{"id":2168125,"date":"2026-03-12T14:35:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T18:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/?p=2168125&post_type=podcast&preview_id=2168125"},"modified":"2026-03-13T12:17:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T16:17:39","slug":"what-the-health-437-rfk-jr-kennedy-casey-means-prasad-march-12-2026","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/podcast\/what-the-health-437-rfk-jr-kennedy-casey-means-prasad-march-12-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"What the Health? From KFF Health News: RFK Jr.\u2019s Very Bad Week"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\t\tThe Host\t<\/h3>\n\t\t
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Julie Rovner<\/div>\n\t
KFF Health News<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tRead Julie's stories.\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tJulie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News\u2019 weekly health policy news podcast, "What the Health?" A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book "Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z," now in its third edition.\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been a tough week for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In addition to Kennedy having surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, personnel issues continue to plague the department: The nominee to become surgeon general, an ally of Kennedy\u2019s, may lack the votes for Senate confirmation. The controversial head of the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s vaccine center will be resigning next month. And a new survey finds Americans have less trust in HHS leaders now than they did during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues its crackdown over claims of rampant health care fraud. In addition to targeting the Medicaid programs in states led by Democratic governors, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is also taking aim at previously sacrosanct Medicare Advantage plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week\u2019s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anna Edney<\/div>\n\t
Bloomberg News<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tRead Anna's stories.\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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Joanne Kenen<\/div>\n\t
Johns Hopkins University and Politico<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tRead Joanne's bio.\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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Shefali Luthra<\/div>\n\t
The 19th<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\tRead Shefali's stories.\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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Among the takeaways from this week\u2019s episode:<\/p>\n\n\n\n