Boosting Confusion

Federal health officials appear poised to extend a recommendation for covid boosters to all adults, following moves by some governors and mayors to broaden the eligible booster pool as caseloads rise. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration finally has a nominee to head the agency: former FDA chief Robert Califf. And Medicare premiums for consumers will likely rise substantially in 2022, partly due to the approval of a controversial drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

Tami Luhby of CNN, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann, host of the “An Arm and a Leg” podcast.

And here are the panelists' favorite health policy stories of the week:

Julie Rovner: The Atlantic’s “Why Health-Care Workers Are Quitting in Droves,” by Ed Yong.

Also, Stat’s “The Catholic Hospital System Ascension Is Running a Wall Street-Style Private Equity Fund,” by Rachel Cohrs.

Tami Luhby: Politico’s “’We Don’t Fix This Because We Just Don’t Care About Old People,’” by Joanne Kenen.

Sarah Karlin-Smith: KHN and InvestigateTV’s “As Big Pharma and Hospitals Battle Over Drug Discounts, Patients Miss Out on Millions in Benefits,” by Sarah Jane Tribble and Emily Featherston.

Rachel Cohrs: Modern Healthcare’s “Why the Justice Department Is Targeting Private Equity,” by Tara Bannow. 

Click here for a transcript of the episode.

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