\n\t\tThe Host\t<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t![]()
\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nAt the Trump administration\u2019s request, a federal judge in Louisiana this week agreed to delay a ruling affecting the continued availability of the abortion drug mifepristone. That angered anti-abortion groups that want the drug, if not banned, at least more strictly controlled. But the administration clearly wants to avoid big abortion fights in the run-up to November\u2019s midterm elections.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the administration\u2019s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 calls for more than $15 billion in cuts to programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. It\u2019s a significant number, but less drastic than cuts it proposed for fiscal 2026.<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Maya Goldman of Axios.<\/p>\n
Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n
\n- The Trump administration says it is conducting a thorough scientific review of the abortion pill mifepristone at the Food and Drug Administration. Yet advocates on both sides of the abortion debate think the administration is just trying to buy time to avoid a controversial decision about medication abortion before November\u2019s midterm elections.<\/li>\n
- It\u2019s budget time on Capitol Hill. With the unveiling of the president\u2019s spending plan for fiscal 2027, Cabinet secretaries will make their annual tour of congressional committee hearings. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose Hill appearances have been few during his tenure, is scheduled to testify before six separate House and Senate committees before the end of the month.<\/li>\n
- Back at HHS, Kennedy appears to be trying to reconstitute the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in a way that will enable him to restock it with vaccine skeptics without running afoul of a March court ruling that he violated federal procedures with his replacements last year.<\/li>\n
- Continuing his efforts to promote his Make America Healthy Again agenda, Kennedy announced this week that he will launch his own biweekly podcast. He also announced efforts to combat microplastics in the water supply and to get hospitals to stop serving ultraprocessed food to patients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
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\n\t<\/h4>\n
Plus, for \u201cextra credit,\u201d the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:<\/p>\n
Julie Rovner:<\/strong> The Atlantic\u2019s \u201cHHS Officials\u2019 Year in Purgatory Is Ending,\u201d by Katherine J. Wu.<\/p>\nMaya Goldman:<\/strong> KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cTrump\u2019s Personnel Agency Is Asking for Federal Workers\u2019 Medical Records,\u201d by Amanda Seitz and Maia Rosenfeld.<\/p>\nLauren Weber:<\/strong> CNN\u2019s \u201cThese Common Drug Tests Lead to Tens of Thousands of Wrongful Arrests a Year, Experts Say. One State Is Fighting Back,\u201d by Holly Yan.<\/p>\nAlice Miranda Ollstein:<\/strong> Politico\u2019s \u201cA Slowdown in US Visa Processing Is Wreaking Havoc on Foreign Doctors\u2019 Lives,\u201d by Simon J. Levien.<\/p>\nAlso mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n
\nClick here to find all our podcasts.<\/u><\/em><\/p>\nAnd subscribe to \u201cWhat the Health? From KFF Health News\u201d on Apple Podcasts<\/u>, Spotify<\/u>, the NPR app<\/u>, YouTube, Pocket Casts<\/u>, or wherever you listen to podcasts.<\/em><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/Rovner-Julie2021_1100sq.jpg)
\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nAt the Trump administration\u2019s request, a federal judge in Louisiana this week agreed to delay a ruling affecting the continued availability of the abortion drug mifepristone. That angered anti-abortion groups that want the drug, if not banned, at least more strictly controlled. But the administration clearly wants to avoid big abortion fights in the run-up to November\u2019s midterm elections.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the administration\u2019s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 calls for more than $15 billion in cuts to programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. It\u2019s a significant number, but less drastic than cuts it proposed for fiscal 2026.<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Maya Goldman of Axios.<\/p>\n
Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n
- \n
- The Trump administration says it is conducting a thorough scientific review of the abortion pill mifepristone at the Food and Drug Administration. Yet advocates on both sides of the abortion debate think the administration is just trying to buy time to avoid a controversial decision about medication abortion before November\u2019s midterm elections.<\/li>\n
- It\u2019s budget time on Capitol Hill. With the unveiling of the president\u2019s spending plan for fiscal 2027, Cabinet secretaries will make their annual tour of congressional committee hearings. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose Hill appearances have been few during his tenure, is scheduled to testify before six separate House and Senate committees before the end of the month.<\/li>\n
- Back at HHS, Kennedy appears to be trying to reconstitute the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in a way that will enable him to restock it with vaccine skeptics without running afoul of a March court ruling that he violated federal procedures with his replacements last year.<\/li>\n
- Continuing his efforts to promote his Make America Healthy Again agenda, Kennedy announced this week that he will launch his own biweekly podcast. He also announced efforts to combat microplastics in the water supply and to get hospitals to stop serving ultraprocessed food to patients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n
\t\t\tEmail Sign-Up
\n\t<\/h4>\nPlus, for \u201cextra credit,\u201d the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:<\/p>\n
Julie Rovner:<\/strong> The Atlantic\u2019s \u201cHHS Officials\u2019 Year in Purgatory Is Ending,\u201d by Katherine J. Wu.<\/p>\n
Maya Goldman:<\/strong> KFF Health News\u2019 \u201cTrump\u2019s Personnel Agency Is Asking for Federal Workers\u2019 Medical Records,\u201d by Amanda Seitz and Maia Rosenfeld.<\/p>\n
Lauren Weber:<\/strong> CNN\u2019s \u201cThese Common Drug Tests Lead to Tens of Thousands of Wrongful Arrests a Year, Experts Say. One State Is Fighting Back,\u201d by Holly Yan.<\/p>\n
Alice Miranda Ollstein:<\/strong> Politico\u2019s \u201cA Slowdown in US Visa Processing Is Wreaking Havoc on Foreign Doctors\u2019 Lives,\u201d by Simon J. Levien.<\/p>\n
Also mentioned in this week\u2019s podcast:<\/p>\n
\nClick here to find all our podcasts.<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n
And subscribe to \u201cWhat the Health? From KFF Health News\u201d on Apple Podcasts<\/u>, Spotify<\/u>, the NPR app<\/u>, YouTube, Pocket Casts<\/u>, or wherever you listen to podcasts.<\/em><\/p>\n