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.

Abortion policy changes made since the fall of Roe v. Wade continue to spur ongoing political turmoil nationwide. Host Lauren Gardner talks with POLITICO health care reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein about the most significant developments surrounding abortion this year and what to expect heading into 2024.

Fatal overdoses of the synthetic opioid have hit record highs in the U.S. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO global health reporter Carmen Paun about the devastating impact of the fentanyl epidemic.    

Heat is the second-leading cause of injury to postal workers after slips and falls. Letter carriers are supposed to receive training for dealing with high temperatures, but the Postal Service acknowledged to E&E News that it had in some cases falsified training records, reporter Ariel Wittenberg tells host Kelly Hooper.

The Biden administration announced Thursday that drug companies receiving research funding from HHS' emergency response arm, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, will have to commit to a “fair price” – not more than they charge in other countries. Host Chelsea Cirruzzo talks with POLITICO health care reporter Robert King about the Biden administration's efforts to curb high prescription drug prices.    

As Congress pursues landmark health reforms, lawmakers must align House and Senate legislation that includes ensuring transparency from hospitals, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers and reauthorizing a law that would expand treatment for opioid use disorders. Host Megan Messerly talks with POLITICO health care reporter Ben Leonard about the chances of reconciling the chambers' competing bills.    

Congress has moved to reup treatment for opioid use disorder as the rate of fatal overdoses remains near record highs in the US. Host Lauren Gardner talks with POLITICO global health reporter Carmen Paun about the role of the SUPPORT Act in the ongoing opioid epidemic.

Mining companies offer good jobs with good benefits that can counterintuitively damage health care access, boosting it for some while hampering it for others. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO health care reporter Megan Messerly about the unintended ripple effects of mining companies' good health benefits plans.  

Congressional negotiations to reup the law governing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief are at an impasse over abortion. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO global health reporter Carmen Paun about what's going on and what it means for a program credited with saving 25 million lives.

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.

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.    

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.              

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)     

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.

Former President Donald Trump is once again calling to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a move the Biden administration views as a political gift ahead of the 2024 election. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO White House Correspondent Adam Cancryn about Trump's comments and the potential political implications.    

Democrats and Republicans agree that the primary care system needs an overhaul. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with POLITICO health care reporter Daniel Payne about the push to encourage nurses to take on new duties.    

China is seeing a surge in respiratory infections, especially among children, but health experts in the U.S. say it's not a sign of another pandemic. Host Lauren Gardner talks with POLITICO global health care reporter Carmen Paun about the current outbreak and why experts say we shouldn't be too concerned.

Bipartisan concern is growing on Capitol Hill over reports of care denials by Medicare Advantage plans through a tool known as prior authorization. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO health care reporter Robert King about the increasing congressional scrutiny.

President Joe Biden signed into law an overhaul of the nation's organ transplant system, the first major reform in 40 years. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with POLITICO health care reporter Chelsea Cirruzzo about how a lack of funding has stalled the effort.  

The recent short-term government funding agreement has likely closed the door on typical year-end omnibus spending packages that could have advanced health priorities. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO health care reporter David Lim about the dim prospects for passing health policies before year's end and what it means for 2024.

The latest Lancet Countdown report details the dire consequences of rising temperatures and increasing energy emissions. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO EU health care reporter Ashleigh Furlong about the potential catastrophic threats climate change poses to human health.  

The CDC announced last week that over 77,000 additional doses of a monoclonal antibody shot protecting infants from severe RSV are being distributed to providers amid ongoing shortages. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO health care reporter Chelsea Cirruzzo about the extra doses arriving as the winter illness season approaches.

In a global first, the United Kingdom has approved a gene-editing treatment for some rare blood diseases that may receive U.S. approval next month. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO Europe health care reporter Carlo Martuscelli about the U.K. decision.    

The lack of a year-end omnibus spending bill creates uncertainty for health industry groups seeking 11th hour fixes on Medicare physician payment cuts. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with POLITICO health care reporter Robert King about possible backup plans for the groups or fixes potentially getting added to other year-end spending bills.

The high cost of weight-loss drugs has states trying to figure out how their employee health plans can afford to cover them. Host Lauren Gardner talks with POLITICO health care reporter Kelly Hooper about Connecticut's approach, which ties health plan coverage to lifestyle programs, and whether that method can serve as a model for other states.

Organizers behind an abortion-rights initiative have yet to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in the Sunshine State. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO policy reporter Arek Sarkissian about the challenges facing the campaign.    

Four years ago, President Donald Trump convinced Congress to commit millions in funding toward ending AIDS. But House Republicans plan to vote this week to cut most of the funding. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO's Evan Peng about what's behind this dramatic change in Republican support.

Support for abortion rights cuts across party lines, doing significantly better with voters than President Joe Biden and other Democrats. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO health care reporter Megan Messerly, who breaks down the results of Tuesday's elections and what's ahead for the 2024 race.

At the 2023 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit this week, experts agreed AI will revolutionize health care, but lawmakers, regulators and thought leaders warned of the risks around misinformation and data privacy, among others . Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Politico health care reporter Daniel Payne about the key takeaways from the conference.

Doulas — birthing experts who provide nonmedical support during pregnancy and childbirth — have been shown to improve health outcomes and combat racial inequities in maternal mortality and morbidity. New York just passed legislation to increase access to doulas. Host Ruth Reader talks with POLITICO health care reporter Maya Kaufman about the law and how New York plans to expand access statewide.

The CDC's advisers on infection control are proposing updates to 16-year-old guidance on how doctors can limit transmission of viral infections in health care facilities. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO health care reporter Chelsea Cirruzzo about what's ahead for the proposed changes.

Gov. Kathy Hochul now opposes state funding for new overdose-prevention centers, despite an advisory board's recommendations. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO health care reporter Maya Kaufman about the governor's shifting stance.   

CMS is holding public listening sessions on Medicare price negotiations for the first 10 drugs selected, but reporting uncovered concerns patient advocates and the pharma industry have over transparency and potential conflicts of interest from some speakers. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO health care reporter David Lim about the ties some speakers have to the industry or advocacy groups.  

The 2024 Affordable Care Act open enrollment period started Wednesday, with changes such as higher premiums and different plan choices. Federal, and in some cases state, subsidies are expected to shield most enrollees from cost hikes. Host Evan Peng talks with POLITICO health care reporter Kelly Hooper about the open enrollment process and what to expect.

Artificial intelligence is working its way into health care. But, so far, government agencies have done little to regulate its use, potentially putting patients at risk for misdiagnoses, bias and privacy violations. Host Lauren Gardner talks with POLITICO health care reporter Daniel Payne about those risks and the debate over how to balance innovation and patient safety.

A Biden administration executive order directs HHS to develop guidelines and oversight for the use of AI in health care. Host Chelsea Cirruzzo talks with POLITICO health care reporter Ben Leonard about what the order means for the sector.  

Ohio voters will decide next week whether to amend the state constitution to protect abortion rights, overriding the current six-week ban. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO Morning Score author Madison Fernandez about what's at stake.    

Congress took up new rules from the Biden administration that set minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes. At a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing this week, members debated whether more staff would help care for patients or make it impossible for the businesses to stay afloat. Host Evan Peng talks about that and other workforce issues with POLITICO health care reporter Daniel Payne.    

Sen. Bernie Sanders sought Democratic support for more action on lowering drug prices this year before he advanced President Joe Biden's pick to lead the NIH. It didn't work. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with POLITICO health care reporter Erin Schumaker about why Sanders' "no" vote on advancing Dr. Monica Bertagnolli's nomination failed.              

The CDC has a new leader who's working to regain the public's trust in the sometimes-beleaguered agency. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO health care reporter Chelsea Cirruzzo, who caught up with CDC Director Mandy Cohen to discuss her national “trust” tour and her plans for the agency's future.            

Some state insurance commissioners want Congress to restore their authority to regulate Medicare Advantage marketing. Host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO health care reporter Robert King about what they want and why.  

The U.S. drug overdose crisis is out of control. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Carmen Paun about why Washington's efforts are failing.

Some experts fear the FDA's accelerated approval process for neurological disease treatments greenlights clinically promising but unproven drugs that can result in giving patients false hope. Host Kelly Hooper talks with POLITICO health care reporter Katherine Ellen Foley about how the FDA is balancing those concerns against the needs of patients.

For the first time, CMS is screening Medicare Advantage plan TV ads before they air, blocking hundreds of them over what the agency calls misleading information and unsubstantiated claims. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with POLITICO health care reporter Robert King about the impact of CMS policing ads during Medicare's annual open enrollment period.