What the Health? From KFF Health News: The Government Is Open

The Host

Emmarie Huetteman
KFF Health News

Emmarie Huetteman, senior editor, oversees a team of Washington reporters, as well as “Bill of the Month” and “What the Health? From KFF Health News.” She previously spent more than a decade reporting on the federal government, most recently covering surprise medical bills, drug pricing reform, and other health policy debates in Washington and on the campaign trail. 

The longest federal government shutdown in history is over, after a handful of House and Senate Democrats joined most Republicans in approving legislation that funds the government through January. Despite Democrats’ demands, the package did not include an extension of the expanded tax credits that help most Affordable Care Act enrollees afford their plans — meaning most people with ACA plans are slated to pay much more toward their premiums next year.

Also, new details are emerging about the Trump administration’s efforts to use the Medicaid program — for low-income and disabled people — to advance its immigration and trans health policy goals. And President Donald Trump has unveiled deals with two major pharmaceutical companies designed to increase access to weight loss drugs for some Americans.

This week’s panelists are Emmarie Huetteman of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call.

Panelists

Anna Edney
Bloomberg News

@annaedney

@annaedney.bsky.social

Read Anna’s stories.

Shefali Luthra
The 19th

@shefali.bsky.social

Read Shefali’s stories.

Sandhya Raman
CQ Roll Call

@SandhyaWrites

@sandhyawrites.bsky.social

Read Sandhya’s stories.

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

• Though the shutdown deal did not include an extension of the enhanced ACA subsidies, it came with a plan for a Senate vote by next month — on what exactly, it is unclear. Senate Republicans appear to be coalescing around providing money via health savings accounts rather than through the subsidies, while House Republicans seem more fragmented. The clock is ticking; the existing credits expire on Jan. 1, and open enrollment has begun.
• Even as the Trump administration is likely to be tied up in court over its efforts to use Medicaid to crack down on health care for immigrants and trans people, they’ve had a real chilling effect. Immigrants, for instance, are skipping medical care, and hospitals are cutting back on offering gender-affirming care for trans people for fear of losing federal funding.
• Trump’s newly announced GLP-1 price deals could help Medicare enrollees afford the weight loss drugs, potentially opening up access to a new population of patients — and customers. And a steady stream of policy reversals, unexplained dismissals, and negative news coverage is leading to worries that the FDA’s credibility is being undermined by internal drama. Also in question is whether it’s interfering with the agency’s work. Drug companies would likely say yes, and some within the FDA are trying to combat these concerns.
• A major anti-abortion group is leaning into the current electoral moment, targeting key states and preparing for sizable political contributions ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Abortion opponents see an opportunity to capitalize on voters’ changing motivations and reposition themselves to fit into the post-Trump Republican Party.

Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, about a doctor who became the patient after a car accident sent her to the hospital — and $64,000 into debt. Do you have an outrageous medical bill? Tell us about it!

Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:

Emmarie Huetteman: KFF Health News’ “Immigrants With Health Conditions May Be Denied Visas Under New Trump Administration Guidance,” by Amanda Seitz.

Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “Bayer Weighs Roundup Exit as Cancer Legal Bill Nears $18 Billion,” by Tim Loh, Hayley Warren, and Julia Janicki.

Shefali Luthra: The 19th’s “Detransition Is Rare, but It’s Driving Anti-Trans Policy Anyway,” by Orion Rummler.

Sandhya Raman: BBC’s “Canada Loses Its Measles-Free Status, With US on Track To Follow,” by Nadine Yousif.

Also mentioned in this week’s episode:

• KFF’s “KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Weighs in on Health Care Debate and Government Shutdown,” by Audrey Kearney, Alex Montero, Mardet Mulugeta, Ashley Kirzinger, and Liz Hamel.
• KFF Health News’ “Trump’s HHS Orders State Medicaid Programs To Help Find Undocumented Immigrants,” by Phil Galewitz.
• NPR’s “Trump Pushes an End to Medical Care for Transgender Youth Nationally,” by Selena Simmons-Duffin.
• Stat’s “FDA’s Top Drug Regulator Resigns Amid Investigation,” by Lizzy Lawrence and Adam Feuerstein.
• Stat’s “Under Vinay Prasad, Employees at a Key FDA Center Fear Speaking Out, Look for the Exits,” by Lizzy Lawrence.

Credits

Francis Ying
Audio producer

Stephanie Stapleton
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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