Explore every episode of the podcast POLITICO's Pulse Check

Artificial intelligence is changing the way doctors practice, but also how the health care business runs. Host Chelsea Cirruzzo talks with POLITICO health care reporter Daniel Payne about the ways AI is already used across the medical landscape and how regulators are responding.

As federal officials scramble to regulate artificial intelligence in health care, HHS has already become one of the top federal agencies using the technology. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO health reporter Chelsea Cirruzzo about some of the 80 implemented or planned uses of AI by HHS agencies.

The White House says it can use "march-in rights" to seize patents for certain medicines partly developed with federal funds. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO White House Correspondent Adam Cancryn about how the move could give the president another tool in his effort to lower drug prices.

Health care treatments such as gene therapy may hold the key to effectively treat rare genetic diseases and alleviate future chronic diseases. Host Kelly Hooper talks with Robert King about what we learned from POLITICO's Next Generation of Health Care Therapies event.

Overdose deaths involving both cocaine and opioids have spiked over the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Kelly Hooper about the factors driving the deadly increase.    

Once one of the biggest champions of the National Institutes of Health, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich now backs funding cuts to the agency. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks to Erin Schumaker about what's behind Gingrich’s new take on the NIH and how a budget cut would impact the agency's work.

The Biden administration’s effort to use HIPAA privacy laws to protect abortion rights is facing dual criticism from Republicans, who say it overreaches, and Democrats, who say it doesn’t go far enough. Host Kelly Hooper talks with Alice Miranda Ollstein about President Joe Biden’s attempt to defend abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

CMS has proposed changes to Medicare’s physician fees. Host Evan Peng talks to Ben Leonard about a plan the agency says would advance lower costs, and support behavioral health.    

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb convinced a bipartisan majority in his state’s legislature to boost public health funding this year by 1,500 percent, overcoming opposition from fellow Republicans angry about the government’s response to Covid-19. Host Kelly Hooper talks to Megan Messerly about Indiana’s conservative model for strengthening public health.

The FDA’s approval of Opill comes after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision and as several states adopt bans on abortion. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks to Katherine Ellen Foley about the implications of the agency’s decision.

The nomination of Monica Bertagnolli to lead the National Institutes of Health is now caught between President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over the administration's drug pricing agenda. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks to Adam Cancryn about Bertagnolli’s stalled candidacy.  

The Biden administration has unveiled a plan to combat the growing threat of so-called Tranq Dope — a lethal combination of fentanyl and the horse tranquilizer xylazine — which has led to a surge in deaths in the U.S. Host Megan Messerly talks with Carmen Paun about the administration’s new strategy to curb overdose deaths.    

High policy aspirations, partisan gridlock and deadlines for must-pass health care legislation plague lawmakers as they return from the July recess — only 11 legislative days from the next congressional break. Host Ben Leonard talks with Megan R. Wilson about what lies on Capitol Hill.

Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson's rise to House Speaker and the departure of some key health care policy aides are shifting power on the Hill, giving more sway to the priorities of committee chairs and their senior staffers in the shaping of health care policy in 2024. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with POLITICO health care reporter Megan R. Wilson about the changes.    

President Biden aims to limit short-term health coverage to a maximum of four months, reversing a previous regulation allowing for longer time periods implemented during the Trump administration. Host Kelly Hooper talks with Robert King about an array of recently proposed rules at HHS, DOL and the Treasury Department that the Biden administration believes will safeguard consumers and strengthen the Obamacare exchange by reining in what the president calls “junk insurance” plans.    

Jesse Ehrenfeld, the newly inaugurated president of the American Medical Association, is focusing on the political pressures doctors face as well as their pay. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Daniel Payne about what’s on Ehrenfeld’s mind as he takes the helm of one of the most influential groups in Washington.

Congressional Republicans have recently criticized CMS, claiming the agency ignored input from an appointed board of doctors about how to transition Medicare payment policies using new payment models. The new models switch from a focus on the volume of physician services provided to patients to payment models in which the value of services dominates. Host Carmen Paun talks with Robert King about the board, known as PTAC, and GOP concerns about the way CMS is implementing the switch to value-based care payment models.  

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has unveiled final guidance explaining how its negotiations with manufacturers over drug prices for Medicare patients will proceed. Congress last year authorized price bargaining on a limited number of medicines. Host Kelly Hooper talks with Robert King about how it will work.

Today marks CDC Director Rochelle Walensky’s last day at the agency. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Daniel Payne, who spoke to Walensky about what’s next for the future of the CDC and for her successor.

As the Alzheimer’s drug landscape shifts, drugmakers are developing the next class of treatments. Host Kelly Hooper talks with Katherine Ellen Foley about the future of such therapies.

An abortion dispute in Congress threatens to jeopardize the reauthorization of PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, credited with saving 25 million lives from the disease in the developing world. Host Megan Messerly talks with Carmen Paun about the debate over whether federal funds should support HIV/AIDS organizations that support abortion rights.

The FDA released draft guidance for researchers designing clinical trials using psychedelic drugs. Host Ben Leonard talks with Erin Schumaker about the future of psychedelic drug research and development.

House Republicans want to reform Medicare’s oft-criticized payment system in order to better compensate doctors and reduce their paperwork burdens, but Daniel Payne tells host Kelly Hooper that his reporting shows prospects for legislation this year are slim given competing legislative priorities and the complexity of the problem. 

It’s been a year since the landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, with Republican and Democrat-controlled states taking opposing approaches to abortion rights. POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein and Megan Messerly go over the developments that defied predictions.

Google wants to make your phone a "doctor in your pocket" using artificial intelligence, but lawmakers worry the tech giant and others are innovating too fast before patient protections are set. Host Lauren Gardner talks with POLITICO health care reporter Ruth Reader about artificial intelligence and Washington's drive to regulate.              

Georgia is set to become the first state in five years to implement work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Robert King about the waiver’s provisions and why some conservative states are looking to Georgia’s eligibility requirements as a possible model for their own Medicaid programs.

Progressives are employing an unconventional legal tactic in their efforts to dismantle abortion bans. Host Megan Messerly talks with Alice Miranda Ollstein, who explains how groups are leveraging religious freedom to strike down abortion bans. 

President Biden’s choice to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mandy Cohen, built her political acumen in previous roles as a health official in North Carolina and in the Obama administration. But Erin Schumaker tells host Katherine Ellen Foley that the politicization of the CDC during the Covid-19 pandemic will be a challenge.

A House hearing on the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act underscores the partisan bickering behind reauthorizing must-pass legislation to improve how the U.S. responds to public health crises. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Megan R. Wilson about congressional negotiations before a Sept. 30 deadline.

Outgoing CDC Director Rochelle Walensky fielded questions from Congress on Tuesday about the agency’s lessons learned from the pandemic, while at the same time making a case for lawmakers to support a new vision for the agency. Host Kelly Hooper talks with Daniel Payne about what Walensky said the CDC needs to do to better serve the public.

Outside advisers to the FDA recommended that the agency grant traditional approval to the Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi. Host Ben Leonard talks with Katherine Ellen Foley about what final approval could mean for patients.

The Biden administration identified 43 drugs subject to rebates from manufacturers to Medicare and lower coinsurance rates for beneficiaries starting July 1 -- more than double the current number. Host Kelly Hooper talks with Robert King about the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' decision.

Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Carmen Paun about the skepticism that HHS Secretary Xavier Becerras expressed about future funding for Covid vaccines at this week’s POLITICO Health Care Summit.

POLITICO hosted its annual health care summit Wednesday to explore the transformative impact of technology and innovation on health care. Host Katherine Ellen Foley spoke with attendees at the summit, including Ashish Jha, White House Covid-19 response coordinator, and reporter Carmen Paun provides her biggest takeaways.

POLITICO is hosting its annual health care summit to explore the transformative impact of technology and innovation on health care and the challenges that lie ahead for the U.S. as the country grapples with improving access to quality care for all Americans. Host Megan Messerly chats with David Lim, who tells us what to expect.

The Affordable Care Act insures more than 40 million people and is very popular. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO health care reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein about why calls by former President Donald Trump to replace the law could fall on deaf ears. (edited)     

CMS wants patients to pay a role in the first round of Medicare drug price negotiations set to begin this fall. Host Ben Leonard talks to Robert King about Medicare Director Meena Seshamani’s efforts to negotiate for lower prices on Medicare Part D.

People with autism have come to the defense of GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis after Steve Bannon, the former adviser to President Donald Trump, claimed without evidence that DeSantis is autistic. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Michael Schaffer about how Bannon’s baseless attack is reinforcing discriminatory attitudes about people with disabilities. 

The push to maintain Medicaid enrollment has intensified beyond patient advocates and state workers, with hospitals and clinics striving to prevent individuals from being removed from the program. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Daniel Payne about the efforts.  

Doctors and hospitals are eager to collaborate with the Biden administration on finding new cost-saving measures for Medicare, but they are encountering challenges in engaging with federal regulators. Host Carmen Paun talks with Robert King about the limited options provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and why doctors find the programs difficult to navigate.

A POLITICO analysis of data from the U.S. Labor Department shows that pandemic-era policies reversed the trend toward a widening income gap. But as the move away from those policies ends, that gain is threatened. So, what happens now? Host Ben Leonard talks with Victoria Guida about the labor economy and what the data shows about the health care sector.

Patients arriving for an appointment at the West Alabama Women’s Center one-year post-Roe find a clinic that has shifted its focus to non-abortion services. Host Daniel Payne talks with Alice Miranda Ollstein about the clinic’s struggle to serve patients in a state with a total abortion ban. 

On Thursday, the House passed legislation to classify street versions of fentanyl as a Schedule 1 substance, despite some Democrats saying the bill is a distraction. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Carmen Paun about The HALT Fentanyl Act. 

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a significant drop in new HIV infections across the U.S. — a 12 percent decrease between 2017 and 2021. Even though HIV infections have dropped, racial gaps remain in testing and treatment. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Alice Miranda Ollstein about improving access to testing, treatment and preventive measures as progress remains fragile.

Mayo Clinic threatened to withdraw $4 billion in new hospital investments in Minnesota if the state’s recent proposed health affordability bill wasn’t killed. Host Ben Leonard talks with Megan Messerly about the challenges states face in reining in health spending against influential industry players. 

Private insurers will continue coverage for remote patient monitoring devices through Medicare, signaling a significant win for the telehealth industry. Host Megan Messerly talks with Ben Leonard about the decision, which may reduce spending in the program. 

The FDA is close to a decision on a landmark one-time gene-editing treatment for patients with sickle cell disease and another blood disorder. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO health care reporter Lauren Gardner about how the therapy works, its safety profile, who will be eligible for it and the significant challenges around affordability and access.

If Congress and President Biden can’t reach a deal to cover U.S. debts, Medicare won’t be able to pay its bills, VA hospitals will miss their payrolls, and patients on Obamacare plans will lose their subsidies, among other effects. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Kelly Hooper about her reporting on the consequences of a prolonged default.

The Senate panel initiated a bipartisan investigation, demanding records from the largest Medicare Advantage insurers: Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and CVS. Host Ben Leonard talks with Robert King about the frequency of care denials for beneficiaries and the utilization of artificial intelligence.

Sen. Bernie Sanders is launching his latest push as one of the Senate’s most powerful committee chairs: to pour nearly $200 billion of new money into the health care system. The new package is Sanders’ response to monthslong discussions on the Senate HELP Committee about how to address growing health workforce shortages and financial woes of community health centers. Host Megan Messerly talks with Daniel Payne.