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RFK Jr. Upends Vaccine Policy, After Promising He Wouldn’t

Episode 401

June 12, 2025

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week did something he had promised not to do: He fired every member of the scientific advisory committee that recommends which vaccines should be given to whom. And he replaced them, in some cases, with vaccine skeptics. Meanwhile, hundreds of employees of the National Institutes of Health sent an open letter to the agency’s director, accusing the Trump administration of policies that “undermine the NIH mission.” Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join ��ýҕ�l Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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A photo of three US senators standing for a news huddle outside of the White House.

Four Ways Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Would Undermine Access to Obamacare

The combination of the House-passed spending and tax bill and the Trump administration’s regulatory action could change Affordable Care Act enrollment and the cost of insurance. The result, according to the Congressional Budget Office, is that millions of people may become uninsured.

By Julie Appleby

June 11, 2025

A close-up photo of a lecture with a sign reading "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" on its front. A person stands behind the lecture, but the top half of his face is out of the shot. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is seen standing to the right of the lecture.

Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Continues Assault on Obamacare

The domestic policy legislation the House advanced in May includes the most substantial rollback of the Affordable Care Act since President Donald Trump and his Republican allies tried to pass legislation in 2017 that would have largely repealed President Barack Obama’s signature domestic accomplishment.

By Phil Galewitz and Julie Appleby

June 3, 2025

A mother leans over her child, who is in a wheelchair. They are both smiling.

As Republicans Eye Sweeping Medicaid Cuts, Missouri Offers a Preview

Congressional Republicans are looking to cut at least $880 billion from a pool of federal funding that includes Medicaid — and the program is likely to take a major hit. A previous budget crunch in Missouri offers a window into how cuts ripple through people’s lives.

By Bram Sable-Smith

May 7, 2025

��ýҕ�l Health News On Air

Journalists Explore Medicaid Work Rules, CDC Layoffs, and RFK Jr.’s ‘MAHA’ Mission

��ýҕ�l Health News journalists made the rounds on national or local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

May 3, 2025

Spotlight

Covered California Pushes for Better Health Care as Federal Spending Cuts Loom

Monica Soni, Covered California’s chief medical officer, oversees an effort to hold health plans financially accountable for the quality of care they provide, including childhood vaccination rates, which have fallen in California and nationwide. She worries federal spending cuts could soon bring turbulence to the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

May 2, 2025

What the Health? From ��ýҕ�l Health News

Can Congress Reconcile Trump’s Wishes With Medicaid’s Needs?

Episode 394

April 24, 2025

When Congress returns next week, it will be writing a budget reconciliation bill that’s expected to cut taxes but also make deep cuts to Medicaid. But at least some Republicans are concerned about cutting a program that aids so many of their constituents. Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join ��ýҕ�l Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss this story and more. Also, Rovner interviews ��ýҕ�l Health News’ Rae Ellen Bichell about her story on how care for transgender minors is changing in Colorado.

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The Ranks of Obamacare ‘Fixers’ Axed in Trump’s Reduction of Health Agency Workforce

These fixers, officially known as caseworkers, unraveled complex and arcane health insurance rules to solve people’s coverage issues. They worked in a little-known federal department with which most consumers never interact — until they need help.

By Julie Appleby

April 22, 2025

A photo of an alarm clock on a desk next to blocks with the letters "T-A-X" written on them.

Tax Time Triggers Fraud Alarms for Some Obamacare Enrollees

Consumers who were enrolled fraudulently in Affordable Care Act coverage could receive unexpected tax bills — the first and possibly only clue they were a victim of fraud. Getting help may become difficult as federal workers are laid off and funding for assistance programs is cut.

By Julie Appleby

April 10, 2025

A photo of an older man standing for a portrait in a hospital corridor.

The House Speaker’s Eyeing Big Cuts to Medicaid. In His Louisiana District, It’s a Lifeline.

The GOP-controlled Congress is weighing cuts to Medicaid, the government health program that covers millions of Americans — including nearly 40% of Louisianans represented in the House by Speaker Mike Johnson.

By Phil Galewitz

April 7, 2025

An Affordable Care Act application and enrollment help sign outside of a building.

Trump Health Care Proposal Billed as Consumer Protection but Adds Enrollment Hoops

The proposal also would reverse a Biden administration policy that allowed “Dreamers” — immigrants in the country illegally who were brought here as children — from qualifying for subsidized ACA coverage.

By Julie Appleby

March 10, 2025

An exterior photograph of a modern office building in a metropolitan area. Cars are seen driving in front of the building labeled "Centene Plaza."

Years Later, Centene Settlements With States Still Unfinished

At least 20 states have settled disputes with health insurance giant Centene since 2021 over allegations that its pharmacy benefit manager operation overcharged their Medicaid programs. Two holdouts appear to remain: Georgia has not yet settled, and Florida officials won’t answer questions about its Centene situation.

By Andy Miller

March 5, 2025

A photo of a members of the House of Representatives' Budget Committee seated in a hearing room.

GOP Takes Aim at Medicaid, Putting Enrollees and Providers at Risk

Congressional Republicans are pushing plans that could make deep cuts to Medicaid to finance President Donald Trump’s tax cuts and other priorities. At stake is coverage for millions of low-income Americans, as well as a huge revenue source for hospitals — and every state.

By Phil Galewitz

Feb. 21, 2025

A woman stands out in a wooded area by a pond in autumn.

A Program To Close Insurance Gaps for Native Americans Has Gone Largely Unused

Health leaders say a tool to boost medical coverage for Native Americans, a population that has long faced worse health outcomes than the rest of the nation, has been underused by many states and tribes since it was written into the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago.

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

Jan. 24, 2025

What the Health? From ��ýҕ�l Health News

Creating Chaos at HHS

Episode 381

Jan. 23, 2025

President Donald Trump was sworn in Monday and by Wednesday had virtually stopped scientific policymaking at the Department of Health and Human Services. While incoming administrations often pause public communications, the acting HHS head ordered an unprecedented shutdown of all outside meetings, travel, and publications. Meanwhile, Trump issued a broad array of mostly nonbinding executive orders, but notably none directly concerning abortion. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join ��ýҕ�l Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a former congressional staffer, who explains the convoluted “budget reconciliation” process Republicans hope to use to enact Trump’s agenda.

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A photograph of the back of President-elect Donald Trump as he walks away from the camera.

Trump’s Return Puts Medicaid on the Chopping Block

Republicans in Washington are working on plans to shrink Medicaid, the nearly $900-billion-a-year government health insurance program that covers 1 in 5 Americans.

By Phil Galewitz

Jan. 13, 2025

California governor Gavin Newsom stands behind a blue and white sign that reads "$30 insulin by CalRx"

Health Care Is Newsom’s Biggest Unfinished Project. Trump Complicates That Task.

As Gov. Gavin Newsom enters the second half of his final term, health care stands out as his most ambitious but glaringly incomplete initiative for California residents. The issue will likely shape his national profile for better or worse. And now, Donald Trump brings a new wrinkle.

By Angela Hart and Christine Mai-Duc

Jan. 7, 2025

A photograph of a man from the waist down who is facing away from the camera. He has his hands in the pockets of his shorts. His left leg is a prosthetic.

Health Insurers Limit Coverage of Prosthetic Limbs, Questioning Their Medical Necessity

Advocates say it is discrimination and are arguing for “insurance fairness” on the grounds that people who have joints surgically replaced typically don’t face the same kinds of coverage challenges.

By Michelle Andrews

Jan. 6, 2025

Health Brief

Federal ACA Marketplace Enrollment Lagging

By Julie Appleby

Dec. 19, 2024

A photo of hands typing on a laptop keyboard.

Obamacare Sign-Ups Lag After Trump Election, Legal Challenges

The number of new and returning enrollees using healthcare.gov — the federal marketplace that serves 31 states — is well below last year’s as of early December. Also, a Biden administration push to give “Dreamers” access to Obamacare coverage and subsidies is facing court challenges.

By Julie Appleby

Dec. 19, 2024

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