Politico's Pulse Check

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.

Democrats are divided over whether minors should be able to have abortions without telling their parents. Some see repealing parental notification and consent laws as a political liability, particularly as conservatives push “parents’ rights” to win popular support in other areas. Host Carmen Paun talks with Megan Messerly about the division.

The use of artificial intelligence is gaining popularity, and some experts believe that personalized medicine delivered by AI is the future of health care. POLITICO’s Ruth Reader talks with AI entrepreneur and NYU professor emeritus Gary Marcus, who will testify before the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law today, as lawmakers consider regulating AI.

Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Robert King about some House Republicans’ opposition to a cost-cutting proposal from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation that would reduce payments for drugs that have won FDA approval but haven’t yet proven their clinical benefit. The GOP representatives argue it will curtail innovation and access to promising therapies.

Democratic lawmakers in some states are hesitant to expand health coverage to low-income undocumented immigrants because of budgetary concerns. It’s left some immigration advocates wondering how committed to the issue those Democrats really are. Host Ruth Reader talks with Megan Messerly about the intra-party debate.

Expert advisers to the FDA have recommended approving the first over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill. Host Ruth Reader talks with Katherine Ellen Foley about the decision.

The U.S.’ Covid-19 public health emergency ends Thursday along with pandemic-era rules and waivers. Host Megan Messerly talks with Daniel Payne about how the lifting of the PHE might affect the costs of Covid tests, vaccines and treatment; Title 42; Medicare; telehealth; and more. 

A first-of-its-kind, federally funded study will evaluate the impact of overdose-prevention centers in New York City and Providence, R.I., over the next four years. Host Ben Leonard talks with Maya Kaufman about how this may influence public health policy.  

Thousands of community health workers face layoffs as federal funding tied to the Covid pandemic dries up. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Daniel Payne about why many public health officials would like to keep this workforce to tackle other health challenges, like diabetes and obesity. They’re making the case to Congress that it would be foolish to let community health workers go after spending millions to train them.

Planned Parenthood and partner organizations are launching an effort to put abortion on Florida’s ballot in 2024, setting the stage for a high-profile battle with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as he prepares to run for president. Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Megan Messerly about what this could mean for the 6-week ban DeSantis recently signed into law and the political implications in the state. 

A talker at this week's Milken Institute Global Conference in LA was a pitch from former NIH director Francis Collins to fund eight to 10 genomics centers in Africa for $130 million a year.  Carmen Paun talked with host Ruth Reader about the "business plan" put forth by Collins, a current White House adviser, on how the African genomics centers could help advance global pandemic preparedness, vaccine development and control of disease-transmitting vectors.

The CDC reports that more Black Americans died from fentanyl overdoses than from any other drug in 2021 and at far higher rates than white or Hispanic Americans. Host Megan Messerly talks with Krista Mahr about how the pandemic, health inequities, discriminatory health policies and other factors have contributed to the rise in overdose deaths in Black communities.

The next few weeks on Capitol Hill could prove pivotal for efforts in this Congress to lower health care costs, including increased access to cheaper generic drugs. Host Ben Leonard talks with Megan R. Wilson about the legislative proposals in the House and Senate that have bipartisan support.

Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) plans to propose Senate legislation soon to give Medicare patients permanent access to virtual care. Host Ruth Reader talks with Ben Leonard about what's in the Schatz bill, and what's not, as well as where things stand with a Drug Enforcement Administration regulation that could simultaneously curtail telemedicine access to some drugs.

The Senate HELP committee announced earlier this week that it will consider a set of bills next week aimed at enhancing access to generic drugs and medications for rare diseases. The package also includes a 91-page bill targeting pharmacy benefit managers and their business practices — likely to bring ire from the industry. Megan R. Wilson talks with host Katherine Ellen Foley about the bills under consideration. 

Hospitals want an exemption from a Federal Trade Commission proposal to ban noncompete agreements, saying it would wreak havoc on their finances and harm patients. Erin Schumaker talks with host Megan Messerly about the potential consequences for patients, doctorsand investors if a ban on noncompetes should take effect.

As lawmakers push for banning gender-affirming care in their states, the effects are felt by doctors in states where the care is legal. As a result, physicians who provide such care to transgender adolescents say they have been threatened. Megan Messerly talks with host Ben Leonard about the far-reaching effects on doctors and minors nationwide.

A bipartisan group of representatives has introduced legislation to move more care from the hospital to the home. They say it’s a win-win that will both give patients what they want and shore up Medicare’s teetering finances. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Ben Leonard about what’s in the bill.