Julie Rovner

Julie Rovner is a health policy correspondent for NPR specializing in the politics of health care.

Reporting on all aspects of health policy and politics, Rovner covers the White House, Capitol Hill, the Department of Health and Human Services in addition to issues around the country. She served as NPR's lead correspondent covering the passage and implementation of the 2010 health overhaul bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Additionally, Rovner is a contributing editor for National Journal Daily, a publication covering Capitol Hill.

A noted expert on health policy issues, Rovner is the author of a critically-praised reference book Health Care Politics and Policy A-Z. Rovner is also co-author of the book Managed Care Strategies 1997, and has contributed to several other books, including two chapters in Intensive Care: How Congress Shapes Health Policy, edited by political scientists Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann.

In 2005, Rovner was awarded the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for distinguished reporting of Congress for her coverage of the passage of the Medicare prescription drug law and its aftermath.

Rovner has appeared on television on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CNN, C-Span, MSNBC, and NOW with Bill Moyers. Her articles have appeared in dozens of national newspapers and magazines, including The Washington Post, USA Today, Modern Maturity, and The Saturday Evening Post.

Prior to NPR, Rovner covered health and human services for the Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, specializing in health care financing, abortion, welfare, and disability issues. Later she covered health reform for the Medical News Network, an interactive daily television news service for physicians, and provided analysis and commentary on the health reform debates in Congress for NPR. She has been a regular contributor to the British medical journal The Lancet. Her columns on patients' rights for the magazine Business and Health won her a share of the 1999 Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award.

An honors graduate, Rovner has a degree in political science from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

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6:40pm

Tue April 12, 2011
Shots - Health Blog

New Proposal Aims To Cut Down On Hospital Infections

Finally, something health-related that everyone can agree on.

Well, almost everyone.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Tuesday pledged "up to $1 billion" for a new "Partnership for Patients." The initiative aims to reduce preventable hospital infections and patient readmissions after they have been discharged.

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6:04pm

Fri April 8, 2011
Shots - Health Blog

Are Abortion Issues Blocking A Deal On The Budget?

So are abortion-related policy add-ons really preventing Democrats and Republicans from reaching a deal on a spending bill to keep the government running past midnight Friday?

It depends who you ask.

Democrats say absolutely. "Mr. President, the Republicans want to shut down our nation's government because they want to make it harder for women to get the health services they need," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

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6:22pm

Wed April 6, 2011
Shots - Health Blog

Budget Office: GOP Medicare Plan Could Lead To Rationing

Remember all those allegations from Republicans that the Affordable Care Act would inevitably lead to health care rationing? It turns out the same might be true of the House GOP budget plan for Medicare.

At least that's the conclusion of the Congressional Budget Office.

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4:20pm

Wed April 6, 2011
Shots - Health Blog

Brief Federal Shutdown Wouldn't Faze Medicare Or Medicaid

If the current budget standoff on Capitol Hill leads to a shutdown of the federal government on Friday, recipients of the Medicare and Medicaid health programs won't have to worry. At least not for a while.

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12:01am

Wed March 23, 2011
Health Care

As Health Law Turns 1, Debate Far From Settled

Wednesday marks a year since President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law.

But in those ensuing 12 months, the debate has barely missed a beat.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats have continued to sing the measure's praises.

"With this landmark law, we made health insurance and health care a right, not a privilege, for all Americans," said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, "by extending coverage to 32 million more Americans."

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