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In its first abortion case because the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the Supreme Court docket this week seemed unlikely to uphold an appeals courtroom ruling that might dramatically prohibit the supply of the abortion tablet mifepristone. However the courtroom already has one other abortion-related case teed up for April, and abortion opponents have a number of extra challenges in thoughts to restrict the process in states the place it stays authorized.
In the meantime, Republicans, together with former President Donald Trump, proceed to take goal at common well being applications like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Reasonably priced Care Act on the marketing campaign path — a lot to the delight of Democrats, who really feel they’ve a bonus on the problem.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Put up.
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- At the least two conservative Supreme Court docket justices joined the three extra progressive members of the bench throughout Tuesday’s oral arguments in expressing skepticism concerning the problem to the abortion drug mifepristone. Their questions targeted totally on whether or not the docs difficult the drug had confirmed they had been harmed by its availability — in addition to whether or not the perfect treatment was to broadly prohibit entry to the drug for everybody else.
- A ruling in favor of the docs difficult mifepristone would have the potential to cut back the drug’s security and efficacy: Particularly, one FDA choice topic to reversal adjusted dosing, and switching to utilizing solely the second drug within the present two-drug abortion tablet routine would additionally barely enhance the danger of issues.
- Two conservative justices additionally raised the applicability of the Comstock Act, a long-dormant, Nineteenth-century legislation that restricts mail distribution of abortion-related objects. Their questions are notable as advisers to Trump discover reviving the unenforced legislation ought to he win this November.
- In the meantime, a Democrat in Alabama flipped a state Home seat campaigning on abortion-related points, as Trump once more discusses implementing a nationwide abortion ban. The difficulty is constant to show thorny for Republicans.
- Whilst Republicans attempt to keep away from working on well being care points, the Heritage Basis and a bunch of Home Republicans have proposed plans that embody adjustments to the well being care system. Will the plans do extra to rev up their base — or Democrats?
- This Week in Medical Misinformation: TikTok’s algorithm is boosting deceptive details about hormonal contraception — and in some instances leading to extra unintended pregnancies.
Additionally this week, Rovner interviews KFF Well being Information’ Tony Leys, who wrote a KFF Well being Information-NPR “Invoice of the Month” function about Medicare and a really costly air-ambulance trip. When you’ve got a baffling or outrageous medical invoice you’d prefer to share with us, you are able to do that right here.
Plus, for “additional credit score,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week they assume it is best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: KFF Well being Information’ “Overdosing on Chemo: A Frequent Gene Take a look at Might Save A whole lot of Lives Every 12 months,” by Arthur Allen.
Alice Miranda Ollstein: Stat’s “Fetal Tissue Analysis Features in Significance as Roadblocks Multiply,” by Olivia Goldhill.
Sarah Karlin-Smith: The Washington Put up’s “The Complicated, Tense Ordeal of Flying With a Breast Pump,” by Hannah Sampson and Ben Brasch.
Lauren Weber: Stateline’s “Lethal Fires From Cellphone, Scooter Batteries Go away Lawmakers Taking part in Catch-Up on Security,” by Robbie Sequeira.
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
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