What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Abortion Pills, the Budget, and RFK Jr.
This week, the Trump administration won a court battle to delay a ruling on access to the abortion pill mifepristone, angering its own anti-abortion allies. Meanwhile, the president鈥檚 budget arrived on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are unlikely to agree to its proposed cuts to Health and Human Services programs. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Maya Goldman of Axios join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
Urgent Care Clinics Move To Fill Abortion Care Gaps in Rural Areas
When the only clinic that offered abortions in Michigan鈥檚 rural Upper Peninsula closed, an urgent care facility stepped in to fill the gap. Now, others are considering similar moves as brick-and-mortar clinics close in blue states.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: A Headless CDC
The Trump administration faces the challenge of naming a new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who can both satisfy the Make America Healthy Again movement and get confirmed by the Senate. Meanwhile, a new Senate bill to rescind the approval of the abortion pill mifepristone is again elevating the abortion debate, which some Republicans would prefer to stay on the back burner until after the midterms. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Lizzy Lawrence of Stat, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss the news. Also this week, Rovner interviews Georgetown University Law Center鈥檚 Katie Keith about the state of the Affordable Care Act on its 16th anniversary.
Lawmakers Seek To Protect Crisis Pregnancy Centers as Abortion Clinic Numbers Shrink
Some states have tried to crack down on crisis pregnancy centers, accusing them of deceptive practices. But now conservative lawmakers are pushing legislation to increase protections for the organizations, which work to dissuade women from abortions.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: RFK Jr.鈥檚 Very Bad Week
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had another tough week. In addition to Kennedy having rotator cuff surgery, the nomination of his ally to become surgeon general is teetering, the controversial head of the FDA’s vaccine center is resigning next month, and a new survey shows Americans trust government health officials less than they do former Biden official Anthony Fauci. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: The Hazards of ICE for Public Health
The Trump administration鈥檚 immigration crackdown is not just roiling politics but also directly affecting the provision of health care, medical groups say. Meanwhile, in Washington, federal spending bills have been stalled by the fight over immigration enforcement funding after the shooting death of a second person in Minneapolis this month. Maya Goldman of Axios, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.
Why Medication Abortion Is the Top Target for Anti-Abortion Groups in 2026
With abortions still on the rise nationwide despite widespread bans, curtailing the use of pregnancy-terminating medication is a top priority for abortion opponents 鈥 and they鈥檙e frustrated that the Trump administration isn鈥檛 doing more to limit its use.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Culture Wars Take Center Stage
With lawmakers still mired over renewing enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, much of Washington has turned to culture war issues. Meanwhile, 鈥渃onfusion鈥 remains the watchword at HHS as personnel and funding decisions continue to be made and unmade with little notice. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the latest 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 report.
鈥楢bortion as Homicide鈥 Debate in South Carolina Exposes GOP Rift as States Weigh New Restrictions
A proposed abortion ban in South Carolina would have allowed the criminal prosecution of women who obtain the procedure. It鈥檚 unlikely to become law, but this bill and other proposals across the country show how some conservative lawmakers are embracing increasingly punitive abortion restrictions.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: New Year, Same Health Fight
Congress returned from its break facing a familiar question: whether to extend the expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans that expired at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke a promise to Bill Cassidy, the chairman of Senate health committee, by overhauling the federal government鈥檚 childhood vaccine schedule to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines will be recommended. Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.
Iowa Doesn’t Have Enough OB-GYNs. The State鈥檚 Abortion Ban Might Be Making It Worse.
Abortion bans like Iowa鈥檚 have put OB-GYNs under increasing strain and surveillance, complicating the standard medical treatments for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature membrane rupture, and other pregnancy problems. As many rural areas face worsening maternity care deserts, some physicians fear these laws could drive much-needed doctors out of state and dissuade others from moving in and establishing a practice.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Time鈥檚 Up for Expanded ACA Tax Credits
A last-minute push from Democrats and four moderate Republicans will force a House vote on renewing enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, but not until January. That means millions will have to choose between paying dramatically more or dropping coverage next year. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially drops the federal recommendation for newborns to receive a hepatitis B shot. Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lizzy Lawrence of Stat join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Tony Leys, who wrote the latest 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature, and the panel discusses the year鈥檚 biggest developments in health policy.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Crunch Time for ACA Tax Credits
Dec. 15 is the deadline to sign up for Affordable Care Act plans that begin Jan. 1, and Congress remains at odds over letting expanded tax credits for the plans鈥 premiums expire and increasing the cost of insurance for millions of Americans. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to remake vaccine policy to reflect ideology rather than science. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Maya Goldman of Axios, and Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Georgetown professor Linda Blumberg about the GOP鈥檚 health plans.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Trump Almost Unveils a Health Plan聽
Just weeks before some tax credits for Affordable Care Act premiums expire, the Trump administration floated a plan to extend the enhanced aid 鈥 but it was met with immediate GOP pushback. Meanwhile, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to revise its website to suggest childhood vaccines might be linked to autism. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Joanne Kenen and Joshua Sharfstein about their new book, 鈥淚nformation Sick: How Journalism鈥檚 Decline and Misinformation鈥檚 Rise Are Harming Our Health 鈥 And What We Can Do About It.鈥
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: The Government Is Open
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 鈥 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 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner interviews 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Happy Open Enrollment Eve!
A standoff in Congress is keeping much of the government shut down as open enrollment begins in most states for Affordable Care Act plans. Democrats are demanding Republicans agree to extend ACA tax credits, but there has been little negotiating 鈥 even as customers are learning what they鈥檒l pay for coverage next year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is telling states they can鈥檛 pass their own laws to keep medical debt off consumers鈥 credit reports. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Maya Goldman of Axios, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Schr枚dinger鈥檚 Government Shutdown
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 off workers from programs supported mostly by Democrats. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews health insurance analyst Louise Norris about Medicare open enrollment.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: Starting To Feel the Shutdown鈥檚 Bite
The government shutdown continues with no end in sight, and while it theoretically should not affect entitlement programs, the lapse of some related authorizations 鈥 like for Medicare telehealth programs 鈥 is leaving some doctors and patients high and dry. Meanwhile, the FDA quietly approved a new generic abortion pill. Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also, Rovner interviews Sarah Grusin of the National Health Law Program.
What the Health? From 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News: On Capitol Hill, RFK Defends Firings at CDC
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 Prevention as well as other changes that could limit the availability of vaccines. Meanwhile, Congress has only a few weeks to complete work on annual spending bills to avoid a possible government shutdown and to ward off potentially large increases in premiums for Affordable Care Act health plans. Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Tony Leys, who discusses his 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 report about a woman鈥檚 unfortunate interaction with a bat 鈥 and her even more unfortunate interaction with the bill for her rabies prevention treatment.
Planned Parenthood Bets on Redistricting To Push Back Against GOP Funding Cuts
Alarmed at Republicans鈥 deep cuts to health care and restrictions on reproductive rights, advocates are supporting California鈥檚 effort to counter a mid-decade gerrymander by the Texas GOP to pad their party鈥檚 fragile U.S. House majority.
