Fierce Healthcare: House Passes Healthcare Bill Without Subsidy Extension
The House of Representatives passed a Republican-led package that seeks to address the affordability of healthcare without an extension of the soon-to-expire ACA subsidies. The 216-211 vote averted a last-ditch effort from Democrats and several moderate Republicans to force a vote on a subsidy extension. All Democrats voted against the measure, as did one Republican representative, Thomas Massey of Kentucky, the Hill reported. (Minemyer, 12/17)

The Hill: Moderate GOP Rebels Plot Next Steps On ObamaCare Subsidies With Senators
House GOP moderates on Wednesday privately huddled with a bipartisan group of senators to begin plotting the next steps on extending the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies. The meeting came after four Republicans broke ranks and signed a Democratic-led discharge petition, pushing it to the 218 signatures required to force a vote on extending the ObamaCare subsidies for three years. (Kochi and Weixel, 12/17)

Politico: Despite A Possible Agreement On ACA Subsidies, Abortion Lurks As A Hurdle
The looming expiration of Obamacare subsidies for tens of millions of Americans has more lawmakers — particularly vulnerable Republicans — sweating the political fallout and ready to compromise. But odds for a deal remain slim, and an unresolved fight over abortion could lower them to zero. (Ollstein and King, 12/17)

Axios: ACA Markets Prepare For Chaos As Subsidy Talks Drag On
Affordable Care Act exchanges could face a new round of administrative upheaval if Congress finds common ground on extending enhanced ACA subsidies next month. Retroactively reinstating the enhanced subsidies after their expiration at year's end would require reprocessing millions of consumers' personal information and setting up special enrollment periods. (Goldman, 12/18)

In related news —

Modern Healthcare: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Pulls Exchange Plans In Georgia
Georgia has withdrawn Kaiser Foundation Health Plan policies from the state health insurance exchange. “Based on marketplace conditions and existing commitments to group contract holders and enrollees, Kaiser may not have sufficient capacity to provide services to additional individuals or groups if enrollment continues across all of its qualified health plans on the state-based exchange,” Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King (R) wrote in an order to the company on Monday. (Tepper, 12/17)

Modern Healthcare: Variable Copays, Alternative Plans Rise As Employer Costs Climb
Some very big health insurance companies and a bevy of startups are striving to win over employers vexed by rising health benefit costs with new plan designs. Alternative health plans such as variable copayment plans that favor certain in-network providers and individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements, better known as ICHRAs, may appeal to businesses that expect healthcare costs to continue accelerating and are reconsidering their employee benefits. A significant share of employers has adopted these models already. (Tong, 12/17)

KFF Health News: Worried About Health Insurance Costs? There May Be Cheaper Options — But With Trade-Offs
For the millions of Americans who buy Affordable Care Act insurance, there’s still time left to enroll for 2026. But premium increases and the expiration of enhanced tax subsidies have led to larger-than-expected costs. Concerned shoppers, wondering if there’s anything they can do, are consulting insurance brokers or talking to representatives at ACA marketplace call centers. (Appleby, 12/18)

In a speech Wednesday, President Trump discussed health care affordability —

The New York Times: A Bellicose Trump Points Fingers In Defending His Record On The Economy 
In an 18-minute address, President Trump said the economy was booming despite the public’s consistent concerns about prices. When he turned to health care, where for years he has promised a comprehensive plan to improve Obamacare, the solution he endorsed was a $2,000, one-time check for all Americans below a yet-undermined income level. They could use it to buy insurance — or not, though the increases in premiums coming in just days would, for many, outstrip that payment many times. (Sanger, 12/18)

The New York Times: Full Transcript Of President Trump’s Speech On The Economy
The president sharply attacked his predecessor while insisting that his own record contained nothing but victories. (12/17)

On the high cost of prescription drugs —

Stat: Next White House Drug Pricing Deals Expected On Friday 
Several drugmakers are expected to sign pricing agreements with the Trump administration on Friday, according to four people familiar with the plans, who were not authorized to speak publicly. (Payne, 12/17)

Stat: Employers Drop Obesity Drug Coverage As Cash-Pay Programs Grow
When HCA Healthcare, one of the largest hospital systems in the U.S., recently told employees it would stop covering blockbuster obesity drugs Zepbound and Wegovy next year, it pointed them to an alternative way to get the treatments: Buy them themselves. (Chen, 12/18)

Bloomberg: Cost Of Cancer Treatment Can Be Marked Up 10,000%
Ida Martin’s first chemotherapy treatment at Rush University Medical Center cost her health plan $13,560. When she went down the street to a clinic for her next infusion three weeks later, the price dropped to $134. “Same drug, different prices,” said Martin, a 62-year-old cook with colon cancer. The clinic was even still within the Rush system. “It’s ridiculous.” (Tozzi, Meghjani and Benhamou, 12/17)

The Washington Post: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Sweeping Anti-Trans Care Bill Passes House 
In the waning days of her stormy tenure in Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene achieved a legislative victory Wednesday that has eluded her for years — House approval of a sweeping ban on gender transition treatment for minors. The House passed the Protect Children’s Innocence Act largely along party lines (216-211). The bill, if it becomes law, would open health care providers to felony charges — and up to 10 years in prison — if they treat young people under the age of 18 with puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries. The legislation would also punish anyone — including parents — who consents to or transports a minor to the care. (Parks, 12/17)

The Washington Post: HHS To Limit Youth Gender Transition Care By Withholding Medicare, Medicaid Funds 
The proposed regulations would bar medical providers who offer gender transition care to transgender youths from receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds. (Cunningham, 12/18)

Advocate: Pam Bondi Wants A Bounty On People Who Support Trans Rights
Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed the FBI to create a cash reward system for information leading to the arrest of leaders of so-called “domestic terrorist organizations,” a category the Justice Department now says includes people and groups associated with what it calls “radical gender ideology,” according to a December 4 memorandum. (Wiggins, 12/17)

Updates from Texas —

KUT Radio: The State Is Making A List Of Transgender Texans. It’s Using Driver's Licenses To Help
A year after the state blocked transgender Texans from updating their state IDs, it has collected information on more than 100 people who have tried. Officials won’t say what they’re using the list for. (McGaughy, 12/15)

The Texas Tribune: Ken Paxton Opens Tip Line To Encourage “Bathroom Bill” Enforcement
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is encouraging the public to help enforce the state’s “bathroom bill” via a tip line for suspected violations of the new law designed to restrict which facilities transgender people can use. (Runnels, 12/17)

The Texas Tribune: How Cutting Trans Medical Training Could Hurt Texas Patients
Health providers and faculty members fear students will no longer understand the nuances of caring for transgender people, who tend to have higher rates of certain mental and physical health conditions. (Simpson, Langford and Byman, 12/18)

On conversion therapy in Michigan —

AP: Court Blocks Michigan Ban On Conversion Therapy For Minors
A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors who are LGBTQ+, declaring it violates the First Amendment rights of therapists and counselors. In a 2-1 opinion, the court said the law illegally restricts speech that reflects the moral beliefs of therapists. It set aside a lower court’s ruling and granted a preliminary injunction sought by Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties. (White, 12/17)

The Washington Post: American Academy Of Pediatrics Loses HHS Funding After Criticizing RFK Jr. 
The Department of Health and Human Services has terminated seven grants totaling millions of dollars to the American Academy of Pediatrics, including for initiatives on reducing sudden infant deaths, improving adolescent health, preventing fetal alcohol syndrome and identifying autism early, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. The abrupt loss of funds this week surprised the professional pediatrician association, which has been one of the harshest critics of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s changes to federal vaccine policy. (Sun and Cunningham, 12/17)

More health news from the Trump administration —

The Washington Post: Trump Selects Doctor Who Promoted Unproven Covid Treatment To Helm U.S. Cancer Initiative
Harvey Risch, a Yale epidemiologist long respected for his work in cancer research but who has faced controversy for promoting an unproven covid-19 treatment, has been selected by President Donald Trump to lead the nation’s cancer initiative. Over the course of his career, Risch published 400 original peer-reviewed research papers most notably on cancer prevention and early detection, and has studied a wide array of malignancies including ovarian, pancreatic, lung, bladder, esophageal and stomach cancers. He has also served as an editor at several of the field’s leading journals. (Eunjung Cha, 12/17)

ProPublica, The Salt Lake Tribune: Pam Bondi Drops Surgeon’s COVID-19 Fraud Charges, Emboldens Others With Similar Cases
Dr. Kirk Moore had been on trial for five days, accused of falsifying COVID-19 vaccination cards and throwing away the government-supplied doses. The Utah plastic surgeon faced up to 35 years in prison if the jury found him guilty on charges that included conspiracy to defraud the United States. Testimony had paused for the weekend when Moore’s lawyer called him early one Saturday this July with what felt to him like unbelievable news. (Schreifels, 12/17)

The Washington Post: Trump Set To Explore Expanding CBD Access For Seniors
President Donald Trump’s planned executive order to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana, expected as soon as Thursday, also will announce a pilot program to pay for Medicare patients to use CBD, according to six people familiar with the plans. (Diamond, Ovalle and Bogage, 12/18)

The Washington Post: Brendan Carr Said The FCC Isn’t Independent. Its Website Quickly Updated
In the course of an otherwise anodyne Senate committee hearing where its commissioners were testifying, the Federal Communications Commission removed the word “independent” from a description of the agency on its own website to line up with its chairman’s live remarks. (Nover and Duncan, 12/17)

AP: Nebraska Plans To Be The First State To Implement New Medicaid Work Requirements
Nebraska will become the first state to implement new work requirements for some people with Medicaid health insurance under a law President Donald Trump signed last year. Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, announced Wednesday that the requirement would take effect in the state May 1 and could impact about 30,000 people who have slightly higher incomes than traditional Medicaid beneficiaries. (Mulvihill, 12/17)

More health news from across the U.S. —

AP: New York To Legalize Medically Assisted Suicide, Gov. Hochul Says
New York is set to become the latest state to legalize medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill under a deal reached between the governor and state legislative leaders announced Wednesday. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul plans to sign the proposal next year after pushing to add a series of “guardrails” in the bill, she announced in an op-ed in the Albany Times Union. (Izaguirre and Hill, 12/18)

Stat: Meta Urged By State AGs To Regulate Weight Loss Drug Ads
More than three dozen state attorneys general are urging Meta to better enforce its policies to thwart a “surge of misleading” pharmaceutical and wellness ads for weight loss drugs on Instagram and Facebook. And the state officials also want the company to take additional measures to prevent artificial intelligence-generated content in the ads. (Silverman, 12/17)

WFSU: FSU, Tallahassee Reach Tentative Agreement TMH Sale Price 
Florida State University and the city of Tallahassee say they've reached a deal on the sale of Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. The Tallahassee City Commission voted 3-2 in October for city staff to enter negotiations, though talks had been ongoing at the time. FSU president Richard McCullough announced the tentative terms Tuesday. (Wood, 12/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Heart Attacks, Lung Conditions Jumped After Los Angeles Wildfires
The Los Angeles wildfires of nearly a year ago took an unexpectedly heavy toll on residents’ health, a new study found. An unusually large number of people suffered from heart attacks, lung conditions and a perplexing rise in unexplained illnesses, according to an analysis by researchers of emergency-department data at Cedars-Sinai, the largest hospital in Los Angeles County. (McKay, 12/17)

The New York Times: With Rights And Resources Uncertain, They’re Seeking Sterilization 
After Roe was overturned in 2022, more younger, child-free women opted for the consequential procedure, effectively eliminating their chances of unintended pregnancies. One study, published last April, which looked at medical records from across the country, found that from June 2022 to September 2023, 21,180 18- to 30-year-olds had tubal ligations, up from 11,480 in that age group in the four years before the decision. (Gupta, 12/17)

AP: Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez Bezos Award $5 Million To Leader In Neurodiversity Education
Mega billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, former news anchor Lauren Sánchez Bezos, are awarding $5 million to the founder of a neurodivergent student support network, a recognition that the lesser-known recipient credits to the students powering his fast-growing movement for more inclusive classrooms. (Pollard, 12/17)

KFF Health News: Washington’s Homeless Hide In Plain Sight, Growing Sicker And Costing Taxpayers More
Every night, Abdullah Ibrahim retreats from the streets into a wooded stretch along the Potomac River. As night falls and temperatures drop, he erects a tent and builds a fire beneath a canopy of pine, hemlock, and cedar trees. He evades authorities by rotating use of three tents of different colors at three campsites. As day breaks, he dismantles his shelter, rolls up his belongings, and hides them for the next night. (Hart, 12/18)

KFF Health News: Call 911 Or Risk Losing The Baby? Raids Force Some Immigrants To Avoid Care
As immigrants in southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi braced for this month’s U.S. Homeland Security operation, Cristiane Rosales-Fajardo received a panicked phone call from a friend. The friend’s Guatemalan tenant, who didn’t know she was pregnant, had just delivered a premature baby in the New Orleans house. The parents lacked legal residency, and the mother refused to go to a hospital for fear of being detained by federal immigration officers. (Parker, 12/18)

On substance abuse —

AP: Survey Finds Teen Drug Use Remains Low In US
Teen use of alcohol, nicotine and marijuana remains at record lows, according to national survey results released Wednesday. They consume a lot of energy drinks, though. And there are slight, but concerning, increases in heroin and cocaine use. But overall, the findings indicate teens are drinking, smoking and using substances at much lower rates than in the past. (Stobbe, 12/17)

The New York Times: Twelve Men Saturated East Harlem Housing Project With Drugs, U.S. Says 
For more than three and a half years, officials said, the men used the Johnson Houses as “an open drug market” to sell crack cocaine and fentanyl. (Cramer, 12/17)

The New York Times: For Families Fighting Addiction, Reiner Tragedy Strikes A Nerve 
Nick Reiner, 32, struggled with drug addiction for nearly two decades, something he and his family shared with the public. This week, he was charged with murder in the death of his parents, the director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. His ordeal, and its impact on his parents and family, has resonated with millions of people, including Pattie Vargas. Her daughter isolated herself and lived on the streets while battling addiction to alcohol and drugs. Her son developed a heart condition from drug use and died of heart failure in 2017 while intoxicated, just one month shy of turning 36. (Rao, 12/18)

CIDRAP: Mpox Transmission, US Flu Surveillance Highlighted In First Public Health Alerts Reports
Today the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota and NEJM Evidence launched their new Public Health Alerts initiative with reports on potential local transmission of clade 1b mpox virus (MPXV) in California and on influenza viruses circulating during the 2024-25 flu season. (Wappes, 12/17)

On measles, pertussis, and norovirus —

NBC News: Measles Outbreaks Won't End In 2025 As Cases Mount In Utah, Arizona And South Carolina
As measles continues to spread in the United States, it’s likely that the outbreaks that broke records in 2025 will continue into the new year. In South Carolina, 168 people, mostly schoolchildren, are in quarantine. Most of the state's 138 cases confirmed since September, nearly all in unvaccinated people, have been centered in Spartanburg County in the northwestern part of the state. (Edwards, 12/18)

The Texas Tribune: Texas Measles Outbreak Hardened Mennonites Against Vaccines
When Anita Froese’s middle daughter came down with fatigue, body aches and the tell-tale sign of measles — strawberry-colored spots splattered across her skin — she waited it out. Two days later, her son developed the same symptoms. After a week, the disease finally reached her youngest daughter, who vomited all night as her fever spiked to 104. (Byman, 12/17)

NBC News: Whooping Cough Cases Soar As Vaccine Rates Drop Among Kids
At just 2 weeks old, Feleena Owens was struggling to breathe. The newborn was coughing so badly, her skin turned a sickly gray-blue color. Her face contorted as she tried to gulp air. (Edwards, Thompson, Kane, Murphy and Fattah, 12/17)

NBC News: Kansas School Starts Winter Break Early After Wave Of Illnesses Wreak Havoc
A Kansas school has decided to start its holiday break early after illnesses wreaked havoc on its students and staff, with more than 40 calling out sick in one day. Dexter Schools USD 471 posted a statement on Facebook saying it would dismiss students for the semester on Monday due to a “tremendous amount of sickness right now and it seems to be spreading at a very high rate.” The school, located about 70 miles south of Wichita, wanted to avoid the continued spread as students were likely to be seeing extended families soon. (Madani, 12/17)

ABC News: Norovirus Cases Increase In Los Angeles County: Health Officials
Norovirus cases are likely rising in Los Angeles, wastewater data shared by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health shows. Wastewater sampling -- which collects water from sewers or treatment systems to analyze for pathogens or pollutants -- shows that during the 21-day period ending on Dec. 11, norovirus detection in wastewater rose 154% in Los Angeles and more than 250% in Los Angeles County, according to ABC News' Los Angeles station KABC. (Kekatos, 12/17)

In recalls —

The Hill: Salad Dressing Recall: Foreign Objects Found In Product
Thousands of cases of salad dressing have been recalled due to the presence of “foreign objects,” the Food and Drug Administration announced. In a report, the FDA said the recall from California-based Ventura Foods was initiated on Nov. 11 and identified as a “Class II” on Dec. 4, meaning the use of or exposure to the product could lead to temporary and adverse health consequences. (Kaplan, 12/17)

ABC News: High-Fat Cheese, Cream Linked To Lower Risk Of Dementia: Study
People who regularly ate higher-fat cheese and cream had a lower risk of developing dementia over 25 years, while low-fat dairy and other dairy foods showed no clear association, according to a new study. Those who consumed 50 grams per day or more of high-fat cheese daily – roughly a third of a cup – had a lower overall risk of dementia, vascular dementia, a form of cognitive decline caused by impaired blood flow to the brain, according to the 25-year Swedish study of nearly 28,000 people published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Danquah, 12/17)

Newsweek: Scientists Reveal Six Middle Age Early Warning Signs Of Dementia
Six symptoms associated with depression in midlife could increase your dementia risk later on in life, according to new findings by researchers from University College London. Dementia is estimated to affect more than 55 million people worldwide—a figure expected to skyrocket to 153 million within the next 25 years. At present, there is no cure. (Fleur Afshar, 12/16)

The Washington Post: Alzheimer's Blood Tests Show Promise But Have Limitations 
Blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease are becoming more accurate, but researchers stress the need for caution and further study. (Johnson, 12/18)

The Washington Post: Want A Younger, Healthier Brain? This Type Of Exercise Can Help. 
More muscle mass was linked to younger brains in new research, suggesting resistance training can support long-term brain health. (Reynolds, 12/17)

Newsweek: Psychologists Reveal Three Personality Traits Linked To Early Death
Your personality may influence how long you live, according to major new research that suggests certain traits can significantly raise—or lower—the risk of dying early. The large study from the University of Limerick in Ireland found that certain personality traits—such as being anxious, highly organized, or outgoing—can strongly influence how long people live. (Gibbs, 12/16)

More health and wellness news —

Fox News: Holiday Habits Can Increase Heart Attack Risk At Christmastime, Experts Warn
The holidays are known to be a source of stress, between traveling, preparing for family gatherings and indulging in lots of food and drinks. The uptick of activity can actually put a strain on the heart, a phenomenon known as "holiday heart syndrome." Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Jeremy London addressed this elevated risk in a recent Instagram post, sharing how heart attacks consistently rise around the holidays. (Stabile, 12/16)

The Washington Post: How We Ingest Plastic Chemicals While Consuming Food 
When Americans eat a burger, they aren’t just biting through bun, lettuce, tomato and cheese. Instead, the burger — or its packaging, or the utensil used to cook it — also likely contains a blend of chemicals scientists believe harm human health. PFAS. Phthalates. BPA. Flame retardants. (Osaka and Ahmed, 12/17)

Stat: The Story Of Whole Milk's Return To U.S. Schools 
Whole milk is ready for its comeback in America’s schools — but surprising language tucked into a new bill clears the path for non-dairy milk options, too. (Todd, 12/17)

CIDRAP: COVID Lockdowns May Have Slowed Toddler Development, While Reopenings Tied To Better Mental Health In Older Kids 
A pair of analyses on the effects of COVID-related public health measures on children ties lockdowns and physical distancing to developmental delays among toddlers in Scotland and school reopenings to improved mental health in California students. (Van Beusekom, 12/16)

CIDRAP: RSV Vaccine Protects Older Adults, And Drug Protects Babies, But Less So Over Time, Studies Suggest 
Two studies on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) protection conclude that vaccine effectiveness against infection and related health care use drops over 18 months in US veterans and that the effectiveness of the long-acting monoclonal antibody preventive nirsevimab is strong in hospitalized European children younger than two years but wanes over seven months. Older adults and infants are especially vulnerable to severe RSV, with possible complications of bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and sepsis. (Van Beusekom, 12/17)

MedPage Today: Combination Model May Improve Diagnosis Of Serious Respiratory Infections 
Pairing a biomarker with AI analysis could also help cut unnecessary antibiotic use. (Rudd, 12/17)

MedPage Today: Two Extended-Release Buprenorphine Doses Effective In High-Risk Opioid Use Disorder 
Maintenance with higher monthly dose level may provide an advantage in heavy fentanyl users. (Jeffrey, 12/17)

New England Journal of Medicine: The Essential Role Of States In Protecting Immunization Access
When federal leadership falters, states can and must lead. Because pathogens cross borders, collaborative approaches among states will be essential for maintaining consistency and trust. Strengthening mechanisms for ongoing coordination among states and medical and scientific experts is critical in this moment. (Former CDC director Mandy Cohen, M.D., M.P.H., Jennifer Klein, J.D., Ellen Montz, Ph.D., and Charlene A. Wong, M.D., M.S.H.P., 12/17)

The New York Times: Anti-Vaccine Influencers Have Shown Me The Limits Of Resistance
In June I wrote a column in which I suggested that public debates like these could be a useful way to rebuild Americans’ trust in vaccines. I thought of this as a kind of sunshine effect: Encourage these views to be aired in the open, where they can be debunked directly. But I changed my mind about it this year. (Jessica Grose, 12/17)

Miami Herald: The US Already Faces A Health Care Workforce Shortage – Immigration Policy Could Make It Worse
As an economist who studies how immigration influences economies, including health care systems, I see a consistent picture: Immigrants are a vital part of the health care workforce, especially in roles facing staffing shortages. (Bedassa Tadesse, 12/17)

Stat: Regenerative Medicine Marketing Outpaces The Science 
It’s hard to miss the buzz around regenerative medicine. Clinics tout “miracle injections” and “next generation cell therapies” across websites, glossy advertisements, and social media, promising to heal joints, reverse arthritis, regrow cartilage, and even restore youth. For patients in pain, or simply hoping to turn back the clock, it can feel as if the future of medicine has already arrived. (Scott Rodeo, 12/18)

Stat: What The Impacts Of NIH Cuts Tell Us About The Future 
Over the past year, the Trump administration has implemented a series of policy changes with significant, direct impacts on the funding, practice, and governance of science and medical research. The administration froze or terminated billions of dollars of federally funded science and medical research projects already underway and tried to slash negotiated research infrastructure commitments worth billions more, first within Health and Human Services and then more broadly. These changes were met with silence by many, but not by all. (Joshua S. Weitz, 12/18)