KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Waking Up to Baby Formula Shortage

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Click here for a transcript of the episode.

The federal authorities lastly addressed the toddler method scarcity, as a rising variety of households discovered themselves with out something to feed their infants. However it should possible take weeks for any results of the federal motion to be felt, whereas infants have to be fed each day.

In the meantime, a 3rd of the nation is experiencing covid-19 exercise that justifies increasing preventive measures, however public well being and elected officers seem loath to ask the general public to return to something that is likely to be deemed inconvenient.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat.

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

1000’s of oldsters across the nation are reeling as they face a dire scarcity of toddler method, and the administration is looking for workarounds to revive provides. Even earlier than method maker Abbott closed a key manufacturing plant in Michigan in February, distribution issues and shortages had been seen in components of the nation. Manufacturing is very concentrated amongst a small variety of corporations.
Nonetheless, solely in latest weeks did the administration or Congress take high-profile steps to assist households feed their infants. That gradual response has introduced searing criticism. However, not less than on Capitol Hill, the hesitation to react could mirror a demographic that’s older, male, well-off, and unlikely affected intently by the shortages.
Covid circumstances and hospitalizations are on the rise, and a few officers are warning that the general public must return to masking and testing to remain protected. Nonetheless, a return to mandates doesn’t seem possible regardless of assurances from public well being authorities months in the past that if new surges threatened the nation, necessities could be reinstituted.
Regardless of widespread suspicions that the Biden administration would possibly announce this month that the general public well being emergency will finish in July, no finish date has been given. Officers have pledged they are going to present a 60-day discover earlier than ending the emergency to permit states to arrange. Some analysts counsel the emergency could proceed after the midterm elections and never finish till the 12 months is over.
One of many greatest impacts of a seamless public well being emergency is that states obtain extra federal Medicaid funds and can’t push any enrollees off the medical health insurance program for low-income folks. Enrollment has swelled throughout the pandemic, elevating state prices for his or her share of this system. Some conservative states are contemplating whether or not they could be higher off paring their Medicaid rolls and forsaking these pandemic reduction funds from the federal authorities.
Because the nation awaits a ultimate abortion resolution from the Supreme Court docket, abortion-rights teams are taking a look at doable methods if the justices overturn the 49-year Roe v. Wade resolution that assured entry to abortion throughout the nation. They’re taking a look at states which will have protections of their particular person constitutions, utilizing arguments in courtroom that limiting abortion impinges on some teams’ non secular freedoms, and boosting the variety of well being care professionals who can present early abortions.

Plus, for further credit score, the panelists advocate their favourite well being coverage tales of the week they suppose it is best to learn, too:

Julie Rovner: Fortune and KHN’s “The Frequently Long Waits for Insurance Prior Approvals Frustrate Doctors and Patients Needing Treatment,” by Michelle Andrews

Alice Miranda Ollstein: JAMA Well being Discussion board’s “The Costs of Long COVID,” by David Cutler

Rachel Cohrs: ProPublica’s “The COVID Testing Company That Missed 96% of Cases,” by Anjeanette Damon

Tami Luhby: KHN’s “States Have Yet to Spend Hundreds of Millions of Federal Dollars to Tackle Covid Health Disparities,” by Phil Galewitz, Lauren Weber, and Sam Whitehead

Additionally mentioned on this week’s podcast:

The New York Occasions’ “Amid a Worsening Formula Shortage, Mothers Are Asked: ‘Why Not Breastfeed?’” by Catherine Pearson

CNN’s “These Families Buy About Half of Infant Formula Nationwide. Here’s How the Biden Administration Is Trying to Help Them,” by Tami Luhby

Politico’s “What Abortion Rights Advocates Are Planning if Roe Falls,” by Alice Miranda Ollstein and Laura Barrón-López

Politico’s “Blue States Expand Who Can Provide Abortions as They Brace for a Flood of Patients,” by Alice Miranda Ollstein and Megan Messerly

The Atlantic’s “What COVID Hospitalization Numbers Are Missing,” by Ed Yong

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