POLITICO's Pulse Check

Katherine Ellen Foley talks with Krista Mahr about why the rise of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants 6 months and younger is worse this season compared to previous seasons. This statement comes after the Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics asked the Biden administration to declare a public health emergency over the surging caseloads filling pediatric hospitals. 

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Ben Leonard talks with Ruth Reader about why venture capitalists are pulling back on investments in health tech because of recession fears and rising interest rates — threatening a period of stasis in medical innovation.

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Grace Scullion talks with Lauren Gardner about the newest Covid funding request from President Biden, intense lobbying efforts on possible health care legislation, and a push by some key doctor and hospital groups asking for a public health emergency declaration for RSV.

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Politicians on both sides of the aisle agree that more safeguards are needed to protect Americans’ health data. The urgency level has risen as data collection online has grown, states have begun enforcing abortion bans and cyberattacks have increased. Ruth Reader talks with Carmen Paun about the multitude of views that lawmakers, lobbyists and the Biden administration have on how to protect health data, particularly data  not covered by the federal health privacy law, HIPAA.

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The military’s Covid-19 vaccine requirement could end if Republican senators succeed in amending the National Defense Authorization Act that’s expected to be taken up in the coming weeks. Megan Messerly talks with Grace Scullion about the legislation. Plus, Carmen Paun discusses the U.N.'s recognition of a huge milestone: the earth’s population now totals eight billion.

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A pair of little-discussed Republican victories on Tuesday threaten to undermine abortion access in two states. Megan Messerly talks with Katherine Ellen Foley about why this highlights a bright spot for the GOP amid an otherwise challenging election night for anti-abortion groups.

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Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a gastroenterologist, is a contender to chair the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee if Republicans can eke out control of the Senate. Ben Leonard talks with Alice Miranda Ollstein about his recent conversation with Cassidy, who is a telehealth proponent and has repeatedly warned about hackers targeting hospitals and other health care organizations. Plus, Lauren Gardner takes Pulse Check's 60 second challenge.

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A coming Supreme Court decision could have broad implications for who is accountable for ensuring individual rights to federally funded services are protected, including housing, foster care and nutrition. Ruth Reader talks with Grace Scullion about HHC v. Talevski. Plus, Chris Murray on the new study out of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine which estimates immunity to Covid by country.

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Pennsylvania's current Democratic attorney general Josh Shapiro was elected governor Tuesday night, and Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman won against Mehmet Oz. Both Shapiro and Fetterman made abortion rights central to their campaigns. Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Ben Leonard about what we know and what we don't know so far about how motivating abortion rights were at the ballot box.

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Although they haven't been focused on as much as abortion, other measures across the health care spectrum are on the ballot Tuesday. Daniel Payne talks with Ruth Reader about Medicaid expansion, medical debt, health as a human right, flavored vape bans and marijuana legalization.

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