The House passed a budget plan that likely would result in major cuts to the Medicaid program. But the plan now faces a battle in the Senate, where even Republicans seem reluctant to dramatically reduce a health program that covers roughly 1 in 5 Americans. Meanwhile, federal judges and the Trump administration continue to differ over whether the administration has the authority to unilaterally cancel programs approved and funded by Congress and to fire federal workers. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Courts, Medicaid, Multimedia, KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’, Podcasts, Trump Administration, U.S. Congress KFF Health News
The Host
Julie Rovner
KFF Health News
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.
The House GOP’s budget proposal, which narrowly passed on Tuesday, likely would result in major cuts to Medicaid, the health program primarily for those with low incomes or who are disabled, to help pay for tax cuts. That sets up a battle with the Senate, which passed a separate, more modest budget proposal that includes neither tax cuts nor cuts to health programs — at least not initially.
Meanwhile, federal courts continue to weigh in on whether the Trump administration has the authority to cancel congressionally appropriated funding for federal programs and to summarily dismiss federal workers.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Victoria Knight of Axios.
Panelists
Victoria Knight
Axios
Shefali Luthra
The 19th
Alice Miranda Ollstein
Politico
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
- This week the House approved its budget blueprint calling, in part, for its Energy and Commerce Committee members to cut at least $880 billion from the government programs they oversee, which include Medicaid. But the plan also needs Senate approval. The Senate is advancing its own, competing blueprint, and some GOP senators have voiced concerns about the consequences of Medicaid cuts.
- In Supreme Court news, a new order from Chief Justice John Roberts allows the Trump administration to continue to freeze foreign aid, at least temporarily. And in an unexpected move, the Trump administration will take the same side as the Biden administration in a case before the court regarding the Affordable Care Act. The case addresses whether the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force may tell insurance companies what medical services must be covered. But the Trump administration is arguing that the head of the Department of Health and Human Services — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — has authority over the panel and can influence determinations about coverage.
- President Donald Trump issued an executive order boosting his first-term efforts to press health providers and insurers to reveal actual prices to patients. Also, in the states, major research universities are bracing for federal funding cuts. And an outbreak in Texas and New Mexico has led to the nation’s first measles death in years — as Kennedy plays down the outbreak and, separately, says he will examine the childhood vaccination schedule.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:
Julie Rovner: WBUR’s “Canceled Meetings and Confusion: NIH Grant Funding in Limbo Despite Court Injunction,” by Anna Rubenstein.
Alice Miranda Ollstein: The Transmitter’s “Exclusive: NIH Appears To Archive Policy Requiring Female Animals in Studies,” by Claudia López Lloreda.
Victoria Knight: KFF Health News’ “With RFK Jr. in Charge, Supplement Makers See Chance To Cash In,” by Arthur Allen.
Shefali Luthra: NBC News’ “They Were Told To Get Extra Breast Cancer Screenings. Then They Got Stuck With the Bill,” by Gretchen Morgenson.
Also mentioned in this week’s podcast:
- One First’s “Chief Justice Roberts’ Administrative Stay in the Foreign Aid Funding Cases,” by Steve Vladeck.
Credits
Francis Ying
Audio producer
Emmarie Huetteman
Editor
To hear all our podcasts, click here.
And subscribe to KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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.
USE OUR CONTENT
This story can be republished for free (details).
