The Host
The general public well being emergency in impact for the reason that begin of the covid-19 pandemic will finish on Could 11, the Biden administration introduced this week. The top of the so-called PHE will deliver a couple of raft of coverage modifications affecting sufferers, well being care suppliers, and states. However Republicans in Congress, together with some Democrats, have been agitating for an finish to the “emergency” designation for months.
In the meantime, regardless of Republicans’ less-than-stellar exhibiting within the 2022 midterm elections and broad public assist for preserving abortion entry, anti-abortion teams are pushing for even stronger restrictions on the process, arguing that Republicans did poorly as a result of they weren’t strident sufficient on abortion points.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Victoria Knight of Axios, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Publish, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Instances.
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- This week the Biden administration introduced the covid public well being emergency will finish in Could, terminating many flexibilities the federal government afforded well being care suppliers in the course of the pandemic to ease the challenges of caring for sufferers.
- A number of the greatest covid-era modifications, just like the growth of telehealth and Medicare protection for the antiviral treatment Paxlovid, have already been prolonged by Congress. Lawmakers have additionally set a separate timetable for the tip of the Medicaid protection requirement. In the meantime, the White Home is pushing again on reviews that the tip of the general public well being emergency will even imply the tip of free vaccines, testing, and coverings.
- A brand new KFF ballot reveals widespread public confusion over treatment abortion, with many respondents saying they’re uncertain whether or not the abortion tablet is authorized of their state and entry it. Advocates say treatment abortion, which accounts for about half of abortions nationwide, is the process’s future, and state legal guidelines concerning its use are altering typically.
- On abortion politics, the Republican Nationwide Committee handed a decision urging candidates to “go on the offense” in 2024 and push stricter abortion legal guidelines. Abortion opponents have been sad that Republican congressional leaders didn’t push by a federal gestational restrict on abortion final yr, and the social gathering is signaling a need to enchantment to its conservative base within the presidential election yr.
- This week, the federal authorities introduced it would audit Medicare Benefit plans for overbilling. However in response to a KHN scoop, the federal government will restrict its clawbacks to current years, permitting many plans to maintain the cash it overpaid them. Medicare Benefit is poised to enroll nearly all of seniors this yr.
Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Hannah Wesolowski of the Nationwide Alliance on Psychological Sickness about how the rollout of the brand new 988 suicide prevention hotline goes.
Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume it is best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: Axios’ “Republicans Break With One other Historic Ally: Medical doctors,” by Caitlin Owens and Victoria Knight
Margot Sanger-Katz: The New York Instances’ “Most Abortion Bans Embody Exceptions. In Apply, Few Are Granted,” by Amy Schoenfeld Walker
Rachel Roubein: The Washington Publish’s “I Wrote About Excessive-Priced Medicine for Years. Then My Toddler Wanted One,” by Carolyn Y. Johnson
Victoria Knight: The New York Instances’ “Emailing Your Physician Could Carry a Payment,” by Benjamin Ryan
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
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