Julie Rovner

What lawmakers advanced, and stalled, on health care this week

Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, on Congress's healthcare stalemate and what it means for ACA marketplace shoppers.

The debate to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies continues as deadline looms

Julie Rovner, A Martínez

The extension of the extra financial help to buy Affordable Care Act health insurance is still up in the air. Republicans have politics and policy to weigh.

Abortion rights and other health care issues were part of Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign stump speech in Fayetteville, N.C., on Thursday — three days before Biden dropped out of the race.

NPR Headlines

Harris, who is Biden's voice on abortion rights, is likely to raise the volume

Stephanie Armour, Julie Appleby, Julie Rovner

As a candidate, Kamala Harris likely would take an aggressive stance in support of abortion access — hitting former President Donald Trump on an issue where Republicans have been vulnerable.

U.S. Supreme Court Police officers put up barricades to separate anti-abortion activists from abortion rights activists during a demonstration in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on June 24, 2024.

NPR Headlines

Republican candidates are downplaying abortion, but it keeps coming up

Julie Rovner

Torn between a base that wants more restrictions on abortion and a moderate majority that does not, it seems many Republicans would rather avoid the topic. But they can’t escape talking about it.

NPR Headlines

Medical residents are starting to avoid states with abortion bans, data shows

Julie Rovner, Rachana Pradhan

A new analysis shows that students graduating from U.S. medical schools this year were less likely to apply for residencies across specialties in states with restrictions on abortion.

Former U.S.President Donald Trump speaks during the 2024 Iowa Republican caucuses at Horizon Events Center in West Des Moines, Iowa.

NPR Headlines

What would a second Trump presidency look like for health care?

Julie Rovner

The former president is reviving campaign promises to undo Obamacare, an idea that fizzled during his first time in office. Based on his record, here's what else he might do in health policy.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and other members of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus could force a federal government shutdown Oct. 1. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and prevention would be affected.

NPR Headlines

What happens to health programs if the federal government shuts down?

Julie Rovner

Medicare and Medicaid are mandatory spending programs and that keeps them relatively safe in the early days of the shutdown, but 42% of the Department of Health's staff will be furloughed.