What to watch for at the 2023 POLITICO health summit

POLITICO will host its annual health care summit Wednesday to discuss what lessons the U.S. learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, the future of health care innovation, the impact of the fentanyl overdose crisis and more.

Top government officials, lawmakers and health policy experts, including HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, will discuss the Biden administration’s top priorities for the final years of President Joe Biden’s first term, including implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare drug price negotiations and strengthening efforts to achieve equitable health outcomes.

The pandemic laid bare the weaknesses of the U.S. health system. Life expectancy has fallen due to Covid-19 and record-high overdose deaths. Panelists will discuss the benefits and risks of permanent adoption of telehealth and how new artificial intelligence tools can be efficiently and safely adapted to help improve U.S. health care.

The White House, Congress and regulators face critical decisions in the coming months and years to:

— Ensure the solvency of entitlement health care programs for retired adults and at-risk families even as many Democrats want health care to be free for all;

— Make certain the current regulatory structure is up to the task of reviewing and approving ever-more complex gene and cell therapy products developed by the pharmaceutical industry;

— Restore lost trust in government when it comes to messaging and managing public health emergencies.

Other panelists Wednesday include Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.); Danielle Carnival, deputy assistant to the president for the Cancer Moonshot; Kate McEvoy, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors; Bakul Patel, head of digital health regulatory strategy at Google; and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.).

Here is the complete agenda for today's summit:

11 a.m. Welcome remarks with Sudeep Reddy, senior managing editor, POLITICO.

11:05 a.m. Keynote conversation with Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Moderated by: Alice Miranda Ollstein, POLITICO Health Care reporter.

11:25 a.m. Executive conversation with Drew Maloney, president and CEO of American Investment Council, and Sarah Arora, chief growth officer of GoHealth Urgent Care. Moderated by: Cally Baute, senior vice president, Consumer Business, POLITICO.

12 p.m. A conversation with Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). Moderated by: Eugene Daniels, White House reporter/Playbook co-author, POLITICO.

12:15 p.m. Virtual visits: Examining the latest in digital health care. Steve Posnack, deputy national coordinator at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera (virtual); Lisa Robin, chief advocacy officer of the Federation of State Medical Boards; and Dr. Luis Garcia, president of Sanford Health Clinic. Moderated by: Erin Schumaker, Future of Health Care reporter, POLITICO.

12:35 p.m. Executive conversation with Paul Markovich, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California. Moderated by: Cally Baute, senior vice president, Consumer Business, POLITICO.

12:50 p.m. AI’S impact on health care: Hype vs. Reality. Hirsh Jain, head of Public Health and senior vice president at Federal, Palantir Technologies; Cris Ross, chief information officer at Mayo Clinic (virtual); Bakul Patel, head of Digital Health Regulatory Strategy at Google; Shannon Klinger, chief legal officer, Moderna. Moderated by: Ben Leonard, Health Technology reporter, POLITICO.

1:35 p.m. Executive conversation with Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. Moderated by: Heidi Sommer, vice president, Client Partnerships, POLITICO.

1:50 p.m. Tackling racial disparities in health outcomes: Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.); Dr. Jamila Taylor, president & CEO of National WIC Association; Sol Flores, deputy governor of Illinois. Moderated by: Carmen Paun, Global Health reporter, POLITICO.

2:10 p.m. Executive conversation with Randy Rutta, CEO of the National Health Council. Moderated by: Heidi Sommer, vice president, Client Partnerships, POLITICO

2:30 p.m. Solutions for the cost crisis: Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.); Kate McEvoy, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors; and Krista Drobac, founder of Moving Health Home. Moderated by Katherine Ellen Foley, FDA Reporter, POLITICO.

3 p.m.  A conversation with Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.). Moderated by: David Lim, Health Care reporter, POLITICO.

3:30 p.m. A conversation with Danielle Carnival, deputy assistant to the president for the Cancer Moonshot. Moderated by: Adam Cancryn, White House reporter, POLITICO.

3:45 p.m. A conversation with Ashish Jha, White House Covid-19 response coordinator. Moderated by: Alice Miranda Ollstein, Health Care reporter, POLITICO.

4 p.m. A conversation with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Moderated by: Adam Cancryn, White House reporter, POLITICO.

4:20 p.m. Closing remarks.

5:00 p.m. Cocktail reception.