The Government Is Open

The Government Is Open

Author: KFF Health News November 13, 2025 Duration: 31:17
The record-long federal shutdown is over after a small group of Democrats agreed to a deal with most Republicans that funds the government through January — but, notably, does not extend more generous Affordable Care Act tax credits.  Plus, new details are emerging about how the Trump administration is using the Medicaid program to advance its policy goals.  Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more.  Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.  Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. 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. 

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
Countdown to Government Shutdown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:12
With less than three weeks to go before the deadline to pass legislation to keep the federal government running, lawmakers are still far apart on a strategy. Democrats hope Republicans agree to extend expanded tax credit…
On Capitol Hill, RFK Defends Firings at CDC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:16
A combative Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, appeared before a Senate committee Thursday, defending his firing of the newly confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and…
Happy 60th, Medicare and Medicaid! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:19
This summer marks the 60th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, the twin government programs that have shaped the health care system into what it is today. In this special episode, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner intervie…
Trump Further Politicizes Science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:02
President Donald Trump’s latest executive order about science and medicine seeks to take funding decisions out of the hands of career scientists and give them to political appointees instead. And a gunman, reportedly dis…
Kennedy Cancels Vaccine Funding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:45
The Health and Human Services secretary is winding down nearly $500 million in mRNA research funding, citing false claims that the technology is ineffective against respiratory illnesses — and notching a victory for crit…
Next on Kennedy’s List? Preventive Care and Vaccine Harm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:07
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, is eyeing an overhaul of two more key entities as part of his ongoing effort to reshape health policy. And President Donald Trump signed an executive ord…
Here Come the ACA Premium Hikes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:53
Medicaid may have monopolized Washington’s attention lately, but big changes are coming to the Affordable Care Act as well. Meanwhile, Americans are learning more about what’s in the big budget bill President Donald Trum…
The Senate Saves PEPFAR Funding — For Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:15
The Senate narrowly approved the Trump administration’s request to claw back about $9 billion for humanitarian foreign aid projects and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — but refused to cut funding for the interna…
Digesting Trump’s Big Budget Law [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:34
President Donald Trump’s big budget bill became his big budget law on July 4, codifying about $1 trillion in cuts to the Medicaid program. But the law includes many less-publicized provisions that could reshape the way t…
Trump’s Bill Reaches the Finish Line [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:59
The House on Thursday moved to approve the largest-ever cuts to federal safety net programs, the last step before the measure goes to President Donald Trump’s desk. After the Senate very narrowly passed the bill, House G…