What the Health? From KFF Health News: Abortion Pills, th...

What’s Happening

Okay so This week, the Trump administration clutched a court battle to delay a ruling on access to the abortion pill mifepristone, angering its own anti-abortion allies.

Meanwhile, the president’s budget arrived on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are unlikely to agree to its proposed cuts to Health and Human Services programs. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Maya Goldman of Axios join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. (we’re not making this up)

The Host Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner @julierovner.

The Details

Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ 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.

At the Trump administration’s request, a federal judge in Louisiana this week agreed to delay a ruling affecting the continued availability of the abortion drug mifepristone. That angered anti-abortion groups that want the drug, if not banned, at least more strictly controlled.

Why This Matters

But the administration clearly wants to avoid big abortion fights in the run-up to November’s midterm elections. Meanwhile, the administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 calls for more than $15 billion in cuts to programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. It’s a significant number, but less drastic than cuts it proposed for fiscal 2026.

This is the kind of health news that affects everyday decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Panelists Maya Goldman Axios @mayagoldman_ @maya-goldman.
• Alice Miranda Ollstein Politico @AliceOllstein @alicemiranda.
• Lauren Weber The Washington Post @LaurenWeberHP @laurenweberhp.

The Bottom Line

Yet advocates on both sides of the abortion debate think the administration is just trying to buy time to avoid a controversial decision about medication abortion before November’s midterm elections. It’s budget time on Capitol Hill.

What’s your take on this whole situation?