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Tony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease doctor Apr 11, 2019

Show notes

Tony Fauci joined NIH in 1968. He was named head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 1984.

And on a warm day in April 2019, he sat down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to reflect on his ongoing work — from the emergence of HIV/AIDS nearly 40 years ago to how the Trump administration is trying to end the epidemic.

On the podcast, Fauci also discussed the resurgence of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, his perspective on the Trump administration and what it's like to give advice to a president.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

President Donald Trump has vowed to effectively end HIV transmission within a decade.

Fauci has long argued that we have the tools to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Jen Kates of the Kaiser Family Foundation recently appeared on "Pulse Check" to discuss Trump's HIV policy.

Fauci was a prominent voice during the Ebola epidemic, urging a measured response and even treating one patient himself.

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Rep. Joe Kennedy on defending Medicaid in the Trump era Apr 04, 2019

Show notes

Rep. Joe Kennedy first appeared on this podcast in early 2017, at House Democrats' lowest moment: The GOP had steamrolled the party, speeding an Affordable Care Act repeal bill that seemed inevitable.

But the GOP's efforts ultimately failed; Democrats retook the House a year later; and Kennedy this week rejoined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to reflect on how House Democrats' health policy has changed as they've become the majority party, why he now supports a Medicare for All bill, how he approaches questioning Trump officials like HHS Secretary Alex Azar and more.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Kennedy's 2017 appearance on the "Pulse Check" podcast.

House Democrats have worried that the push for "Medicare for All" could divert the caucus' energy from other health care priorities, like preserving the Affordable Care Act.

Kennedy's questioning of HHS Secretary Alex Azar during a hearing last month, which went viral.

Kennedy last week introduced a bill to strengthen Medicaid and CHIP funding.

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The new GOP senator who wants to be a leader on health care Mar 28, 2019

Show notes

Just a year ago, Mike Braun was an underdog in the Republican primary for an Indiana Senate seat. Now he's a freshman senator, installed on the Senate's key health care committee — and pushing his own package of health reforms.

Braun joined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to explain his frustration over how Washington regulates the U.S. health system, his criticism of the latest effort to strike down the ACA and why he thinks more Republicans need to make health care a policy priority.

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FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Mar 20, 2019

Show notes

Scott Gottlieb was nominated to run the FDA in March 2017. Two years — and nearly 500 press announcements — later, the productive and high-profile commissioner is preparing to step down in early April 2019.

Gottlieb joined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss why he's leaving FDA (starts at 1:30), his regulatory and communications strategy (4:40), his work on medical device safety (10:30), digital health (16:30), opioid abuse (19:15), the Trump administration's approach to science and the choice of Ned Sharpless as acting FDA commissioner (24:25), what Gottlieb would've pursued if he had more time at FDA (26:30) and if he'll ever return to government (28:30).

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

As commissioner, Gottlieb has received bipartisan praise for his activist agenda.

Gottlieb's aggressive moves as commissioner came as a surprise, given his pre-Trump administration reputation as someone with a free-market background.

The conservative Washington Times cheered Gottlieb's departure, suggesting that he became "an avenging angel for the Nanny state" and pushed too much regulation on vaping.

Before rejoining FDA in 2017, Gottlieb was a frequent critic of its actions, such as in a 2010 AEI column where Gottlieb urged FDA to become more transparent on drug company letters.

Gottlieb steered numerous reforms at FDA, including pushing an overhaul of medical device reviews.

FDA recently approved a powerful painkiller called Dsuvia, drawing some criticism.

Gottlieb's January 2018 and November 2018 appearances on "Pulse Check."

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Can we trust Trump on HIV? Mar 13, 2019

Show notes

He's tried to cut global HIV funds. He's made moves to roll back LGBTQ protections. He reportedly confused "HIV" and "HPV."

Can we really trust President Donald Trump when he promises to end the HIV epidemic in a decade?

Jen Kates of the Kaiser Family Foundation joins POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss the president's pledge, his latest funding moves and the state of the global fight against HIV.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Trump promised at the State of the Union that he would end "AIDS in America and beyond."

The strategy unveiled by Trump's health department faces a potential minefield, from skeptical public health experts to conservative religious organizations.

Meanwhile, Trump's budget proposed new money for domestic HIV initiatives — but significantly cut global health efforts.

Anthony Fauci, the federal government's top infectious disease official, says that the recent cure of an HIV patient isn't a path to curing everyone.

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The Scott Gottlieb era is (almost) over Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb's leaving the Trump administration, and POLITICO reporters react to the monumental news.

In the first panel (starts at the 1:30 mark), Sarah Karlin-Smith and Adam Cancryn join Dan Diamond to react to Gottlieb's resignation and discuss the political implications.

In the second panel (starts at the 21:00 mark), Sarah Owermohle and Helena Bottemiller Evich join Dan to discuss Gottlieb's policies and reflect on his legacy.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Gottlieb's appeared on PULSE CHECK twice: In January 2018, to discuss his agency's priorities, and November 2018, to unveil his e-cigarette strategy.

POLITICO's Sarah, Sarah and Helena looked at Gottlieb's departure and key milestones.

Bloomberg's Max Nisen argued that Gottlieb was the Trump administration's most popular official.

The shutdown hit FDA especially hard, with Gottlieb and others warning that FDA's food safety inspections were imperiled.

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Meet the industry group fighting Medicare for All Feb 28, 2019

Show notes

More than 100 House Democrats on Wednesday, led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, unveiled their sweeping Medicare for All legislation. So what comes next — and why is the health care industry so opposed to it?

First, POLITICO's Alice Miranda Ollstein joins Dan Diamond (starts at the 1:05 mark) on Capitol Hill to explain the state of play.

Then Lauren Crawford Shaver, head of the Partnership for America's Health Care Future (starts at the 9:00 mark), explains why her members — groups like the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association — think Medicare for All and Democrats' other proposals are non-starters.

REFERENCED ON THE SHOW

Democrats' Medicare for All bill, released this week, doesn't include a price tag, Alice and POLITICO's Adam Cancryn wrote.

Jayapal appeared on "Pulse Check" in December 2018 to discuss her Medicare for All plans.

The Partnership has been running digital ads against Medicare for All.

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Roundup: Medicaid fights, ACA lawsuits and drug pricing with Rodney Whitlock Feb 22, 2019

Show notes

With Congress on recess, POLITICO's reporters (and a bonus guest) take stock of three big stories in a grab-bag episode.

First, Rachana Pradhan leads a conversation on Utah's controversial changes to voter-approved Medicaid expansion (starts at the 1:20 mark). Next, Paul Demko offers an update on lawsuits over President Donald Trump's cancellation of ACA payments to insurers (starts at the 12:40 mark). Finally, Rodney Whitlock — a former top aide to Sen. Chuck Grassley — joins POLITICO's reporters to help preview next week's drug pricing hearings in the Senate (starts at the 24:00 mark).

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Utah's GOP leaders shrunk the state's voter-approved Medicaid expansion.

Rachana will sit down with Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday morning at a POLITICO livestreamed event.

Multiple judges have now ruled that the United States owes billions of dollars to insurers after Trump cancelled certain ACA payments in 2017.

Seven leading pharma executives will face the Senate Finance Committee in a much-anticipated hearing next week.

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How a top Democrat is approaching this year's investigations Feb 14, 2019

Show notes

"In our view, our jurisdiction is the world... Every time you watch the nightly news, [I] come up with at least three new ideas for hearings."

Rep. Diana DeGette, the Colorado Democrat leading oversight for the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, joins POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss why she prioritized hearings on family separations, vow an investigation of high insulin prices, reflect on her mentor John Dingell and more.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

DeGette's subcommittee held its first hearing last week, focused on HHS' role in family separations.

DeGette, alongside GOP Rep. Tom Reed, probed the high prices of insulin last year.

DeGette says she has questions about HHS' new fetal tissue policy.

Planned Parenthood's Leana Wen was on the podcast last week. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley also joined POLITICO in recent weeks to discuss his priorities.

Bob Carey, the former head of the HHS refugee office, joined the podcast last year to explain the refugee office and his concerns about the Trump administration's policies. Rep. Joe Kennedy, who's DeGette's vice-chair on the subcommittee, joined the podcast in 2017 to discuss his career and focus on health care.

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Planned Parenthood's Leana Wen Feb 07, 2019

Show notes

"We are at a time when everything is at stake… If we don’t fight and we don’t lead the charge… then who is going to?”

The Trump administration has made no secret of its plans to roll back access to abortion. One of the key figures attempting to stop them: Leana Wen, a physician tapped to be Planned Parenthood's new leader last fall.

Wen joined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to rebut President Trump's latest efforts to limit abortion access, explain her vision for Planned Parenthood and share reflections on her fast-rising career.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Wen was tapped in September 2018 as the new leader of Planned Parenthood — the first doctor to run the organization in decades.

BuzzFeed profiled Wen and her vision for Planned Parenthood, although Wen later took issue with the headline.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the prominent anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List, appeared on POLITICO's podcast last year. In a separate episode, POLITICO reporters traced the fight over abortion access.

(Interested in more perspectives on abortion? Check our archives for interviews with NARAL's Ilyse Hogue, Equity Forward's Mary Alice Carter and other prominent figures.)

Wen's four-year stint as Baltimore health commissioner attracted significant attention and was widely praised.

Baltimore's notorious for its health care disparities, which have contributed to broader unrest, as Dan wrote in 2015.

Wen and other city health commissioners sued the Trump administration over its abrupt cancellation of teen pregnancy prevention funds.

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