The abortion tablet goes again to courtroom

The host

Julie Rovner KFF Well being Information @jrovner

Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Well being Information’ weekly well being coverage information podcast, “What the Well being?” A famous knowledgeable on well being coverage points, Julie is the creator of the critically praised reference ebook “Well being Care Politics and Coverage A to Z,” now in its third version.

The destiny of the abortion tablet mifepristone stays in jeopardy, as an appellate courtroom panel throughout a listening to this week sounded sympathetic to a decrease courtroom’s ruling that the FDA mustn’t have permitted the drug greater than twenty years in the past. Irrespective of how the appeals courtroom guidelines, the case appears headed for the Supreme Courtroom.

In the meantime, within the partisan standoff over elevating the nation’s debt ceiling, a key sticking level has emerged: whether or not so as to add a piece requirement to the state-federal Medicaid program. Republicans are adamant about including one; Democrats level out that, within the few states which have tried them, crimson tape has resulted in eligible folks wrongly shedding their well being protection.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Name, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Put up, and Victoria Knight of Axios.

Panelists

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

• Hopes amongst abortion rights advocates for continued entry to mifepristone dimmed because the three judges on the fifth Circuit Courtroom of Appeals signaled they’re skeptical of the FDA’s decades-old approval of the drug and of the Biden administration’s arguments defending it. Legal professionals debated whether or not the Texas medical doctors difficult the drug had been harmed by it and thus had standing to sue. If the unique ruling successfully revoking the drug’s approval is allowed to face, the case may open the door to future authorized challenges to the approval of controversial medication.
• Two extra states within the South are transferring to limit abortion, additional slicing entry to the process within the area. In North Carolina, a brand new Republican supermajority within the state legislature enabled the passage this week of a brand new, 12-week ban, as lawmakers in South Carolina think about a six-week ban.
• In Congress, the highest Senate Republican mentioned he is not going to again one senator’s months-long effort to carry up Pentagon nominations over a coverage that helps troops and their dependents who should journey to different states to acquire an abortion.
• Envision Healthcare — which spent huge in 2019 to combat laws prohibiting some shock medical payments — has filed for chapter safety greater than a 12 months after the legislation took impact and reduce into its backside line. However a federal lawsuit from a bunch of emergency room physicians towards Envision could transfer ahead. The lawsuit claims the non-public equity-backed firm is in violation of a California legislation banning company management of medical practices, and it may carry main penalties for the rising variety of practices backed by non-public fairness companies throughout the nation.
• Monica Bertagnolli has been nominated to steer the Nationwide Institutes of Well being. At the moment the director of the Nationwide Most cancers Institute, she is going to must be confirmed by the Senate, which hasn’t confirmed an NIH chief since earlier than the passage of the Inexpensive Care Act in 2010. In the meantime, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ stewardship of a key well being committee is inflicting delays on even bipartisan efforts.

Plus, for “additional credit score,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume it’s best to learn, too:

Julie Rovner: The Washington Put up’s “A 150-12 months-Outdated Legislation Might Assist Decide the Destiny of U.S. Abortion Entry,” by Dan Diamond and Ann E. Marimow.

Victoria Knight: The New York Instances’ “World Well being Group Warns In opposition to Utilizing Synthetic Sweeteners,” by April Rubin.

Rachel Roubein: CBS Information’ “Hundreds Face Medicaid Whiplash in South Dakota and North Carolina,” by Arielle Zionts of KFF Well being Information.

Sandhya Raman: CQ Roll Name’s “A 12 months After Dobbs Leak, Democrats Nonetheless See Abortion Driving 2024 Voters,” by Mary Ellen McIntire and Daniela Altimari.

Additionally talked about on this week’s episode:

KFF Well being Information’ “ER Medical doctors Vow to Pursue Case In opposition to Envision Regardless of Chapter,” by Bernard J. Wolfson.

Credit

Francis Ying Audio producer Emmarie Huetteman Editor