Nutrition Programs Face Their Own Shutdown
The host
Julie Rovner Health News KFF
@julierovner.bsky.social Read Julie’s stories. Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A renowned expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically acclaimed reference work “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third edition.
Health programs are being impacted by the current government shutdown. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the Food Program for Women, Infants and Children, WIC, is at risk of running out in November, and budget cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are preventing the agency from fulfilling some of its key public health functions.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown also has health consequences, and the Department of Homeland Security is trying to bolster its medical staff to deal with the large number of people in its custody.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Rachel Roubein of the Washington Post.
Panelists
Shefali Luthra 19th @shefali.bsky.social Read Shefali’s stories. Alice Miranda Ollstein Politics
@alicemiranda.bsky.social Read Alice’s stories. Rachel RoubeinThe Washington Post
Read Rachel’s stories.
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
- As the federal shutdown continues, some face the startling possibility that their SNAP and WIC benefits will soon be cut off. Lawmakers remain deadlocked over renewing the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies that are about to expire, and the roughly 24 million people with such plans — about 90 percent of whom benefit from those subsidies — are beginning to learn what they’ll owe next year without them.
- While a key weekly government report on morbidity and mortality was paused due to the shutdown, the New England Journal of Medicine and the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy announced they would partner to publish public health alerts. As others step in to fill the void left by the Trump administration’s retreat from public health, the federal government’s data and ability to access information are not easy to replace.
- It is unclear whether the Trump administration’s plan to make in vitro fertilization more accessible will result in a substantial improvement in access to fertility treatments. Some employers already offer additional IVF benefits, and so far there are few details, such as how generous the Trump proposal would require coverage.
Also this week, Rovner interviews Katheryn Houghton of KFF Health News, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” article, about a broken elbow and a nearly six-figure bill.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy articles they read this week that they think you should also read:
Julie Rovner: ProPublica’s “The Shadow President,” by Andy Kroll.
Shefali Luthra: “More and more people are freezing their eggs – but most will never use them,” by Shalini Kathuria Narang, Rewire News Group.
Alice Miranda Ollstein: “New Study: AI Chatbots Systematically Violate Mental Health Ethical Standards” from Brown University.
Rachel Roubein: The Washington Post’s “Errors in New Medicare Plan’s Portal Mislead Seniors About Coverage,” by Dan Diamond and Akilah Johnson.
Also mentioned in this week’s podcast:
Credits
Francis Ying Audio Producer Emmarie Huetteman Editor
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