KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Transition Interrupted


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Five days after the election was called for President-elect Joe Biden, President Donald Trump has not conceded — and instead ordered his administration not to begin the transition of power. That could have serious ramifications for health care, particularly as nearly every state is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases.

One piece of good news is that early results for a coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer look promising. But that vaccine, even if it is approved soon, won’t likely be ready for wide distribution for several months.

And for the third time in eight years, the Supreme Court heard a case that could invalidate the Affordable Care Act. Judging from the oral arguments, though, it appears the justices are likely to leave most or even all of the law intact.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal and Shefali Luthra of the 19th News.

Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:

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

Julie Rovner: KHN and The Washington Post’s “In Medical Schools, Students Seek Robust and Mandatory Anti-Racist Training,” by Elizabeth Lawrence

Joanne Kenen: KHN’s “Trump’s Anti-Abortion Zeal Shook Fragile Health Systems Around the World,” by Sarah Varney

Stephanie Armour: KHN’s “Biden Plan to Lower Medicare Eligibility Age to 60 Faces Hostility From Hospitals,” by Phil Galewitz

Shefali Luthra: Stat News’ “With a Meteoric Rise in Deaths, Talk of Waves Is Misguided, Say Covid-19 Modelers,” by Elizabeth Cooney


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This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

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