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The conventions are over and general election campaigning has officially begun. While reproductive health is sure to play a key role in the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, it’s less clear what role other health issues will play.
Meanwhile, Medicare recently announced negotiated prices for the first 10 drugs selected under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The announcement is drawing attention to what was already a major pocketbook issue for both Republicans and Democrats.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Nursing and Public Health, Shefali Luthra of The 19Heand Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico.
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
- The Democratic National Convention highlighted reproductive rights issues like never before, with a parade of public officials and private citizens recounting some of their most personal and painful memories of needing abortion care. But abortion rights activists remain concerned that Harris has not promised to go beyond codifying the rights laid out in the Roe v. Wadewhich they believe allows for too many barriers to care.
- As reproductive rights have taken center stage in her campaign, Harris has been less forthcoming about her other health policy plans so far. In her career, she has been involved in fights against anticompetitive behavior by insurers and hospitals and drug pricing.
- Would former President Donald Trump name Robert Kennedy Jr. as his next health secretary? Even many Republicans would consider his promotion too much. Polls show Trump has a lot to gain from Kennedy’s exit from the presidential race, but probably only slightly more than Harris.
- In other national health news, abortion access will be on the ballot this fall in Arizona and Montana, and the federal government recently announced the first insured drug prices under Medicare’s new drug negotiation program.
Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Tony Leys, who reported and wrote the latest installment of KFF Health News-NPR’s “Bill of the Month” about a woman who fought back after being charged for two surgeries despite having only had one. Do you have a confusing or outrageous medical bill you want to share? Let us know!
Plus, for “extra credit,” panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too:
Julie Rovner: “Hot summer threatens effectiveness of mail-order drugs,” by Emily Baumgaertner.
Joanne Kenen: “Who is Gus Walz and what is a nonverbal learning disorder?” from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, by Natalie Eilbert.
Alice Miranda Ollstein: “Fight Against DEI Programs Moves to Health Care,” from the Wall Street Journal, by Theo Francis and Melanie Evans.
Shefali Luthra: “Weight-loss drugs are a hot commodity, but not in low-income neighborhoods,” by Ariana Eunjung Cha of the Washington Post.
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