Read more about last night’s bill text from @bgov.com’s @erincdurkin.bsky.social news.bloomberglaw.com/pharma-and-l...

‘Thrown away’: Patient reps depart from organ transplant board njour.nl/s/728230/?un...

‘Effectively destroyed’: How cuts to CDC staff, funding will impact public health www.nationaljournal.com/s/728191/eff...

Cuts to HHS legal services could impact nursing homes, IHS www.nationaljournal.com/s/728167/cut...

The budget resolution unveiled yesterday preserves House instructions to cut $880 billion in E&C's jurisdiction, which advocates worry will lead to Medicaid cuts. This could hit schools' special education and mental health services. www.nationaljournal.com/s/728101/med...

Medicaid advocates are raising red flags about what deep program cuts could mean to everyday Americans as Republicans on Capitol Hill look for ways to pay for the Trump agenda of tax cuts and deportation expansion. @erincdurkin.bsky.social explains in this unlocked article:

U.S. organ transplant system headed for a shakeup njour.nl/s/727965/?un...

No HELP: Trump administration withdraws pick to head CDC 11th hour amid lack of Senate support. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727829/no-...

Dems fear CR will hand spending reins over to Trump www.nationaljournal.com/s/727799/dem...

Confirmation hearing over NIH nominee turns into pointed forum on Trump health agenda njour.nl/s/727751/?un...

While Trump did not campaign on repealing Obamacare, his administration and Congress are poised to make many changes. I walk through some of the biggest reforms that could be incoming. njour.nl/s/727695/?un...

Better World Campaign President Peter Yeo spoke with me about the implications of leaving the WHO and how UN projects are handling the funding freezes. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727670/qa-...

'In shambles': CDC layoffs leave U.S. vulnerable to health threats www.nationaljournal.com/s/727630/in-...

Chaos and uncertainty are gripping U.S. health assistance abroad, impacting HIV care and nutrition services. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727557/cha...

HHS started scrubbing its website to comply with President Trump’s order to end DEI programs and attempts to establish just two sexes as U.S. policy. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727490/hhs...

On this episode, @ledyardking.bsky.social brings on @savbehrmanndc.bsky.social @erincdurkin.bsky.social and @cmaza.bsky.social as they examine the prospects for Trump's nominees. Listen on Spotify:

OUTLOOK: Cassidy says he is ‘struggling’ with RFK Jr.’s nomination njour.nl/s/727438/

Gearing up for day 2 of hearings!

‘You frighten people’: Dems dispense anger, scorn at RFK Jr. hearing njour.nl/s/727423/?un...

In less than two weeks, President Trump has taken multiple actions to combat what he calls 'left-wing gender insanity,' with the latest coming this evening in another executive order, this time targeting gender-affirming care for kids. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727405/wha...

Medicare often pays different rates for the same service depending on if it was provided at a doctor’s office or a hospital. Lawmakers are looking at changing this, potentially as part of reconciliation. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727337/wit...

In a series of executive orders, Donald Trump tries to strengthen the southern border, gin up energy production, & target transgender rights. @cmaza.bsky.social, @erincdurkin.bsky.social & @philipathey.bsky.social report in this free story:

President Trump just issued a slew of executive orders, many on immigration, energy policy, and rolling back transgender rights. My colleagues and I wrote about some of the big ones. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727321/tru...

With less than three days to go in the Biden administration, CMS announced the next 15 drugs for price negotiation, which includes Ozempic, an asthma inhaler, and a drug to treat prostate cancer. www.cms.gov/newsroom/pre...

Republicans are considering Medicaid reforms that health experts expect could squeeze health access, including for rural populations. @erincdurkin.bsky.social reports (unlocked):

Republican plans to cut Medicaid could squeeze rural health care njour.nl/s/727283?unl...

Key House lawmakers hope to revive health policies dropped from the temporary funding agreement in December, with some floating the fiscal year 2025 omnibus package and reconciliation measures as possible avenues. @erincdurkin.bsky.social reports (unlocked): https://buff.ly/4fMpZov

House lawmakers look to revive PBM, telehealth policies www.nationaljournal.com/s/727204/hou...

In today's OUTLOOK from National Journal, the Republicans are finding it difficult to reconcile on reconciliation, the legislative process the GOP needs to use to bypass the filibuster and pass key planks of Trump's agenda:

Trump’s picks, like Kennedy Jr., show a willingness to part with the scientific and medical establishment. @erincdurkin.bsky.social reports (unlocked):

Trump picks scientific contrarians as health nominees, my latest www.nationaljournal.com/s/727170/tru...

This evening the House will be voting again on a similar measure without debt limit language.

After original CR compromise blew up, Republicans axed several pieces of health policy in latest bill njour.nl/s/727115/?un...

With Trump's second term approaching, reproductive-health groups are preparing for him to go even further and once again cut off funding for family-planning services. @erincdurkin.bsky.social

Family planning groups are bracing for a second Trump administration. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727085/fam...

https://buff.ly/3DoTC1x @[email protected] and @erincdurkin.bsky.social report

Some Dems and advocates see common ground with RFK Jr. over nutrition, chronic diseases. www.nationaljournal.com/s/727028/dem...

'Hotly disputed': Supreme Court weighs arguments on whether to ban meds for transgender teens www.nationaljournal.com/s/726956/hot...

Outside of the Supreme Court this morning where justices will be hearing a case concerning Tennessee’s ban on gender affirming treatments.

On this episode of National Journal Radio, Ledge King, @erincdurkin.bsky.social, and @cmaza.bsky.social break down President-elect Trump's nominees for health care, foreign policy, intelligence, and immigration. Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7EYg...

The Trump administration will have a few levers officials can pull to limit access to mifepristone, including changing FDA regs and enforcing a 1873 anti-vice law. www.nationaljournal.com/s/726930/wha...

Trump’s deportation plans could hit the health care workforce, including direct care workers. Even for workers who are documented, a deportation of a loved one could disrupt their lives and households, experts warn. www.nationaljournal.com/s/726910/tru...

Just a note about the Biden administration's proposal to cover anti-obesity drugs: RFK Jr., Trump's nom for HHS secretary, was very critical of Ozempic last month. Dr. Oz, Trump's pick for CMS, has actually said Ozempic could be a big help.

A Dem leadership aide tells me that Leader Schumer has scheduled Senate Dems leadership elections for Tuesday, December 3, which will begin at 9:30AM.

Finally, Trump tapped Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a Fox News contributor, to be Surgeon General.

Another pick in the Friday night news dump is former congressman Dave Weldon to lead the CDC. Unlike in the past, he will have to go through Senate confirmation.

Trump chooses Johns Hopkins surgeon Marty Makary to head FDA, saying he will work with RFK Jr. to “properly evaluate harmful chemicals poisoning our Nation’s food supply and drugs and biologics being given to our Nation’s youth.”

What could RFK Jr. do to vaccines? While removing vaccines from the market would be legally questionable, Kennedy could cause confusion and eventually impact markets if he is confirmed as HHS secretary. Read more from @erincdurkin.bsky.social here: www.nationaljournal.com/s/726886/wha...

Looking for some journalists to follow here? Check out the @nationaljournal.com team starter pack bsky.app/start/did:pl...