the host
Julie Rovner KFF Health News Follow
Julie Rovner is a 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 acclaimed reference book, “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third edition.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is the man Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen as her running mate. Walz, a former U.S. congressman, high school teacher and National Guardsman, has a down-to-earth Midwestern vibe and a liberal background. As governor, he signed bills to expand abortion rights and transgender medical care, and represented a battleground district in the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, new research shows that the number of abortions performed in the U.S. since the overturning of Roe v. Wade continued to rise through the beginning of this year, frustrating abortion opponents who are looking for more ways to reduce the number of abortions, even if it means banning pregnant women from traveling between states.
This week's panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th.
Panelists
Here are some lessons learned from this week's episode:
Walz has been active on health issues, including capping insulin prices, legislating access to abortion and gender-affirming care, supporting veterans' health, and challenging hospital consolidation. Indeed, the similarities between him and Harris highlight the Democratic Party's unity on key health issues. Meanwhile, Republican vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio said in an interview that Obamacare reform would still be on the agenda if Trump were reelected, but did not provide details. The Republican plan lacks specifics, and there are many unknowns about what a second Trump administration will do with health policy. Recent reports suggest that the number of abortions continues to rise despite restrictions. Why? Telehealth is the main reason for this trend. Another report said that hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have been funneled to crisis pregnancy centers since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, reflecting efforts by conservative state legislatures to direct funds to centers that block abortions. And Congress once again went into its August recess without funding the federal government. Those hoping to pass other must-have bills, such as expanding telehealth flexibility and reforming pharmacy benefit management companies, are looking to the lame-duck session after the election.
Plus, for “extra credit,” panelists will suggest other health policy articles they read this week that readers should also read.
Julie Rovner: “Health, Access to Health Care, and Financial Barriers to Care Among People Incarcerated in U.S. Prisons” in JAMA Internal Medicine, by Emily Lupton Lupez, Steffie Woolhandler, David U. Himmelstein, et al.
Shefali Luthra: KFF Health News, “Inside Project 2025: Former Trump Administration Official Outlines Sharp Rightward Shift in Anti-Abortion Policy,” by Stephanie Armour.
Sandhya Raman: The War Horse's “'My Body Parts Were Seized': Post-9/11 Amputee Veterans Say VA Care Has Disappointed” (Author: Hope Hodge Seck).
Also mentioned in this week's podcast:
ProPublica's “Texas Sends Millions to Crisis Pregnancy Centers to Help Needy Families, but No One Knows If They Work,” by Cassandra Jaramillo, Jeremy Kohler, Sophie Chou, ProPublica, Jessica Kegg, and CBS News; Vox's “Free Medical School Won't Solve Doctor Shortage,” by Dylan Scott; Stat's “How UnitedHealth Turned a Questionable Artery Screening Program into a Gold Mine,” by Casey Ross, Lizzie Lawrence, Bob Herman, and Tara Banau; The Wall Street Journal's “One-Hour Nurse Visit Allows Insurers to Collect $15 Billion from Medicare,” by Anna Wilde Matthews, Christopher Weaver, Tom McGinty, and Mark Malemon.
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Frances Yin Audio Producer Emmalie Hüttemann Editor
This article was reprinted from khn.org, a national newsroom and one of KFF's core operating programs that produces in-depth journalism on health issues and is an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism.
