What the Health? From KFF Health News

As early voting begins in some states, the Trump administration is working to keep its crackdown on healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse in the headlines. Also, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unveiled a new initiative to identify vaccine injuries, complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the National Institutes of Health. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law, and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Sun join KFF Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner talks with Dan Weissmann, host of the healthcare podcast “An Arm and a Leg,” about the new and even more confusing landscape for Medicare enrollees as open enrollment begins. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Mary Agnes Carey: KFF Health News’ “People Say These Peptides Hurt Them. Their Stories Are Muffled in MAHA’s Push for Medical Freedom,” by Amy Maxmen. Sandhya Raman: Stat’s “Helen Branswell, Whose Reporting on Infectious Diseases and Public Health Drew Acclaim, Dies at 69,” by Andrew Joseph. Paige Winfield Cunningham: KFF Health News’ “AI, Tech Leaders Are Lobbying Trump Health Officials in a Government-Run Chat Room,” by Amanda Seitz, Maia Rosenfeld, and Darius Tahir. Joanne Kenen: On CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” host Margaret Brennan’s interview with Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer at Palantir. (Read the transcript here.)

The “Make America Healthy Again” movement held a big shindig in Washington, D.C., this week. But rather than moms arguing to get pesticides and processing chemicals out of their kids’ food, the room was full of Trump administration officials and industry representatives looking to promote health-related products. Meanwhile, as the fiscal year ends, the administration for the second year in a row is refusing to spend money Congress appropriated — and basically daring the other two branches of government to stop it. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Aaron Carroll, president and CEO of AcademyHealth, to discuss the Trump administration’s dismantling of the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode.Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: The New York Times’ “U. of Michigan Halts New Grading Plan After Backlash From Critics,” by Madaleine Rubin. Shefali Luthra: The Atlantic’s “The Babies Left Behind in America,” by Caitlin Dickerson. Rachana Pradhan: KFF Health News’ “US Poised To Boot Legal Immigrants From Medicaid, Including Refugees and Sex-Trafficking Victims,” by Phil Galewitz, Andrew Jones, and Claudia Boyd-Barrett. Rachel Roubein: Stat’s “Once Described as Obesity Medicines for ‘Patients,’ GLP-1s Are Increasingly Lifestyle Drugs for ‘Customers,’” by Elaine Chen.

Reports from a top artificial intelligence company that it found and stopped attempted uses of its product to manufacture a potential bioweapon caught the attention of lawmakers in Washington this week, although it is still unclear whether or when they will act to regulate the fast-moving industry. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump wants to send $500 checks to about a million enrollees in Affordable Care Act plans. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner talks with Sabrina Corlette of the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms about some potential fixes to the nation’s health system.Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode.Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: KJZZ Phoenix’s “Data Shows DES Failed To Complete Most SNAP Eligibility Interviews, Resulting in Massive Cuts,” by Camryn Sanchez. Tami Luhby: The Washington Post’s “What ‘Ferritin Face’ Means — And How To Tell If You May Be Iron-Deficient,” by Erica Sloan. Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “Patients Who Fight Health Insurance Denials Often Win,” by John Tozzi, Tanaz Meghjani, and Ike Swetlitz. Alice Miranda Ollstein: KFF Health News’ “Indigenous Groups Are Exempt From Medicaid Work Rules, but Native Hawaiians Aren’t,” by Ashley Mizuo.