Politico's Pulse Check

On this Veterans Day, "Pulse Check" and POLITICO's Arthur Allen kick off a four-episode miniseries: what does the future of the VA look like?  Today, we talk to former VA social worker Andrea Plate, author of the upcoming book, "Madness: In the Trenches of America’s Troubled Department of Veterans Affairs," about the challenges of caring for veterans amid funding crunches, structural problems and a battle for the agency's soul.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that over 1.7 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed annually. Advancements in science and technology are paving the way for new cancer treatments that can make a huge difference for patients. And yet, many people don’t have access to them. Hear from two health care leaders working to provide cancer patients with innovative, effective and affordable treatments. This special branded episode of Pulse Check was produced by POLITICO’s in-house brand content studio, POLITICO Focus. POLITICO’s editorial team was not involved in the creation of this episode. Interviews Include: Andy Schmeltz, Global President & General Manager, Pfizer Oncology Patricia Goldsmith, Chief Executive Officer, CancerCare

When there's an Ebola epidemic — or a natural disaster — that could threaten the world, a team at CDC springs into action: the Division of Global Health Protection, which deploys disease detectives and helps stand up emergency operations to fight the problem. Capt. Nancy Knight, MD, joined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to debrief on global health crises and the world's response, part of a special pop-up podcast at the Milken Institute's "Future of Health" summit.

An organ donation can save a life — or at least that's the message hammered home across public health, in advertisements or even when getting a driver's license.  But why does the U.S. system fail to recover so many transplantable organs? And why are some donated organs even thrown away? Greg Segal of ORGANIZE joined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss the current problems and the promising future for organ donation, part of a special pop-up podcast at the Milken Institute's "Future of Health" summit.

John Marty ran for state Senate in Minnesota in the 1980s because he wanted to achieve social change. More than 30 years later, single-payer health care has become his defining mission — and Marty says that his local battle has been supercharged by Bernie Sanders and the national Medicare for All movement. POLITICO's Dan Diamond looked at the political dynamics around Medicare for All and then sat down with Sen. Marty to discuss his policy, strategy and the difficult trade-offs behind single-payer. MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Marty has spent years pushing for what he calls the Minnesota Health Plan. MinnPost wrote about Marty's "lonely quest" to achieve single-payer health care — a decade ago. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan advocacy organization, has thrown its support behind Medicare for All.  The Minnesota Nurses Association has pushed for single-payer health care and specifically backed Marty's bill.  

President Donald Trump has repeatedly relied on HHS to help carry out his sweeping immigration agenda, and a new order that would limit visas to people who aren't "health care burdens" could be the latest dramatic change. Mark Greenberg, who served as the acting assistant secretary for children and families during the Obama administration, sits down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss HHS' role in immigration and why he's so worried about Trump's recent order (starts at the 6:00 mark). Then Scott Lloyd, the Trump appointee who led the HHS refugee office, joins Dan to discuss his experience after the administration began separating migrant families and thousands of children ended up in his office's custody (starts at the 25:45 mark). REFERENCED ON THE PODCAST The Migration Policy Institute predicted that Trump's recent proclamation linking health care and insurance could block as many as two-thirds of green card applicants. Career health officials have raised concerns that Trump's latest order on immigratio

Adam Boehler took the reins of the powerful CMS Innovation Center in early 2018, pledging to help shift the U.S. health care system away from fee-for-service. Eighteen months later, he's leaving the agency, having launched a series of payment pilots that Boehler vows will lead to dramatic changes. Boehler sat down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss why he originally took the job, how he evaluated possible payment reforms and why he thinks the Trump administration didn't fear "sacred cows" in health care. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Boehler founded multiple companies before joining the government, including Landmark Health, which focused on serving the sickest patients. Boehler helped steer major payment pilots at the innovation center, including an effort to reshape kidney care. The CMS Innovation Center could be eliminated if the Affordable Care Act is struck down in court.

"Block grants for Medicaid" have been a conservative pipe dream and a progressive bogeyman for decades. Now Tennessee's GOP governor is moving forward with a plan to turn block-grant dreams into reality — if Trump officials and other lawmakers give permission. First, Joan Alker of Georgetown's Center for Children and Families reviews how Trump officials and GOP leaders have changed the Medicaid program, why she blames the Trump administration for a recent spike in uninsured kids and why she's so worried about the Tennessee proposal. (Starts at the 1:55 mark.) Then POLITICO's Rachana Pradhan joins Dan to review the policy and politics of block grants and how the Trump administration is sending mixed-messages to Republican states. (Starts at the 30:00 mark.) MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Joan first appeared on "PULSE CHECK" in February 2017, to preview Seema Verma's possible tenure at CMS. Children's uninsurance rose in 2018, the first uptick in years and a concerning change that Joan and colleagues predicted. Cu

Washington is coming back to life after the summer, and POLITICO's Adam Cancryn and Sarah Owermohle join Dan Diamond to give their predictions on suprise billing legislation, new curbs on vaping, drug pricing reforms, the Trump administration's health plan and other hot-button issues and people to watch. (Starts at the 14:30 mark) But first, Paul Demko — longtime health reporter and new editor of POLITICO's cannabis team — joins Dan to explain why POLITICO is launching the new team and how he sees the opportunity. (Starts at the 1:20 mark.) MENTIONED ON THE SHOW POLITICO is launching a free newsletter covering the cannabis industry. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is driving new tobacco legislation. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pledged to introduce a health care plan before the elections. Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal is facing a primary challenge amid progressive pressure on his health care positions. Activist Ady Barkan has launched a new video series of interviews with preside

There are millions of legal immigrants who depend on programs like Medicaid — and now, after the Trump administration revamped a nearly 140-year-old immigration rule, there's growing concern that many will drop out. First, Ted Hesson joins POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss how the new "public charge" rule would work (starts at the 2:00-minute mark), White House official Stephen Miller's role in driving the plan (8:05) and the broader immigration changes underway (12:00). Then, Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo of Northwell Health explains her background as the daughter of immigrants and her work as a pediatrician (starts at the 17:05-minute mark), how she sees immigrant patients being affected by the new rule (20:45) and her broader observations on how immigration and health care collide (26:00). MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Immigration official Ken Cuccinelli appeared on NPR last week to defend the public charge rule — and twist the inscription on the Statue of Liberty. The Urban Institute reviewed how the public charge r

A pair of mass shootings have renewed the spotlight on the nation's high rate of gun deaths. POLITICO's Dan Diamond reviews why health care groups say that gun violence deaths represent a "public health crisis" — and how GOP congressmen and the current Surgeon General avoid using that term. Then Dan talks with Amy Barnhorst, a UC Davis psychiatrist who specializes in gun violence research, about her work and legislation intended to reduce deaths (starts at the 3:15 mark), what she makes of recent comments by President Donald Trump and Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden about the role of mental illness and video games (15:45), and how physicians were mobilized by the NRA's "stay in their lane" tweet and what she would advise politicians to do (21:30). MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Dr. Barnhorst's February 2018 New York Times op-ed on why the mental health system shouldn't be responsible for stopping mass shooters. A Sactown Magazine article looks closer at UC Davis' work on gun violence research. California's imple

"You're wrong" about Medicare-for-all, Sen. Bernie Sanders told former Rep. John Delaney as this week's Democratic debates kicked off — an exchange that set the tone for the first night. Pulse Check host Dan Diamond joined Scott Bland, host of POLITICO's Nerdcast, to discuss the exchange (and Sen. Elizabeth Warren's comments too) for a bonus crossover episode. MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Delaney's "BetterCare" plan, which goes further than some other Democrats' proposals toward ensuring universal coverage. Warren's rebuke that Democrats need to stop using Republican talking points on health care. POLITICO's Nerdcast, Pulse Check's sister podcast, looks closer at the political landscape every week.

Neera Tanden is one of the most prominent voices in the Democratic party — and her organization, the Center for American Progress, has been pumping out policy ideas ahead of the 2020 election, helping shape the Democratic primary. Neera sits down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss CAP's signature Medicare Extra proposal and Democrats' debate over Medicare for All (starts at the 1:00 mark), what she makes of the Democratic primary (15:30), President Donald Trump's influence on politics and why Neera blames Trump for the "warfare" gripping America (22:45), and if the Democratic party has a leadership gap (28:30). MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Neera first appeared on PULSE CHECK in June 2017, as Republicans pushed to repeal the Affordable Care Act. CAP commissioned an independent analysis from Avalere on its Medicare Extra plan. Vox's Ezra Klein praised many elements of CAP's Medicare Extra proposal. Progressives have urged Democrats to commit to Medicare for All, saying that opting for a public option instead

Artificial intelligence is poised to transform the world, including the world of health care. In this bonus episode of Pulse Check, we present POLITICO's newest show, Global Translations, which features the White House point person on AI, Lynne Parker, reflecting on the promise of AI in the health field. Global Translations examines big problems that don't respect political boundaries. The first season of the show is tackling trade, technological disruption, and climate change. If you like the show, subscribe for free wherever you listen to podcasts.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered a series of changes intended to reshape how tens of millions of Americans receive kidney care and boost the number of kidney transplants — a plan, scooped by POLITICO, that's received bipartisan praise. Dr. Carmen Peralta, a nationally known kidney expert at UCSF and chief medical officer for Cricket Health, joins Dan Diamond to discuss the historic problems with U.S. kidney care and what Trump's plan could accomplish (starts at the 1:35 mark). Then Dan briefly discusses the latest legal threat to Obamacare, following a contentious court hearing this week (starts at the 23:30 mark). MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Trump administration moved to shake up how kidney care is delivered in the United States. A history of Medicare's unusual decision to pay for kidney failure treatment, which critics said has warped the market. Federal judges aggressively questioned whether Obamacare can survive in a hearing this week. Law professors Nick Bagley and Richard Primus laid

Washington is quiet this week, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday and with Congress on recess. So we're featuring excerpts from two classic conversations: doctor-turned-venture capitalist Bijan Salehizadeh on how he invests in health care and why he passed on Theranos (starts at the 1:35 mark) and Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann on how her foundation views public health and what the United States can learn from global efforts (starts at the 15:00 mark). MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Bijan's full 2016 appearance on "Pulse Check," where he explained how venture capitalists approach the health industry and how he decides where to invest. Sue's full 2017 appearance on "Pulse Check," where she explained her foundation's work on problems like polio and why she wishes "prevention" was more of a political priority in U.S. health efforts.

Lamar Alexander is one of the most powerful senators on health care. The Tennessee Republican leads the HELP Committee, which steers much of the key health legislation, and he's now pushing a wide-ranging bill that he says will lower health care costs. Alexander sat down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss his new health care package, what he's learned from guiding bills through Congress and how he would fix the Senate — if he could.

Tim Hill carved out a nearly three-decade career in the federal government, ultimately rising to a role where he oversaw Medicaid for much of last year. Now at IMPAQ International, Hill sat down with Dan Diamond to discuss the day-to-day operations of programs like Medicaid, balancing civil service with political changes and some CMS initiatives that have been overshadowed. (Starts at the 1:00-minute mark.) After the break, Rachana Pradhan and Adam Cancryn join Dan to discuss POLITICO's report on rising tensions between HHS and the White House. (Starts at the 25:00-minute mark.) MENTIONED ON THE SHOW The Trump administration's controversial Medicaid work requirements were blocked earlier this year by a federal judge. CMS Adminstrator Seema Verma has touted efforts to improve maternal mortality. POLITICO's report on HHS Secretary Alex Azar's recent clashes with the White House.

Hundreds of women every year die from pregnancy-related complications in the United States — a trend that's been worsening and disproportionately hit minority and rural communities. Katy Kozhimannil, a University of Minnesota researcher who's helped lead national research into maternal mortality, joined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss why the problem has gotten worse, what presidential candidates like Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris are proposing to stop it and how worried the average new mom should really be. MENTIONED ON THE SHOW The award-winning NPR/ProPublica series on maternal mortality. Katy's Health Affairs article about her family's personal experience with death after childbirth. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is touting a plan to addressing black maternal mortality. So is Sen. Kamala Harris, who unveiled her own proposal last month. Reps. Alma Adams and Lauren Underwood have launched the Black Maternal Health Caucus. CMS Administrator Seema Verma has increasingly focused on rural maternal

"We're doing health policy by litigation these days." The fate of Obamacare and a slew of Trump health care policies — from Medicaid work requirements to Title X family planning changes — now rests in the courts. Georgetown law professor Katie Keith sat down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss the legal fight over the Affordable Care Act, the litigation over Trump-era regulations, the rollback of LGBTQ patient policies and her own role as Health Affairs' go-to blogger for ACA analysis. MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Oral arguments are looming next month as Democrat-led states appeal a decision, supported by the Trump administration, that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. The Texas Tribune looked closer at how GOP lawyers have steered cases to Judge Reed O'Connor, hoping he'll keep striking down Obama-era regulations. The Trump administration last month rolled back protections for LGBTQ patients. HHS also announced new protections for religious health workers, a decision that drew on old polling by