The Host

Julie Rovner

KFF Health News

@jrovner

@julierovner.bsky.social

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Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third edition.

Democrats are poised to take control of the House and Senate — as well as a majority of governorships — come January after voters delivered a stunning election rebuke of President Donald Trump and the GOP majorities in Congress. The changeover puts the spotlight back on health policy, an issue Democrats pressed hard in their election campaigns.

In this special episode of the What the Health? podcast, host Julie Rovner is joined by Mollyann Brodie, executive vice president and chief operating officer at KFF; Larry Levitt, KFF’s executive vice president for health policy; and Amanda Seitz, Washington health policy reporter for KFF Health News.

Panelists

Mollyann Brodie

KFF

@Mollybrodie

Read Mollyann’s bio.

Larry Levitt

KFF

@larry_levitt

@larrylevitt.bsky.social

Ready Larry’s bio.

Amanda Seitz

KFF Health News

@AmandaSeitz

[email protected]

Read Amanda’s stories.

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

• Voters cited economic concerns as their primary motivation in supporting Democratic candidates across the board in the midterm elections. Many stated that they were pointedly voting against Trump’s policies.
• Even with full control of Congress, Democrats must grapple with the reality that Trump can veto legislation — and may be unwilling to budge when it comes to reversing changes his administration and the GOP have put in place, such as cuts to Medicaid or, in particular, the Affordable Care Act.
• Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is likely to be among the Trump officials hauled before Congress, to testify about vaccines, medical research, staff layoffs, drug pricing deals, and much more. With vaccine research — a personal priority of his — in progress, Kennedy may be reluctant to leave his post, though it is unclear whether staying could become untenable for him under the Democratic Congress.

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