MedPage Today: Health Spending Up 7.5% In 2023, CMS Says 
Health spending in the U.S. rose by 7.5% in 2023, to $4.9 trillion, compared with an increase of 4.6% in 2022, according to figures released Wednesday by CMS. "Much of the growth came from faster growth and spending [by] private health insurance, which increased 11.5%, and Medicare, which increased 8.1%," Anne Martin, of the CMS Office of the Actuary, said during a briefing sponsored by Health Affairs. "For Medicaid, although spending and enrollment continue to increase, the rates of growth were lower in 2023 compared with 2022 -- Medicaid spending grew by 7.9% in 2023 compared with 9.7% growth in 2022." (Frieden, 12/18)

Axios: Spending On Hospital Care Surged In 2023: CMS
U.S spending on hospital care grew at its fastest clip in more than three decades last year, according to a new federal analysis of health expenditures. Higher demand for medical procedures, including more Medicare patients receiving outpatient care, helped drive a 10.4% year-over-year spending surge on hospitals while prices for services remained relatively stable. (Goldman, 12/19)

The Wall Street Journal: Why Are Americans Paying So Much More for Healthcare Than They Used to?
The killing of a health insurance executive in New York City prompted a furious outpouring of anger over the industry and healthcare prices. So just how much have healthcare costs and spending been going up? The short answer: a lot. National healthcare spending increased 7.5% year over year in 2023 to $4.867 trillion, or $14,570 per person, according to data released Wednesday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  (Torry, 12/18)

KFF Health News: Obamacare Sign-Ups Lag After Trump Election, Legal Challenges
New enrollments under the Affordable Care Act are on pace to trail last year’s record numbers by as many as a million as the outgoing Biden administration confronts upheavals in the program. Donald Trump’s election to a second term has cast uncertainty around the future of the health law. In addition, the Biden administration implemented cumbersome policies to reduce fraudulent enrollment and is combating a lawsuit that aims to block immigrants who lack legal residency from buying insurance under the program. (Appleby, 12/19)

KFF Health News: He Went In For A Colonoscopy. The Hospital Charged $19,000 For Two
Tom Contos is an avid runner. When he started experiencing rectal bleeding in March, he thought exercise could be the cause and tried to ignore it. But he became increasingly worried when the bleeding continued for weeks. The Chicago health care consultant contacted his physician at Northwestern Medicine, who referred him for a diagnostic colonoscopy, at least partly because Contos, 45, has a family history of colon issues. (Meyer, 12/19)

UnitedHealthcare shooting update —

The New York Times: Suspect In Insurance C.E.O.’s Murder Is Said To Face Federal Charges
The suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive on a Manhattan sidewalk this month will now face federal charges in addition to the state murder indictment brought against him, according to three people with knowledge of the matter. ... Federal charges would potentially allow prosecutors to pursue the death penalty, which has been outlawed in New York for decades. (Marcius, Rashbaum and Meko, 12/18)

The New York Times: Trump, Egged On By Musk, Condemns Spending Deal, Raising Fears Of Government Shutdown 
A bipartisan spending deal to avert a shutdown was on life support on Wednesday after President-elect Donald J. Trump condemned it, leaving lawmakers without a strategy to fund the government past a Friday night deadline. Mr. Trump issued a scathing statement ordering Republicans not to support the sprawling bill, piling on to a barrage of criticism from Elon Musk, who spent Wednesday trashing the measure on social media and threatening any Republican who supported it with political ruin. (Edmondson and Hulse, 12/18)

The Hill: Johnson Considers Plan B Amid Trump World Opposition To Spending Deal
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is looking at a plan B to fund the government ahead of Friday’s shutdown deadline as Republicans inside and outside the Capitol, including President-elect Trump and his allies, slam his spending package. The back-up option Johnson is examining is a “clean” continuing resolution, two sources familiar with the matter told The Hill. That would entail dropping the additional provisions that were included in the initial 1,500-page spending package negotiated by congressional leaders, including disaster aid and economic assistance for farmers. (Schnell, 12/18)

The New York Times: What’s Inside The Spending Bill To Avoid A Government Shutdown? 
The stopgap spending bill congressional leaders agreed on this week began as a simple funding measure to keep government funds flowing past a Friday night deadline and into early next year, long after House Republicans elect a speaker and President-elect Donald J. Trump is sworn in. But by the time it was rolled out to lawmakers on Tuesday night, it had transformed into a true Christmas tree of a bill, adorned with all manner of unrelated policy measures in the kind of year-end catchall that Republicans have long derided. It is a 1,547-page behemoth of a package with provisions including foreign investment restrictions, new health care policies and a stadium site for the Washington Commanders. (Edmondson, 12/18)

Also —

The Washington Post: Senate Passes Pentagon NDAA That Set Off Transgender-Care Debate 
The Senate on Wednesday passed an $895.2 billion defense policy bill that sparked controversy when House Speaker Mike Johnson amended the legislation with language forbidding the use of federal funds to cover specialized medical care for the transgender children of U.S. military personnel. Though several Senate Democrats protested Johnson’s 11th-hour maneuver, the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was approved 85-14 — a comfortable margin that belied the depth of frustration among lawmakers who said the legislation, as written, discriminates against thousands of military families and their right to health care. The bill heads next to the president, who is expected to sign it into law. Several senior Democratic senators said that while they shared their colleagues’ frustration with the transgender-care provision, the NDAA was too important to fail. (Hauslohner, 12/18)

KFF Health News: Democratic Senators Ask Watchdog Agency To Investigate Georgia’s Medicaid Work Rule
Three Democratic senators asked the country’s top nonpartisan government watchdog on Tuesday to investigate the costs of a Georgia program that requires some people to work to receive Medicaid coverage. The program, called “Georgia Pathways to Coverage,” is the nation’s only active Medicaid work requirement. Pathways has cost tens of millions in federal and state dollars on administration and consulting fees while enrolling 5,542 people as of Nov. 1, according to KFF Health News’ reporting. (Miller, Rayasam and Whitehead, 12/18)

The Hill: Hawley: Kennedy Supports Restrictions On Abortion Pill Mifepristone
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, pledged to support efforts to reimpose restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone if Trump wants to. Hawley told reporters Wednesday he suggested to Kennedy during a Tuesday meeting that “it would be a wise idea to return to the rule under the last Trump administration, which required in-person dispensing” of the drug.  (Weixel, 12/18)

The Washington Post: RFK Jr. Tries To Build Momentum For HHS Candidacy On Capitol Hill
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrived on Capitol Hill this week with a clear goal: build support for his controversial selection to lead the nation’s health agencies. So far, so good. Kennedy has met with more than a dozen GOP senators, with many lawmakers praising those conversations and signaling that they plan to vote to confirm him as secretary of health and human services next year. (Diamond, Roubein and Liss-Roy, 12/18)

The Boston Globe: RFK Jr. Is Telling Republican Senators What They Want To Hear
The moment he arrived on Capitol Hill this week as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confronted with perhaps the top task of his confirmation: papering over his decades-long record of controversy. ... The fact that Kennedy needed to declare his support for the polio vaccine, one of the great medical advances of the 20th century, stems from a New York Times report that one of his top advisers had petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to revoke approval for the life-saving injection. (Brodey and Puzzanghera, 12/19)

AP: What Americans Think Of RFK Jr. And His Health Stances 
The kids seen by Dolores Mejia around suburban Phoenix have been growing heavier in recent years. Their parents, too, she says. Mejia, a 75-year-old retiree, says she’s also had her own weight struggles on the scale. That’s why Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to “Make America Healthy Again” as he campaigned alongside Donald Trump caught her attention. She liked the questions Kennedy raised about the role of processed foods in America’s obesity epidemic. After hearing Kennedy out, she concluded: “We cannot trust the health organizations we’ve trusted for years to tell us that our foods are safe.” (Seitz and Sanders, 12/18)

Also —

NPR: After Losing VP Bid, Walz Searches For Role In Pushing Back Against Trump
With Republican pickups both nationally and in his home state, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is searching for the right balance when preparing to push back against GOP priorities, while also showing that he's willing to work with them on issues important to middle class voters. After Democrats lost the presidential election, Walz is now back home working out of the state capitol in St. Paul, Minn., where he recently described the one question that keeps him up at night - why more voters chose President-elect Donald Trump. (Masters, 12/19)

NBC News: U.S. Reports First Severe Human Case Of Bird Flu
A person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with bird flu — the country’s first severe human H5N1 infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The patient is experiencing severe respiratory illness related to H5N1 infection and is currently hospitalized in critical condition,” said Emma Herrock, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Health Department. (Bush, 12/18)

San Francisco Chronicle: Bird Flu Rise Prompts California To Declare State Of Emergency
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a state of emergency to boost the state’s response to the avian flu, which has infected more than 600 dairy herds and 34 people in the state amid a national outbreak that began in the spring. The proclamation gives state and local agencies additional flexibility on staffing, contracting and other rules to support the H5N1 response, according to a statement from the governor’s office. (Ho, 12/18)

CBS News: Wisconsin Reports Its First Human Case Of Bird Flu
Wisconsin has identified its first human case of the bird flu. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Wednesday that it had detected presumptive positive human case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A, or H5N1 in Barron County. ... The Wisconsin DHS said the human case followed an infected flock of commercial poultry in the same county. The person who contracted the disease had contact with the flock. (Harrington, Moniuszko and Padilla, 12/18)

Bloomberg: What To Know About Bird Flu And Pandemic Fears
For influenza viruses, imperfection is a strength. They constantly mutate, producing new strains that challenge immune systems primed to fight earlier varieties. That’s what makes flu a life-long threat to humans and the animal species — mainly birds — that are vulnerable to it. Since 2020, a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza called H5N1 has been decimating both wild and domestic birds. Now it’s spreading among US dairy cows, and has infected dozens of people, mainly US farmworkers exposed to sick cattle and poultry. (Griffin, Peng, and Smith, 12/18)

Los Angeles Times: More L.A. Cats Appear To Be Infected With H5N1 Bird Flu
Experts believe three more cats in Los Angeles County have been infected with H5N1 bird flu. Two others succumbed to the disease earlier this month after drinking recalled raw milk from Fresno-based Raw Farm LLC dairies. Of the three new sick cats, two died and one tested positive for influenza A, an unusual finding in domestic cats that haven’t been exposed to infected birds or contaminated dairy products. (Rust, 12/18)

In other health concerns —

Los Angeles Times: UCLA Doctors Identify 'Alarming' New Strain Of XDR Shigella
Three men sought help at clinics or emergency rooms in Los Angeles County over a three-month period this year, each reporting severe diarrhea and a recent history of sexual contact with other men. Stool cultures revealed that all three were infected with Shigella sonnei, a strain of Shigella bacteria that is resistant to five of the antibiotic classes most commonly prescribed for such infections. But upon further analysis, the UCLA researchers analyzing the samples realized they were looking at something altogether new. (Purtill, 12/18)

San Francisco Chronicle: San Francisco Seafood Company Issues ‘Urgent’ Recall For Oysters
A San Francisco seafood company issued an “urgent product recall” for oysters after they were linked to potential norovirus contamination. S&M Shellfish Co. sold the affected oysters under the brand names Fanny Bay, Buckley Bay and Royal Miyagi. They were harvested from British Columbia between Dec. 1 and Dec. 9, and distributed to restaurants and retailers across several U.S. states, including California, New York and Florida. (Vaziri, 12/18)

CIDRAP: Despite Guidelines, Few US Children Receiving Flu Antivirals 
National guidelines recommend the use of antiviral drugs in children diagnosed with influenza, but only 30% of children and adolescents at higher risk for influenza complications were prescribed antivirals during outpatient visits, according to a study yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases. (Soucheray, 12/18)

The Washington Post: U.S. Accuses CVS Of Unlawfully Filling Opioid Prescriptions 
The Justice Department on Wednesday accused CVS Pharmacy of incentivizing pharmacists to fill illegal opioid prescriptions for more than a decade, a practice that fueled the nation’s opioid crisis. The complaint, filed in Providence, Rhode Island, where CVS is headquartered, alleges that the country’s largest retail pharmacy violated the False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act by filling prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked legitimate medical purpose or were not valid, including prescriptions for “dangerous and excessive quantities of opioids.” (Ziegler, 12/18)

Modern Healthcare: How CVS Health, Walgreens, Amazon May Approach Healthcare In 2025
Big retailers providing healthcare services have a lot to prove in 2025. This past year was a defining year for retailers and not necessarily in a good way, as there were multiple failed attempts at offering more healthcare services. For Walmart and Walgreens, the high costs of care and reimbursement pressures derailed their plans to disrupt healthcare and grow revenue. ... Meanwhile, CVS Health, Kroger and Amazon are forging ahead with plans to offer more services through brick-and-mortar clinics and virtual platforms. (Hudson, 12/18)

Modern Healthcare: Steward Health Layoffs To Hit 848 People At Pennsylvania Hospital
About 850 employees will be laid off when Steward Health Care closes Sharon Regional Medical Center in Pennsylvania early next year. Layoffs will be effective Jan. 6 and include 149 professional staff members and 699 line staff members, according to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification documents filed this week. (Hudson, 12/18)

Military.com: VA Review Finds Underused Therapists And Misused Scheduling For Mental Health Care At Georgia Clinic 
A program designed to educate veterans on the various treatments for mental health conditions actually hindered access to medical care and contributed to the underuse of six therapists at a Georgia Veterans Affairs clinic, a Department of Veterans Affairs investigation found. The VA's Office of Inspector General found evidence that the Hinesville VA Outpatient Clinic did not adequately manage its Choose My Therapy program, which informs patients of the different types of available care. The clinic also did not use its scheduling tools properly, leading to delays in care. (Kime, 12/18)

Insurance developments —

Modern Healthcare: CMS' TEAM Could Cost Some Hospitals Hundreds: Report 
A mandatory hospital payment model finalized this year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could make earnings uncertain for providers, researchers said. Under the Transforming Episode Accountability Model, or TEAM, hospitals could lose out on an average of $500 per episode of care covered in the model, according to a December report from the Institute for Accountable Care. But the forecast results vary widely: Hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region could gain an average of $900 per episode of included care, the report said, while Denver providers stand to lose $1,300 per episode, on average. (Early, 12/18)

Modern Healthcare: Group Medicare Advantage Costs Rising For Public Sector Plans
Jessica Linart was shocked at the Medicare Advantage premiums insurers proposed for covering retired Colorado civil servants next year. Linart, director of insurance for the Colorado Public Employee Retirement Association, had grown accustomed to health insurance companies making competitive bids for group Medicare Advantage contracts. In the past, insurers pitched multiyear deals that locked in affordable rates. Not this time, she said. (Tepper, 12/18)

Crain's Chicago Business: Tempus AI Secures In-Network Status With Blue Cross Plans
Tempus announced this morning it has inked agreements for in-network provider status with Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans in six states, significantly enhancing its relationships with commercial health plans. Chicago-based Tempus uses artificial intelligence for diagnostic testing, health data analysis and supporting therapeutic development, primarily in cancer care. (Asplund, 12/18)

In pharmaceutical news —

The Mercury News: What To Know About Protonitazene, A Deadly Drug Even More Powerful Than Fentanyl
A synthetic opioid more powerful than fentanyl is at the center of a Los Angeles County case that is the first-of-its-kind in the nation. The prosecution, involving a 22-year-old victim, is the first to focus on a death caused by the drug, authorities said. Protonitazene is three times more potent than fentanyl, according to The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education. (Van Der Brug, 12/18)

CBS News: Mahtomedi Woman One Of First In U.S. To Receive New Alzheimer's Treatment
A drug approved by the FDA over the summer is giving new hope to the nearly 7 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The drug, sold under the brand name Kisunla and produced by drugmaker Eli Lilly, slows down the disease by up to 35%, according to the company. Kathy Ingebrand of Mahtomedi is one of the first people in the country to receive the infusion. On Thursday, Ingebrand was receiving her fourth round of monthly treatments. (Rantala, 12/18)

AP: Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott Reveals Another $2 Billion In Donations In 2024 
Billionaire author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott acknowledged another $2 billion in donations in a blog post on Wednesday, bringing the total she’s given away since 2019 to $19.2 billion. She also revealed new information about how she was managing her wealth, saying she had directed advisors to invest her funds into “mission-aligned ventures.” Most of the grants she made in 2024, she said, went to bolstering economic security and opportunities. (Beaty, 12/18)

AP: Wisconsin School Shooter Had 2 Guns And Got Messages From Man Accused Of Plotting His Own Attack
The shooter who killed a student and teacher at a religious school in Wisconsin brought two guns to the school and was in contact with a man in California whom authorities say was planning to attack a government building, according to authorities and court documents that became public Wednesday. ... A California judge, meanwhile, issued a restraining order Tuesday under California’s gun red flag law against a 20-year-old Carlsbad man. The order requires the man to turn his guns and ammunition into police within 48 hours unless an officer asks for them sooner because he poses an immediate danger to himself and others. (Richmond, Bauer and Foley, 12/18)

Stat: Indiana Medicaid Audit Finds Questionable Payments For ABA Autism Therapy 
A new federal audit of Medicaid payments to autism therapy providers contains a stark finding: All of the client records inspected had payments that were either improper or suspected to be. (Bannow, 12/19)

CBS News: Wayne County Wipes Out $27 Million In Medical Debt For 46,000 Residents
Wayne County is erasing $27 million in medical debt for more than 46,000 county residents. The debt came from an area hospital, which Wayne County's Department of Health, Human, and Veteran Services says "wishes to remain anonymous but is committed to community benefit and making healthcare accessible." (Buczek, 12/18)

From the West —

Los Angeles Times: Alameda County Family Sues Amazon One Medical Over Father's Death
An Alameda County family is suing Amazon One Medical, alleging a 45-year-old father of two collapsed and died shortly after he had a video consultation with the telehealth clinic. Philip Tong had a history of diabetes and, according to the lawsuit, was having trouble breathing and was coughing up blood. The suit also mentioned his feet had turned blue. During a video appointment with Amazon’s medical service providers on Dec. 18, 2023, he was told to buy an inhaler. (Hernandez, 12/18)

Axios: Heroin Use Skyrockets In The West: Data
Heroin use among people who also use fentanyl appears to have seen a "dramatic" rise in the span of just a few months, particularly in the western U.S., according to new data from specialty lab Millennium Health provided first to Axios. "Not only was it a significant jump in heroin positivity, it seemingly happened almost overnight," Dawson told Axios. (Reed, 12/19)

From the South and East —

WGCU: Lee Health Imaging Opens 3T MRI At New Southwest Florida Proton Center
Add another first for Southwest Florida Proton, the $80 million cancer treatment center recently opened in Fort Myers. Lee Health Imaging’s outpatient center, which opened in the 35,000-square-foot facility this month, is offering a 3T MRI magnet for the first time, in addition to CT and PET scans. (Zoldan, 12/19)

CBS News: Maryland Department Of Health To Expand Elderly Care To Serve 800 Seniors By 2025
The Maryland Department of Health is expanding the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) from one, to four locations, the department said Wednesday. With the expansion, the state will be able to serve up to 800 seniors - and more older adults to receive care without leaving their homes as a result. Currently, there is only one location, the Hopkins ElderPlus in East Baltimore. (Olaniran, 12/18)

CBS News: South Jersey Clinic Using Intestinal Ultrasound As An Alternative For People With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
A device used in South Jersey is being called a real game-changer for millions of people with inflammatory bowel disease. This is for people who suffer from things like Crohn's disease and colitis. It's an alternative to invasive screenings like MRIs and colonoscopies. An intestinal ultrasound is an easy, noninvasive way to check on different types of inflammatory bowel diseases. (Stahl and Nau, 12/18)

New York Daily News: 2 New York Men Die After Fertilizing Marijuana Plants With Bat Poop
Two New York men have died after contracting a rare fungal infection from the bat feces they used to fertilize their marijuana plants. The men, both of Rochester, were cultivating cannabis for personal use when their health started to deteriorate, according a case published in the journal, Open Forum Infectious Diseases. (Schladebeck, 12/18)

CBS News: Supreme Court Takes Up South Carolina's Effort To Defund Planned Parenthood
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to consider the South Carolina health department's effort to cut off funding from Planned Parenthood because it performs abortions, wading into another dispute over access to the procedure in the wake of its reversal of Roe v. Wade. The case, known as Kerr v. Edwards, stems from the state's decision in 2018 to end Planned Parenthood South Atlantic's participation in its Medicaid program. (Quinn, 12/18)

AP: Biden Gender Policy Council's Fate Is Uncertain Under Trump
During the transition period between President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, there has been at least some coordination on West Wing affairs. But not when it comes to Biden’s Gender Policy Council, which has worked to defend reproductive health care in the face of growing restrictions. The first-of-its kind office was an effort to drive policy that would make life better for women and girls in the U.S. and in the world. Over the past four years, it has sought to advance reproductive freedom, make pay more equitable and increase participation by women in the workforce. It was formed through an executive order by Biden in September 2021, and members of his Cabinet have representatives on the council. (Long, 12/18)

AP: Arizona Governor Urges The State To Stop Collecting Abortion Data, Citing Patient Privacy
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is calling for legislators to repeal the state law that requires an annual abortion report, saying that it infringes on patients’ privacy, which echoes other Democratic officials’ push to reduce or eliminate such requirements. “The government has no place in surveilling Arizonans’ medical decision-making or tracking their health history,” Hobbs, a Democrat in a state where Republicans control the Legislature, said in a statement Wednesday as the state released its report covering 2023. “Starting a family is a sensitive and personal experience for a woman and her loved ones; there should be no room for government surveillance and publication of that decision.” (Mulvihill, 12/18)

In related news —

ProPublica: If You’re Pregnant, Here’s What You Should Know About the Medical Procedures That Could Save Your Life
Women experiencing pregnancy loss in states with abortion bans told us they wished they had known what to expect and how to advocate for themselves. We created this guide for anyone who finds themselves in the same position. We wrote it in consultation with dozens of doctors, including those who hold positions at leading medical organizations and those who regularly treat patients who are miscarrying. (Surana and Presser, 12/19)

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: Baby Dance Class, More Doulas: Cleveland’s Neighborhood Family Practice Expands To Fight Infant Mortality 
As infant mortality and maternal morbidity rates cause concern locally and nationally, Cleveland’s Neighborhood Family Practice Medical Center aims to be part of the solution. The health agency recently expanded its services to expectant moms, especially those from other cultures, as it seeks to break down cultural barriers to care and create supportive communities for new parents. (Washington, 12/19)

USA Today: BRCA Gene Testing Saves Holocaust Survivor Child
Rose Brystowski, 68, had a choice to make. Others might have found it difficult. She found it easy. Doctors discovered a lump during her sister's mammogram back in 2008 that came back positive for breast cancer. Genetic testing revealed both had the BRCA gene – one that puts someone at higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers – something they were previously unaware of. But it's not unsurprising: ... Approximately 1 in 40 Ashkenazi Jewish people carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations; it's about 1 in 400 people in the general population. (Oliver, 12/18)

USA Today: Americans Are Living Longer, Thanks To Pandemic's End, Fewer Opioid Deaths
Average life expectancy in the U.S. increased by almost a year in 2023, rebounding to a level not reached since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to figures released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. average life expectancy was 78.4 years in 2023 ‒ nearly 11 months longer than in 2022 ‒ mostly due to far fewer COVID-19 deaths. It was the second consecutive year the nation's life expectancy increased after dropping more than two years from 2019 to 2021. (Alltucker, 12/19)

ProPublica: Sen. Blumenthal Urges “Science-Based” EPA Approach On Formaldehyde Risk
Citing a recent ProPublica investigation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., urged the Environmental Protection Agency in a letter this week to issue a final report on the health risks of formaldehyde that is “science-based” and “as strong as possible,” adding that “the agency has an obligation to protect the public from the chemical.” Formaldehyde, used for everything from preserving dead bodies to binding wood products and producing plastic, is extremely widespread and causes far more cancer than any toxic air pollutant. (Lerner, 12/18)

Stat: Brain-Computer Interfaces: How Congress, Federal Agencies Can Help
Brain-computer interfaces can dramatically improve the lives of people with disabilities, but they can also suck up sensitive information about what goes on in a person’s brain. Questions and concerns about how that information might be used could delay the transformative technology from reaching the market, according to a new government report. (Broderick, 12/18)

The Washington Post: What We Just Found Out About The Possible Tie Between Microplastics And Cancer
When a car rolls down a freeway, a fine spray of microplastics spews out from its tires. When you wash your clothes, millions of tiny synthetic microfibers spill into waterways. And those tiny pieces of plastic may be harming our health, a new study shows. In a paper published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, researchers at the University of California at San Francisco evaluated dozens of studies in mice and humans to learn how microplastics may be harming digestive, respiratory and reproductive health. They found that these shards — which are now virtually everywhere in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat — are suspected of links to colon cancer and lung cancer. (Osaka, 12/18)

On medicines and mental health —

Fox News: Common Painkiller Could Cause Medical Complications In People Over 65: Study
New research has revealed that a common medication might not be safe for everyone. Acetaminophen, brand name Tylenol, is a pain reliever and fever reducer that's often included in other drugs, such as cold and flu medicines. The U.K.-based study — published in Arthritis Care & Research, an official journal of the American College of Rheumatology — analyzed the safety of the drug in older individuals. (Stabile, 12/18)

CIDRAP: Antibiotic Use In Older Adults Doesn't Increase Dementia Risk, Study Finds 
New research suggests antibiotic use in older adults is not associated with increased risk of dementia or cognitive decline. The study authors say the findings should reassure seniors. "Given that older adults are more frequently prescribed antibiotics and are also at higher risk for cognitive decline, these findings offer reassurance about using these medications," co-lead author Andrew Chan, MD, MPH, of Harvard Medical School, said in a press release from the American Academy of Neurology, which publishes the journal. (Dall, 12/18)

WFSU: What Would Life Be Like Without Social Media? A Mental Health Expert Has Some Answers
Florida’s new social media law limiting access for kids goes into effect in January — the same time, TikTok could go on the chopping block for what federal officials say are national security concerns. When it comes to social media, Josette Sullins, the founder and CEO of dehp Integrative Care in Arizona, said that it can be a positive for some and a driver of depression or anxiety, for others. (Andrews, 12/18)

Stat: Social Media Fueling Young Men's Body Dysmorphic Disorder
As a young boy, Sam was used to people sharing their opinions on his body. Starting from the age of five, his parents frequently told him he was too skinny and that he needed to eat more. “Men need to be big,” he remembers his parents saying, so they could grow up and become providers for their families. It was the start of what would become a lifelong self-consciousness about body size for Sam. (Lee, 12/19)

ScienceDaily: After Lockdown, Immune System Reacts More Strongly To Viruses And Bacteria 
New research shows that the lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on people's immune response to microorganisms. During the lockdown, inflammation level in the body was low, but afterwards, the immune system reacted more intensely to viruses and bacteria. (Radboud University Medical Center, 12/18)

CIDRAP: COVID-19 Linked To More Heart Complications Than Flu, RSV
A new study published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders shows that pediatric and young adult COVID-19 patients are more at risk for cardiac complications than flu or RSV patients of the same age.  (Soucheray, 12/16)

CIDRAP: Report Describes Rare US Vancomycin-Resistant Staph Case
A letter published today in Emerging Infectious Diseases describes a case of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) identified in North Carolina in 2021. It's just the 16th confirmed case of VRSA identified in the United States since 2002. (Dall, 12/18)

CIDRAP: US Whooping Cough Cases Soar, But Public Knowledge Of The Contagious Disease Remains Low
US cases of pertussis (whooping cough), rose sixfold from 2023 to Nov 30, 2024, yet public knowledge of the highly contagious bacterial disease is lacking, suggests a survey today from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Thirty percent of respondents didn't know that pertussis is the same as whooping cough or that it is vaccine-preventable. (Van Beusekom, 12/17)

MedPage Today: Dementia Incidence Linked To Inflammatory Foods 
Diets higher in inflammatory foods were tied to an increased incidence of dementia in older adults, longitudinal data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort showed. (George, 12/13)

The Boston Globe: The Abortion Fight Goes To The States
In 2023, Idaho passed a bill making it a crime for anyone in the state to transport, harbor, or recruit a minor seeking an abortion without parental consent, even if the minor terminates the pregnancy in a state where abortion is legal. (Mary Ziegler, 12/18)

Stat: AI Chatbots Fail To Spot Risk Of Violence In Mental Health Crises
“How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?” “Major depressive disorder.” Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate former president Donald Trump earlier this summer, made these online searches just before he shot at the former president. He also searched for images of prior mass shooters, the location of the rally where he eventually shot Trump, and the location of a local gun store where he purchased bullets the day of the attempted assassination. (Declan Grabb and Max Lamparth, 12/19)

The Boston Globe: How America's Broken Health System Fuels Dangerous Rage
After more than 40 years in medicine, in both clinical practice and in leading the Lown Institute, a nonprofit health care organization that focuses on equitable, accountable, and high-value care, I know how badly decayed and increasingly corrupt the nation’s health care system has become. (Vikas Saini, 12/19)

Newsweek: When It Comes To Health Care, The U.S. Is Doing It Wrong 
Almost every other economically developed democracy offers citizens baseline health insurance that guarantees most necessary medical procedures will be accessible and either free or highly affordable with a minimum of bureaucracy. There's little quibbling; people accept they'll need this one day and so don't mind the taxman. Sure, the issue is complex, medical treatment options can be subjective, not everything works well and finances can go awry. But developed countries have largely made it work, and the people are grateful. Except in the United States. (Dan Perry, 12/17)

Newsweek: Government Needs To Do More To Ensure Obesity Drug Safety 
The Biden administration has proposed expanding Medicare coverage for anti-obesity medications, and with Elon Musk touting the benefits of such drugs, demand is sure to spike. If coverage is structured properly, it could greatly help our country's chronic disease and obesity epidemics. But Donald Trump's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will also need to ensure the drugs are safely produced. (Joe Grogan, 12/17)

Stat: Pulling Back On U.S. Global Health Security Work Puts Us All At Risk 
Our phones buzz with the same question every time an unusual outbreak makes the news: “What’s happening?” As physicians and frequent responders to infectious threats around the world, people assume we have immediate answers. But in the chaotic early days of an outbreak, even seasoned experts are navigating through more questions than certainties. This was recently the case with reports of a “mystery illness” in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). (Craig Spencer and Nahid Bhadelia, 12/19)