The Cutting Continues

The Cutting Continues

Author: KFF Health News March 13, 2025 Duration: 44:15
The Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal government continue, with both personnel and programs being cut at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Social Security Administration. Meanwhile, the fight over cuts to the Medicaid program for those with low incomes heats up, as Republicans worry that more of their voters than ever before are Medicaid beneficiaries. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Jeff Grant, who recently retired from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after 41 years in government service.  Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too:  Julie Rovner: NBC News’ “‘You Lose All Hope’: Federal Workers Gripped by Mental Health Distress Amid Trump Cuts,” by Natasha Korecki.  Shefali Luthra: The New York Times’ “15 Lessons Scientists Learned About Us When the World Stood Still,” by Claire Cain Miller and Irineo Cabreros.  Alice Miranda Ollstein: The Atlantic’s “His Daughter Was America’s First Measles Death in a Decade,” by Tom Bartlett.  Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “India Trade Group Blasts Study Linking Drugs to Safety Risks,” by Satviki Sanjay.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever feel like the latest health policy headlines are written in a language you don't quite speak? What the Health? From KFF Health News translates the whirlwind of Washington into something you can actually use. Hosted by Julie Rovner, the chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, this isn't a dry lecture. It's a weekly conversation where Rovner is joined by the journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, and elsewhere who are actually writing the stories. Together, they pull back the curtain on how decisions on Capitol Hill and in federal agencies get made, who they impact, and what they mean for your care and your wallet. You'll hear the inside perspective on everything from drug pricing battles and insurance market shifts to the future of Medicare and the politics of public health. This podcast cuts through the jargon and the spin, offering clarity and context on the forces shaping American healthcare. For anyone trying to understand not just what happened, but why it matters, this is an essential guide to the system. Tune in for smart, accessible analysis that makes sense of the news you need.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

What the Health? From KFF Health News
Podcast Episodes
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