The Host. Julie Rovner. KFF Health News. @jrovner. @julierovner.bsky.social. Read Julie’s stories.. 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.. This month marks host Julie Rovner’s 40th anniversary reporting on health policy in Washington. Over that time, she’s covered a vast range of topics, from the response to the AIDS epidemic, to Medicare and Medicaid changes, to the fight over the “Patients’ Bill of Rights” — and a half-dozen major reform fights, including the introduction of the Affordable Care Act and the efforts to repeal it.. In honor of the occasion, Rovner invited two of her longtime sources to chat about what has — and has not — changed in health policy over the past four decades.. Email Sign-Up. Subscribe to KFF Health News’ free Morning Briefing.. Your Email Address Sign Up. Click to open the transcript Transcript: 40 Years of Health Policy. [Editor’s note: This transcript was generated using both transcription software and a human’s light touch. It has been edited for style and clarity.]. Julie Rovner: Hello from KFF Health News and WAMU Public Radio in Washington, D.C. Welcome to What the Health? I’m Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News. Usually we’re joined by some of the best reporters covering Washington, but today we’re bringing you something special. I hope you enjoy it. We’re taping this episode on Friday, Feb. 27, at 4 p.m. As always, news happens fast, and things might have changed by the time you hear this. So here we go.. I have two special guests today, who I will introduce in a moment. But first I’m going to explain why I chose them. I started reporting on health policy in 1986, covering health and welfare on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Health and Human Services for what was then the Congressional Quarterly “Weekly Report.” This month marks my 40th anniversary on the health beat, and as anniversaries so often do, it got me thinking about everything I’ve seen and covered, including a half a dozen major health reform fights, a dozen budget reconciliation bills, years-long fights over everything from the Patients’ Bill of Rights and human cloning to bioterrorism and a pandemic. It also got me thinking about where I thought the U.S. health system would be four decades after I began, and where it actually is. And I thought it might be fun to reminisce with a couple of people who not only were there when I started, but who also taught me a lot of what I know. So without further ado, let me introduce my guests. Chip Kahn just stepped down as president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals after 25 years in that post. Chip previously worked in both the House and the Senate for the major h
