GOP Mulls More Health Cuts

About this episode

The episode discusses potential health cuts by Republicans, a Supreme Court ruling on conversion therapy, and features interviews with health policy experts.

Despite public opposition to the cuts they made to federal health programs in 2025, Republicans reportedly are considering still more cuts to help pay for the war in Iran. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ruled that Colorado cannot ban mental health professionals from using “conversion therapy” on LGBTQ+ minors. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the last two “Bill of the Month” stories. Visit our website for 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: New York Magazine’s “ The Dog Owners Taking Their Injured Corgis and Doodles to Tijuana: Mexico Is to Pet MRIs What Turkey Has Become for Hair Transplants ,” by Helaine Olen. Jessie Hellmann: The Texas Tribune’s “ ‘Don’t Take Me to the Hospital’: Undocumented Immigrants in Texas Are Delaying Medical Care ,” by Colleen DeGuzman, Stephen Simpson, Terri Langford, and Dan Keemahill. Sandhya Raman…

People in this episode

Host: Julie Rovner

Guests: Alice Miranda Ollstein, Sandhya Raman, Jessie Hellmann, Elisabeth Rosenthal

Topics covered

• health policy
• federal health programs
• conversion therapy
• LGBTQ+ rights
• mental health
• international health issues

Keywords

• health cuts
• Republicans
• conversion therapy
• Supreme Court
• mental health
• LGBTQ+ minors
• health policy stories

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: KFF Health News, Politico, Bloomberg Law, CQ Roll Call, New York Magazine, Texas Tribune, Science, The New York Times

Places: Iran, Colorado, Tijuana, Texas

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