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KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: The Open Enrollment Mixing Bowl

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Thu, 19 Oct 2023 18:40:00 +0000

The Host

Julie Rovner
KFF Health


@jrovner


Read Julie’s stories.

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

Autumn is for pumpkins and raking leaves โ€” and open enrollment for health plans. Medicare’s annual open enrollment began Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 15. It will be followed shortly by the Affordable Care Act’s annual open enrollment, which starts Nov. 1 and runs until Jan. 15 in most states. But what used to be a fairly simple annual task โ€” renewing an existing health plan or choosing a new one โ€” has become a confusing, time-consuming mess for many, due to our convoluted health care system.

Meanwhile, Ohio will be the next where voters will decide whether to protect rights. Those on both sides of the debate are gearing up for the November vote, with anti-abortion forces hoping to break a losing streak of state ballot measures related to abortion since the 2022 overturn of .

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post.

Panelists

Joanne Kenen
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico


@JoanneKenen


Read Joanne’s stories

Alice Miranda Ollstein
Politico


@AliceOllstein


Read Alice’s stories

Lauren Weber
The Washington Post


@LaurenWeberHP


Read Lauren’s stories

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

  • The U.S. House of Representatives has been without an elected speaker since Oct. 4. That means lawmakers cannot conduct any legislative business, with several important health bills pending โ€” renewal of the popular international HIV/AIDS program, PEPFAR.
  • Open enrollment is not just for people looking to change health insurance plans. Plans themselves change, and those who do nothing risk continuing in a plan that no longer meets their needs.
  • A new round of lawsuits has sprung up related to “abortion reversals,” a controversial practice in which a patient, having taken the first dose of a two-dose abortion medication regimen, takes a high dose of the hormone progesterone rather than the second medication that completes the abortion. In Colorado, a Catholic-affiliated health clinic says a state law banning the practice violates its religious rights, while in California, the state attorney general is suing two faith-based chains that operate pregnancy “crisis centers,” alleging that by advertising the procedure they are making “fraudulent and misleading” claims.
  • The latest survey of employer health insurance by KFF shows annual premiums are again escalating rapidly โ€” up an average of 7% from 2022 to 2023, with even larger increases expected for 2024. It’s not clear whether the already high cost of providing insurance to workers โ€” an annual family policy now averages just under $24,000 โ€” will dampen companies’ enthusiasm for providing the benefit.

Also this , Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Arielle Zionts, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature about the wide cost variation of chemotherapy from state to state. If you have an outrageous or inscrutable medical you’d like to send us, you can do that here.

Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: NPR’s “How Gas Utilities Used Tobacco Tactics to Avoid Gas Stove Regulations,” by Jeff Brady.

Lauren Weber: KFF Health News’ “Doctors Abandon a Diagnosis Used to Justify Police Custody Deaths. It Might Live On, Anyway,” by Markian Hawryluk and Renuka Rayasam.

Joanne Kenen: The Washington Post’s “How Lunchables Ended Up on School Lunch Trays,” by Lenny Bernstein, Lauren Weber, and Dan Keating.

Alice Miranda Ollstein: KFF Health News’ “Pregnant and Addicted: Homeless Women See Hope in Street Medicine,” by Angela Hart.

Also mentioned in this week’s episode:

Credits

Francis Ying
Audio producer

Stephanie Stapleton
Editor

To hear all our ,ย click here.

And subscribe to KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” onย Spotify,ย Apple Podcasts,ย Pocket Casts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Title: KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: The Open Enrollment Mixing Bowl
Sourced From: kffhealthnews.org/news/podcast/what-the-health-319-open-enrollment-season-october-19-2023/
Published Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 18:40:00 +0000

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Kaiser Health News

As Nuns Disappear, Many Catholic Hospitals Look More Like Megacorporations

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kffhealthnews.org – Samantha Liss – 2024-11-05 04:00:00

SUMMARY: No nuns currently serve as CEOs in over 600 Catholic hospitals in the U.S., despite their historical role in establishing these institutions. As the focus on financial viability intensified, many hospitals transformed into large for-profit entities, straying from their original charitable missions. Sister Mary Jean Ryan, a prominent former leader at SSM , emphasized the critical role nuns played in leadership. Current Catholic hospital executives, led by Laura Kaiser, earn significant salaries, raising questions about their commitment to community welfare. While Catholic doctrine influences care practices, the hospitals’ tax-exempt status and community contributions are often questioned, highlighting disparities between mission and profit.

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Kaiser Health News

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to Medicare

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kffhealthnews.org – Stephanie Armour – 2024-11-04 03:00:00

SUMMARY: During the campaign, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are positioning themselves as defenders of Medicare, each blaming the other for potential cuts to the program. The election could significantly impact Medicare’s future, especially with more beneficiaries opting for Medicare Advantage plans by private insurers, a trend that could escalate under a Trump administration. Critics warn that increased privatization would limit care options and raise costs, while supporters argue these plans better . Polls indicate that a candidate’s stance on Medicare heavily influences voter decisions, highlighting the program’s importance in the upcoming election.

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Kaiser Health News

Whatโ€™s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues

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kffhealthnews.org – Arthur Allen and Phil Galewitz, KFF and Julie Rovner, KFF Health News and Daniel Chang – 2024-11-01 14:24:00

SUMMARY: In the election campaign’s final days, Vice President Kamala Harris and former clash over , issues of access and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Harris aims to preserve ACA subsidies and protect health care rights, while Trump’s campaign lacks clarity on health plans, suggesting significant cuts. The future of , drug prices, and transgender health care also hinges on the election outcome. Trump’s proposals could roll back protections for these groups, contrasting with Harris’ promises to uphold existing health care rights and enhance drug pricing negotiations, setting stark differences for voters.

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