Julie Rovner

Demonstrators gathered in front of the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices heard arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, a case about a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, on December 01, 2021. Experts believe a ruling on this case could undermine or overturn Roe v. Wade.

Americans are divided on abortion. The Supreme Court may not wait for minds to change

Julie Rovner

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Public opinion remains bitterly divided on the issue, but an imminent Supreme Court decision could overturn or dramatically undercut Roe v. Wade.

Medicare is funded by a combination of money paid directly to the federal government from paychecks and taxes paid by working Americans. Most dental procedures and tests are not covered under traditional Medicare.

Democrats Hope To Beef Up Medicare With Dental, Vision And Hearing Benefits

Julie Rovner

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When Medicare began in 1965, its backers expected benefits to expand over time, but politics have mostly stymied that. Congressional Democrats are trying again as part of a $3.5 trillion budget plan.

President Joe Biden has stepped lightly into the abortion politics fray, taking few actions to reverse the previous administrations anti-abortion policies.

Treading Lightly In Abortion Politics, Biden Still Manages To Annoy Both Sides

Julie Rovner

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The president is one of a disappearing group of politicians who sought moderate compromises on abortion. His supporters want faster changes. But abortion-rights opponents are also taking him to task.

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, sworn in last week as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says she will focus on improving Americans' access to health care. Any discussions of shoring up Medicare funding, she says, should also entail strengthening the program's benefits.

Expanding Health Coverage Is Top Priority For New Head Of Medicare/Medicaid

Julie Rovner

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Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the new head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says she'll focus her time in charge on getting more Americans insured.

When President-Elect Joe Biden takes office, making changes to the U.S. health care system through the executive branch will require painstaking work.

When Biden Takes Office, Undoing Trump's Health Policies Won't Be Easy

Julie Rovner

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Democrats control the new Congress by such a slim margin that passing health laws will be daunting. Instead Biden may have to use executive authority to advance his health care vision.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett's first opportunity to weigh in on abortion and contraception could come as early as this week, as the high court decides whether to take up a Mississippi case.

How An Abortion Fight In Supreme Court Could Threaten Birth Control, Too

Julie Rovner

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In talk of the impact Amy Coney Barrett could have on abortion rights, many people overlook related cases that might be in play, including the right to birth control that the court recognized in 1965.

Demonstrators pray in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on July 8, a day the court ruled that employers with religious objections can decline to provide contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act. With the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the ACA's future is in doubt.

The Future Of The Affordable Care Act In A Supreme Court Without Ginsburg

Julie Rovner

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The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg comes just as the Supreme Court was about to hear a case challenging the ACA. It could end Medicaid expansion and protections for preexisting conditions.

Funding is shrinking for Medicare's Part A trust fund, which pays for hospitalization and in-patient care. The funding largely comes from a 1.45% payroll tax paid by employees and employers.

Another Problem On The Health Horizon: Medicare Is Running Out Of Money

Julie Rovner

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With millions of people out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to help keep Medicare's trust fund intact.

Casa de Salud clinicians, staff and health apprentices socially distance outside their New Mexico clinic. The facility is one of many social safety net clinics that haven't yet received pandemic-related funding and are now on the brink financially.

Medicaid Clinics And Doctors Have Been Last In Line For COVID-19 Relief Funding

Julie Rovner

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Congress authorized $100 billion to reimburse health care providers for losses linked to the pandemic, but much of that money has gone for Medicare patients, with low-income families left behind.

Pedro Rivera waits with other volunteers in District Heights, Md. to hand out food. He's wearing a mask that reads, "This too shall pass."

Opinion: Always The Bridesmaid, Public Health Rarely Spotlighted Until It's Too Late

Julie Rovner

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Because the public health system mostly operates in the background, it rarely gets the attention or funding it deserves ― until there's a crisis.

Former Vice President Joe Biden at a press conference in Wilmington, Del., in mid-March. His bid this week to allow 60-year-olds to get Medicare "reflects the reality," he says, "that, even after the current crisis ends, older Americans are likely to find it difficult to secure jobs."

Biden's Health Play In A COVID-19 Economy: Lower Medicare's Eligibility Age To 60

Julie Rovner

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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden proposes letting 60-year-olds enroll in Medicare. He'd pay for the expansion out of general tax revenue, he says, not the Medicare fund.

Overall, U.S. health spending is more than twice the average of other Western nations, and it's not just a matter of high drug prices. No wonder voters list health and the high price of care as one of their major election concerns as they head to the polls.

U.S. Elections 2020: Understanding What's At Stake For Health Care

Julie Rovner

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With the Iowa caucuses and first primaries just weeks away, many voters say they're still confused about how presidential candidates differ on health care. Here's a guide to key issues and terms.