Maternal health care continues to disappear across many parts of the nation as more OBGYNs move or shutter their practices and more birthing hospitals shut down, negatively affecting millions of pregnant individuals, according to new data from the March of Dimes. Host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Alice Miranda Ollstein about factors fueling obstetric unit closures — maternal care costs, traveling distance to deliver and state abortion bans.

America’s maternity care deserts spread

POLITICO Pulse Check delivers the latest news in health care with sharp policy analysis and a dose of real-world perspective. Hear what stories POLITICO's deep bench of Health Care policy reporters are watching and their analysis of the critical issues facing regulators, legislators, and practitioners.

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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.

The two big ways AI is changing health care

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.

For HHS, AI is an inside job

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.

A look back at abortion policy in 2023 and a look forward to 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.

Fentanyl’s fatal year in review

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.

America’s maternity care deserts spread

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