Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ ‘Conscience’ Rules, Rx Prices and Still More Medicare

Julie Rovner

Kaiser Health News

@jrovner

Read Julie's Stories

Jennifer Haberkorn

Los Angeles Times

@jenhab

Read Jennifer's Stories

Joanne Kenen

Politico

@JoanneKenen

Read Joanne's Stories

Alice Miranda Ollstein

Politico

@AliceOllstein

Read Alice's Stories

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In a new set of rules, the Trump administration wants to let not just doctors but almost any health care worker or organization decline to provide, participate in or refer patients for any health service that violates their conscience or religion.

Also this week, the Trump administration is ordering prescription drugmakers to include list prices in their television ads for nearly all products.

And there’s yet another entry in the growing group of bills aimed at overhauling the nation’s health system. This one is “Medicare for America.”

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Jen Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico.

Also, Rovner interviews Joan Biskupic, author of “The Chief: The Life and Turbulent Times of Chief Justice John Roberts.” Biskupic talks about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the 2012 decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:

* Robert Pear, who died this week, was the dean of health policy reporters and will be remembered not just for the many front-page stories he produced for The New York Times, but also as a generous and kind colleague who helped mentor many reporters new to the beat.

* The Trump administration’s announcement last week of new regulations to protect health care workers from having to do anything they believe violates their religious beliefs is a stronger policy than past Republicans have adopted. But it follows other efforts to expand past conservative policies, such as the current administration’s more stringent Title X family planning rules.

* The administration’s new rule requiring drugmakers to add list prices to their TV ads could confuse some consumers, since few of them actually pay that price. Their insurers often negotiate better prices, and other factors, such as geography and type of pharmacy, affect the consumer’s bottom line.

* President Donald Trump this week told Health and Human Services officials to work with Florida on its plan to import drugs from Canada to take advantage of lower prices there. HHS Secretary Alex Azar said he would see if it can be done without jeopardizing the safety of the drugs. That is the rub that his predecessors have used to stop importation efforts, dating to the 1990s.

* The increasing interest in Democratic proposals such as “Medicare for All,” which would set up a government-run health care system, and “Medicare for America,” which would offer a government-run option for consumers and businesses, suggests that a public option is not the political hot potato it was during the debate setting up the ACA. It’s also not clear whether consumers are ready to give up their current insurance.

* Tennessee is getting ready to ask federal officials for a major change in its Medicaid system. The state wants to switch to a block grant, in which its federal funding would be limited but would come with much more flexibility for spending. The proposal is likely to end up in court because advocates for the poor argue the change would cut off services to some people and would violate laws that have defined Medicaid.

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

Julie Rovner: CNBC’s “Insiders Describe Aggressive Growth Tactics at uBiome, the Health Start-Up Raided by the FBI Last Week,” by Christina Farr, and “Health Tech Start-Up uBiome Suspends Clinical Operations Following FBI Raid,” by Christina Farr and Angelica LaVito

Joanne Kenen: ProPublica and the New Yorker’s “The Birth-Tissue Profiteers,” by Caroline Chen

Jen Haberkorn: The Los Angeles Times’ “Health Insurance Deductibles Soar, Leaving Americans With Unaffordable Bills,” by Noam N. Levey

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Bloomberg News’ “Trump May Redefine Poverty, Cutting Americans From Welfare Rolls,” by Justin Sink