The State of Scientific Research and Medi-Cal
About this episode
The episode discusses the political implications of Medi-Cal funding cuts and the state of scientific research under the Trump administration.
President Trump’s H.R. 1 policy bill made deep cuts to Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid. After weeks of debate in Sacramento over how to fund the program, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget with a tax plan that could raise premiums by $100 a year for privately insured Californians. KQED’s Lesley McClurg and Guy Marzorati discuss why this has become such a political battleground. Then, Lesley talks with KFF’s chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner about the state of scientific research. The Trump administration is moving to give political appointees more power over who receives federal science and health grants, blocking funding for research that doesn’t align with the president’s policy priorities. Plus, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has escalated his fight with medical journals, calling them “corrupt” and threatening to prosecute them. Check out Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Lesley McClurg, Guy Marzorati
Guest: Julie Rovner
Topics covered
- Medi-Cal
- scientific research
- political debate
- healthcare funding
- Trump administration policies
- federal grants
- medical journals
Keywords
- Medi-Cal
- scientific research
- Trump administration
- healthcare
- federal grants
- political debate
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: KQED, KFF, Trump administration, Medi-Cal, Medicaid
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