’s “Panel Behind New Dietary Guidelines Had Financial Ties to Beef, Dairy Industries,” by Isabella Cueto and Sarah Todd.
• The Washington Post’s “U.S. Vaccination Rates Are Plunging. Look Up Where Your School Stands,” by Lauren Weber, Caitlin Gilbert, Dylan Moriarty, and Joshua Lott.
• The Guardian’s “Abortion May No Longer Be a Top Priority for Democratic Voters Ahead of 2026 Midterms, Polls Show,” by Carter Sherman.

Credits

Zach Dyer
Audio producer

Emmarie Huetteman
Editor

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KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

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