Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Farewell, Individual Mandate

The compromise tax bill emerging from Republican efforts in Congress appears to have jettisoned a number of contentious health-related changes. Still, it seems likely lawmakers will repeal the penalties for not having health insurance. That so-called individual mandate was considered a linchpin of the Affordable Care Act, but now it seems possible the rest of the health law could survive without it.

This week’s “What the Health?” guests are:

Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News
Joanne Kenen of Politico
Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo
Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times

They discuss these topics and other health news of the week, including the end of open enrollment for 2018 health insurance in most of the country.

Among takeaways from this week’s podcast:

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

Julie Rovner: Kaiser Health News’ “Hospitals Find Asthma Hot Spots More Profitable To Neglect Than Fix,” by Jay Hancock, Rachel Bluth and Daniel Trielli.

Joanne Kenen: The Naples News’ “Florida’s disposable workers: Companies profit from undocumented laborers, dump them after injuries,” by Maria Perez.

Alice Ollstein: Vox.com’s “The tax bill destroys an important part of Obamacare. The states can save it,” by Nicholas Bagley

Margot Sanger-Katz: The New York Times’ “How to Be a Smart Obamacare Shopper,” by Margot Sanger-Katz and Haeyoun Park.

To hear all our podcasts, click here.

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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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