Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Paging the HHS Secretary


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Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is becoming a target for both Democrats and Republicans over what they call a lack of coordination of covid efforts within his department. But at the same time, officials from the Biden administration have made it clear from the start that the covid campaign would be orchestrated by the White House, so it’s not clear whether the secretary was supposed to play a major role.

Meanwhile, as covid cases decline, covid-weary politicians and the public are pushing to ease the latest round of restrictions. But those with compromised immune systems and other disabilities fear they could pay the price.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat.

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Noam N. Levey, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a very large bill for a very small amount of medical care. If you have an outrageous medical bill you’d like to share with us, you can do that here.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: The Washington Post’s “Researchers Are Asking Why Some Countries Were Better Prepared for Covid. One Surprising Answer: Trust,” by Adam Taylor

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Politico’s “Next Big Health Crisis: 15M People Could Lose Medicaid When Pandemic Ends,” by Megan Messerly

Margot Sanger-Katz: KHN’s “Faxes and Snail Mail: Will Pandemic-Era Flaws Unleash Improved Health Technology?” by Bram Sable-Smith

Rachel Cohrs: Stat’s “How a Decades-Old Database Became a Hugely Profitable Dossier on the Health of 270 Million Americans,” by Casey Ross

Also discussed on this week’s podcast:

The New York Times’ “In Medicine, a Lack of Courage Has Helped Put Roe in Jeopardy,” by Eyal Press

The New York Times’ “On Abortion Law, the U.S. Is Unusual. Without Roe, It Would Be, Too,” by Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz

The New York Times Magazine’s “The New Abortion Providers,” by Emily Bazelon

Mother Jones’ “Desperate Patients Are Shelling Out Thousands for a Long Covid Cure. Is It for Real?” by Kiera Butler


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This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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