An Arm and a Leg: Can They Freaking Do That?!? (2023 Update)
Can a medical provider you鈥檝e never heard of send you an outrageous bill? Sure. Can you fight back and win? Yes, sometimes you can. Here鈥檚 how to do it.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Part II: The State of the Abortion Debate 50 Years After 鈥楻oe鈥
In Part II of this special two-part episode, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Varney of KHN join KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss how the abortion debate has evolved since the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion in 2022, and what might be the flashpoints for 2023. Also, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their most memorable reproductive health stories from the last year.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Part I: The State of the Abortion Debate 50 Years After ‘Roe’
In Part I of this special two-part episode, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Varney of KHN join KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss how the abortion debate has evolved since the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion in 2022, and what might be the flashpoints for 2023. Also in this episode, Rovner interviews Elizabeth Nash of the Guttmacher Institute, about changing reproductive policies in the states.
The debt ceiling crisis facing Washington puts Medicare and other popular entitlement programs squarely on the negotiating table this year as newly empowered Republicans demand spending cuts. Meanwhile, as more Americans than ever have health insurance, the nation鈥檚 health care workforce is straining under the load. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KHN鈥檚 chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': GOP House Opens With Abortion Agenda
Leaders of the new Republican-led U.S. House kicked off their legislative agenda with two bills supported by anti-abortion groups. While neither is likely to become law, the move demonstrates how abortion will continue to be an issue in Washington. Meanwhile, as open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act nears its end in most states, the number of Americans covered by the plans hits a new high. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Year-End Bill Holds Big Health Changes
The year-end spending bill passed by Congress in late December contains a wide array of health-related provisions, including a structure for states to begin to disenroll people on Medicaid whose coverage has been maintained through the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is taking steps to make the abortion pill more widely available. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KHN鈥檚 chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Mark Kreidler, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature about a billing mix-up that took about a year to sort out.
鈥楢n Arm and a Leg鈥: The Year in Review, From Prenatal Testing to Insulin Pricing
The editorial team of 鈥淎n Arm and a Leg鈥 looks back on the reporting that hit close to home over the past year, including insulin pricing and prenatal testing.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: The Covid Response Coordinator Speaks
In this special episode of KHN鈥檚 鈥淲hat the Health?鈥 Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, talks with host Julie Rovner, KHN鈥檚 chief Washington correspondent, about where we are in the pandemic and how we should transition out of the public health emergency. This episode was taped on Dec. 20.
鈥楢n Arm and a Leg鈥: Getting Insurance to Pay for Oral Surgery Is Like Pulling Teeth
A car crash left a woman in need of oral surgery, but her health insurance wouldn鈥檛 cover it. Her ongoing fight shows podcast host Dan Weissmann the weird way insurance treats teeth and reveals a big problem in the Obamacare marketplace.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Health Spending? Only Congress Knows
Top negotiators in Congress have agreed to a framework for government spending into next year, but there are details to iron out before a vote 鈥 such as the scheduled Medicare payment cuts that have providers worried. Also, the Biden administration reopens its program allowing Americans to request free covid-19 home tests, as hopes for pandemic preparedness measures from Congress dim. Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rebecca Adams of KHN join KHN鈥檚 Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
鈥楢n Arm and a Leg鈥: He Made a Video About Health Insurance Terminology That Went Viral
A video producer鈥檚 quest for health coverage led him to create a video about insurance terminology. That video now has over a million views. Here鈥檚 how he did it.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Congress Races the Clock
Sen. Raphael Warnock鈥檚 re-election in Georgia will give Democrats a clear-cut Senate majority for the first time in nearly a decade. Meanwhile, the current Congress has only days left to tackle major unfinished business on the health agenda, including fending off scheduled pay cuts for doctors and other health providers in the Medicare program. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Medicaid Machinations
The lame-duck Congress has returned to Washington with a long health care to-do list and only a little time. Meanwhile, some of the states that have not yet expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act are rethinking those decisions. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN鈥檚 Fred Clasen-Kelly, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature, about a mysterious mishap during minor surgery.
鈥楢n Arm and a Leg鈥: When Insurance Won鈥檛 Pay, Abortion Assistance Funds Step In
Privacy concerns and coverage limits have long made insurance an unreliable option for abortion access. For decades, abortion funds have been stepping in to help people pay for what they see as essential health care.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: The Changing of the Guard
Democrats retained control of the U.S. Senate in the midterm elections, while Republicans won a majority in the House, giving them the ability to block items on President Joe Biden鈥檚 agenda. Meanwhile, the lame-duck, Democratic-led Congress won鈥檛 have the votes to pass abortion rights legislation, although they may try to undo some long-standing anti-abortion policies in federal spending bills. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.
鈥楢n Arm and a Leg鈥: No Money, No Job, No Health Care? Not Always.
For many Americans, it鈥檚 open enrollment season for 2023 health insurance. One listener asked: If you don鈥檛 have a job and are too old to be on your parents鈥 plan, does it make sense to rely on charity care? This episode breaks it all down.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: The Midterm Shake-Up
Election night went better than expected for Democrats. Although they could still lose control of one or both houses of Congress, the predicted 鈥渞ed wave鈥 for Republicans failed to materialize. Meanwhile, voters in both red and blue states approved ballot measures to protect abortion rights. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Carolee Lee, the former jewelry magnate, about her efforts to boost gender equity in medical research.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: ACA Open Enrollment Without the Drama
The Affordable Care Act鈥檚 10th annual open-enrollment period began Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2023, in most states. But for the first time, the health law seems to be enrolling Americans with far less controversy than in previous years. Meanwhile, as Election Day approaches, Democrats are focusing on GOP efforts to cut Social Security and Medicare. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Julie Appleby of KHN join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN鈥檚 Arthur Allen, who wrote the latest KNH-NPR Bill of the Month, about an old but still very expensive cancer drug.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Voters Will Get Their Say on Multiple Health Issues
Abortion isn鈥檛 the only health issue voters will be asked to decide in state ballot questions next month. Proposals about medical debt, Medicaid expansion, and whether health care should be a right are on ballots in various states. Meanwhile, the latest lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act has expanded to cover all preventive care. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Biden Hits the Road to Sell Democrats鈥 Record
With the midterm elections rapidly approaching, President Joe Biden has taken to the road to convince voters that he and congressional Democrats have delivered for them during two years in power. Among the health issues highlighted by the administration this week are pandemic preparedness and the availability of over-the-counter hearing aids. The president also promised to sign a bill codifying the abortion protections of Roe v. Wade if Democrats maintain control of the House and Senate 鈥 even though it鈥檚 a long shot that there will be enough votes for that. Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Mary Agnes Carey of KHN join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
