The Upheaval of Federal Health Policy with Julie Rovner

In this extra episode of The Rural Impact, Michelle Rathman is joined by Julie Rovner, KFF Health News Chief Washington Correspondent. Julie hosts the KFF Health News weekly health policy news podcast, "What the Health?" Previously, she spent 16 years as a health policy correspondent for NPR, where she helped lead the network's coverage of the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book "Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z," now in its third edition. In 2005, she received the National Press Foundation's Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress.

Michelle and Julie delve into the current state of health policy in the U.S., focusing on the implications of recent cuts to health programs, the strategies regarding Social Security and Medicare, and the impact of Medicaid work requirements. They discuss the challenges the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) faces in the wake of massive layoffs and department consolidation, the potential consequences for public health at the state level, and how the confusion in health policy is impacting local health initiatives. The conversation highlights the urgency of these issues, the legality of the Trump Administration's withholding of Congressionally approved and allocated funding, and the staggering uncertainties for America's rural hospitals and health clinics to maintain essential health services.

In addition to our featured conversation, The Rural Impact is pleased to welcome The American Heart Association as a sponsor for this and future episodes! Here's why!

The AHA believes that everyone, no matter where they live, deserves access to high-quality care. That's why they created the Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator, a program designed to help rural hospitals improve cardiovascular care and patient outcomes. The Rural Accelerator provides no-cost access to quality improvement programs, data-driven insights, learning collaboratives, recognition opportunities, and expert-guided education to support 1000 rural hospitals nationwide in delivering evidence-based care.  

Rural hospitals play a critical role in their communities. Enroll today and join the movement to improve rural heart health. Visit www.heart.org/ruralaccelerator to learn more.