The Politics of Health at Midyear

The Politics of Health at Midyear

Author: KFF Health News July 9, 2026 Duration: 40:57
About halfway through 2026 — and just a few months before the critical midterm elections — Democrats appear to be doubling down on healthcare as a campaign issue as costs rise and insurance coverage declines. Meanwhile, Congress is taking aim at nonprofit hospitals. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, and Victoria Knight of Bloomberg Government join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Samantha Liss, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” story, about a woman who changed Medicare Advantage plans and found herself at a disadvantage. 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:  Julie Rovner: Axios’ “Chinese Fentanyl Makers Find New U.S. Market in Peptides,” by Tina Reed.   Shefali Luthra: Stat’s “Online GLP-1 Prescriptions Are Often Fast, Easy — And Low on Clinical Oversight,” by Katie Palmer.   Rachel Roubein: The New York Times’ “Efforts To Help Smokers Quit Stall Under Trump,” by Chistina Jewett.   Victoria Knight: Stat’s “Booze Schmooze: The Alcohol Industry, Frazzled by Headwinds, Wields Its Power Behind the Scenes,” by Isabella Cueto and Lev Facher.  

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: 50

What the Health? From KFF Health News
Podcast Episodes
The Government Is Open [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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…
The State of the Affordable Care Act [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:54
November 1 marked the start of open enrollment for 2026 health plans bought from Affordable Care Act marketplaces in most states. But this sign-up season is like no other in the health law’s 15-year history. It remains u…
Happy Open Enrollment Eve! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:55
A standoff in Congress is keeping much of the federal government shut down as open enrollment begins in most states for Affordable Care Act plans. Democrats have refused to vote on spending until Republicans agree to ext…
Nutrition Programs Face Their Own Shutdown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:05
Two major nutrition programs — supporting low-income families, as well as young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women — are likely to exhaust their funding in November, and the furloughs and firings at the Centers…
Schrödinger’s Government Shutdown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:56
Democrats and Republicans remain stalled over funding the federal government as Republicans launch a new attack on the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is taking advantage of the shutdown to lay o…
Starting To Feel the Shutdown’s Bite [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:54
The government shutdown continues with no obvious end in sight, and while it theoretically should not affect entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, the lapse of some related authorizations — like for Medicare t…
Democrats Make This Shutdown About the ACA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:59
As long predicted, much of the federal government shut down Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass required spending bills, with Democrats demanding Republicans renew the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange…
Public Health Further Politicized Under the Threat of More Firings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:01
In a rambling news conference that shocked public health experts, President Donald Trump this week — without scientific evidence — blamed the over-the-counter drug acetaminophen, and too many childhood vaccines, for the…
Ousted CDC Officials Clap Back at RFK Jr. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:37
The recently fired head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told senators that health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered her to fire top officials and agree to approve changes to national vaccine recom…