KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Impeachment And The Health Agenda


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How will the impeachment effort on Capitol Hill affect work on other legislation, particularly bills to restrain the cost of prescription drugs and surprise medical bills? And will Congress and President Donald Trump be able to agree on the spending bills needed to keep the federal government open for business?

Meanwhile, the annual survey of employer health insurance from the Kaiser Family Foundation found the cost of insurance continues to climb for both employers and workers, with the average premium for a family plan now topping $20,000. Workers are now expected to pay more than $6,000 of that amount, and average deductibles are more than $1,600. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call.

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: NPR’s “Air Ambulances Woo Rural Consumers With Memberships That May Leave Them Hanging,” by Sarah Jane Tribble

Joanne Kenen: The New Yorker’s “Paging Dr. Robot,” by D.T. Max

Paige Winfield Cunningham: KHN’s “It’s Not Just Insulin: Diabetes Patients Struggle To Get Crucial Supplies,” by Bram Sable-Smith

Rebecca Adams: KHN’s “Want To Reduce Suicides? Follow The Data ― To Medical Offices, Motels And Even Animal Shelters,” by Maureen O’Hagan

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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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