POLITICO's Pulse Check

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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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. 

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