| | | | |  | | By Ben Leonard and Chelsea Cirruzzo | Presented by 340B Health | With Megan Messerly and Alice Miranda Ollstein
| | |  Even though Google's chatbot, Gemini, warns against using the tool for health advice, some users still turn to it for help in diagnosing their ailments. | Matt Slocum/AP Photo | PAGING DR. CHATBOT — Patients are looking to artificial intelligence-powered chatbots for health care guidance. Even though such a tool could help make it easier for people to find health information, it comes with risks, POLITICO’s Ruth Reader reports. For one, chatbots aren’t always right — and can even make things up. And they can induce panic in some patients, leaving doctors to deal with them. Doctors and others in the industry to see the technology regulated to avoid wasted time and money as patients try unproven therapies and demand unneeded services, which can add to growing burnout among health care workers. Chatbots can “have a veneer of human confidence that engenders a greater degree of trust or credibility, which I think is frequently pretty misplaced,” said Dr. Joshua Tamayo-Sarver, a medical innovation consultant. Standards must be put in place, some in the industry think. So far, Washington has largely not taken on chatbot regulating. “We need appropriate safeguards because we don’t want individuals inappropriately led to believe that something is a diagnosis or a potential treatment,” said Dr. Brian Anderson, co-founder of the Coalition for Health AI, an alliance of tech companies, universities and health systems. Google’s Gemini tells users not to use it for health advice — but still doles it out. CEO Sundar Pichai apologized last month after Gemini refused to answer some non-health care related queries it deemed sensitive and also provided biased and inaccurate information about historical events. Sometimes, AI’s ideas have helped patients. A woman in Alaska earlier this year credited ChatGPT with figuring out she had multiple sclerosis. Research has revealed significant problems, though. A January study at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York reported that ChatGPT incorrectly diagnosed pediatric cases in more than 80 percent of instances. Even though patients have long turned to Google or sites like WebMD to self-diagnose or watched drug advertising on TV, doctors fear that bots could supercharge self-diagnosis and the issues it causes. “It is, at best, a tool to get to know about the disease,” said Som Biswas, a radiologist at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center who has written about ChatGPT as a public health tool. Doctors offer care that bots can’t, Biswas said, when they examine and observe patients in person. WELCOME TO WEDNESDAY PULSE. Stephen Curry is a “maybe” on running for president one day. Reach us and send us your tips, news and scoops at bleonard@politico.com or ccirruzzo@politico.com. Follow along @_BenLeonard_ and @ChelseaCirruzzo.
| | | | A message from 340B Health: Support the 340B PATIENTS Act The 340B PATIENTS Act eliminates harmful big pharma restrictions on 340B savings that are vital for expanding health care and support for patients and rural communities in need. By restricting 340B pharmacy partnerships, drugmakers have siphoned billions from the health care safety net solely to bolster their profits. The 340B PATIENTS Act stops this damaging behavior. We call on Congress to support this vital legislation. Learn more. | | | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The stakes are high as America's health care community strives to meet the evolving needs of patients and practitioners, adopt new technologies and navigate skeptical public attitudes toward science. Join POLITICO’s annual Health Care Summit on March 13 where we will discuss the future of medicine, including the latest in health tech, new drugs and brain treatments, diagnostics, health equity, workforce strains and more. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | 
Some left activists and elected officials are concerned that President Joe Biden's abortion messaging doesn't go far enough. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images | BIDEN DIVIDES THE LEFT ON ABORTION — Abortion-rights advocates are happy President Joe Biden is sharing the stories of women who have struggled to access reproductive health care because of the Dobbs decision. But they wish he would talk about a wider range of women’s experiences, Megan and Alice report. The stories highlighted by Biden during last week’s State of the Union address underscore how the president is most comfortable lifting up women who haven’t been able to receive fertility care, contraception and abortions in cases of rape, incest and medical emergencies to demonstrate the consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. So far, he has seemed less willing to talk about women who have struggled to terminate their pregnancies for other reasons. The president also left out of his speech the word “abortion,” which was in his prepared remarks. For some in the abortion-rights movement, the rhetoric is bringing up longstanding resentments that the Democratic Party in general and Biden in particular haven’t gone far enough on abortion. “The president is part and parcel of the culture of stigma and shame that surrounds abortion care,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, president and CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health. However, many Biden allies see his messaging on abortion as a politically savvy appeal to independent and moderate voters. And Biden aides said that highlighting IVF and emergency abortions will allow more people to see themselves in the fight. “Donald Trump and Joe Biden's records speak for themselves: The President has fought to protect a woman's right to access abortion and reproductive health care, while Donald Trump says he is proud to have appointed the Justices who overturned Roe,” said Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign.
| | | | JOIN US ON 3/21 FOR A TALK ON FINANCIAL LITERACY: Americans from all communities should be able to save, build wealth, and escape generational poverty, but doing so requires financial literacy. How can government and industry ensure access to digital financial tools to help all Americans achieve this? Join POLITICO on March 21 as we explore how Congress, regulators, financial institutions and nonprofits are working to improve financial literacy education for all. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | JOIN POLITICO’S HEALTH SUMMIT — POLITICO’s 2024 Health Care Summit kicks off today in Washington, featuring top Biden administration officials, key congressional decisionmakers and prominent policy advocates. We’ll delve into the 2024 election's influence on health care policy, the latest in health tech and the future of medicine, workforce issues and more. You won’t want to miss it. Here are some of the speakers who’ll be joining us: — HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) — Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s domestic policy adviser — Kellyanne Conway, former senior counselor to former President Donald Trump — Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) — Namandjé Bumpus, the FDA’s principal deputy commissioner And many more … The logistics: Doors open at the Waldorf Astoria at 11 a.m. ET, and the program starts at 11:30 a.m. ET. Pre-event registration is required. A light lunch will be served, and a cocktail reception will follow the program. You can also watch virtually here.
| | | | A message from 340B Health:   | | | | | LANKFORD BLOCKS IVF BILL — Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) blocked a bill that would expand veterans' access to in vitro fertilization from passing via unanimous consent on Tuesday. Lankford objected to the bill from Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) because he said its language was overly broad and it could have a high price tag. “I understand it's become vogue in this current season right now to be able to say Republicans are somehow opposed to life because they're opposed to IVF,” Lankford said, rejecting the charge. “I’m deeply disappointed but not surprised,” Murray said. Murray’s effort comes after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled last month that frozen embryos should be considered people, forcing clinics in the state to temporarily stop offering IVF services. Democrats have seized on the ruling to slam Republicans as a threat to IVF and abortion after Roe. v. Wade fell in 2022, sending abortion rights back to the states. It’s the second time Senate Republicans have blocked an IVF bill in two weeks. FUNDING LATEST — Government funding for HHS runs out March 22, but top appropriators are optimistic that a deal can be made, POLITICO’s Jennifer Scholtes and Caitlin Emma report. Talks to finalize the remaining six fiscal 2025 funding bills are “going well,” said Susan Collins of Maine, the Senate’s top GOP appropriator. That includes “very good progress” on the Labor-HHS-Education. That bill has proven thorny, with House Republicans pushing for abortion-related riders. E&C MOVES FORWARD SLEW OF BILLS — The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee advanced a slew of bipartisan bills in mostly unanimous fashion Tuesday. Among those receiving unanimous support was a bill that would extend the National Alzheimer’s Project, reauthorize a program to tackle provider burnout and boost rural emergency medical services. Two bills saw some opposition from Democrats: — The Kidney PATIENT Act, which would delay CMS from moving oral-only drugs for chronic kidney disease into a different payment system that backers argue would restrict access and increase costs. It advanced in a 16-10 vote despite concerns from full committee ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) that it would hurt access to care and raise costs. — The Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2023, which would permanently allow independent doctors to send prescriptions via mail. It advanced in a 19-6 vote despite concerns from Pallone over fraud risk.
| | WHAT TO EXPECT FROM ONC’S NEXT RULES — After HHS’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT recently finalized new rules dubbed HTI-1 mandating transparency in artificial intelligence, ONC is eyeing HTI-2. In a blog post Tuesday, ONC head Micky Tripathi said to expect a “strong focus” on interoperability, especially standards adoption. ONC said the proposed rule would: — Bolster public health IT via certification requirements for technology —Propose regulations about certification for application programming interfaces used for electronic prior authorization and care coordination — Add new provisions to prevent health-information blocking What’s next: There’s no exact timeline for the proposed rule’s release.
| | | | DON’T MISS AN IMPORTANT TALK ON ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN CA: Join POLITICO on March 19 to dive into the challenges of affordable prescription drugs accessibility across the state. While Washington continues to debate legislative action, POLITICO will explore the challenges unique to California, along with the potential pitfalls and solutions the CA Legislature must examine to address prescription drug affordability for its constituents. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | | Former Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) is joining the National Organization on Disability as a policy ambassador.
| | | Modern Healthcare reports on issues with state staffing mandates in nursing homes. KFF examines the Medicaid expansion bid in Mississippi. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) unveiled a discussion draft on hospital-at-home legislation.
| | | | A message from 340B Health: Support the 340B PATIENTS Act
340B hospitals are the backbone of the nation’s health care safety net, providing essential services to patients with low incomes and those living in rural America. 340B hospitals play a vital role in delivering 77% of Medicaid hospital care, providing 67% of the nation’s unpaid care, and offering comprehensive specialty services that otherwise might not be available. 340B helps lower health care costs and enable doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to provide expanded care for the benefit of their community—all at no cost to the taxpayer.
The 340B PATIENTS Act will end harmful drug company restrictions on 340B savings that are vital for protecting patients and communities. By restricting 340B pharmacy partnerships, big pharma has siphoned billions from the health care safety net solely to bolster its profits. The 340B PATIENTS Act stops this damaging behavior. We call on Congress to support this vital legislation. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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