Politico's Pulse Check

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.

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.