Stat: Donald Trump Returns To The Presidency With Big Ambitions To Shake Up Health Care
Republican Donald Trump has won the presidency, marking a new era for federal health agencies and the industries they oversee. The president-elect campaigned on promises to shake up public health institutions, reshape federal health programs, and slash high costs across the system. Trump has said he’s ready for campaign lieutenants like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to “go wild” on health, medicine, and food policy. Trump repeated that promise in his victory speech. “We can add a few names like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,” Trump told his supporters. “And he’s going to help make America healthy again… He’s a great guy and he really means that he wants to do some things, and we’re going to let him go to it.” (Owermohle, 11/6)

KFF Health News: Trump’s White House Return Poised To Tangle Health Care Safety Net 
Former President Donald Trump’s election victory and looming return to the White House will likely bring changes that scale back the nation’s public health insurance programs — increasing the uninsured rate, while imposing new barriers to abortion and other reproductive care. The reverberations will be felt far beyond Washington, D.C., and could include an erosion of the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections, the imposition of work requirements in Medicaid and funding cuts to the safety net insurance, and challenges to federal agencies that safeguard public health. Abortion restrictions may tighten nationwide with a possible effort to restrict the mailing of abortion medications. (Armour, 11/6)

Politico: The Policies That Will Define Donald Trump’s Second Term
Donald Trump has promised the largest deportation of immigrants in American history, sweeping new tariffs on imports, a freeze on climate-related regulations, a remaking of federal health agencies and ideological changes in the education system. Now he gets his chance. And Trump insiders say they believe he’ll be able to move faster than he did in his first term to accomplish those goals. (Payne, 11/6)

Politico: Who Could Be In Trump’s Next Cabinet? Here Are Leading Contenders.
Donald Trump didn’t engage in formal conversations about a potential Cabinet in the run-up to his election. But that didn’t stop him from spitballing potential contenders during his frequent plane rides to campaign events, or when he is impressed by one of his allies on television. ... What Trump seeks in an HHS secretary varies — and is at times contradictory — according to officials from his first administration. Trump might want an HHS leader who has significant leadership experience, executive presence and a strong will to bring one of the largest federal agencies to heel. But he might also opt for a secretary with deep institutional knowledge of the agency itself and the ability to effectively move policy and fly under the radar for the Senate confirmation process. (11/6)

The Guardian: Trump’s Queasy Prescription To ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Takes Shape 
From assertions that America’s highest-profile vaccine critic would lead health agencies to new promises for “massive reform” of Obamacare, the chaotic last week of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign will probably serve as a preview of what “Make America healthy again” could mean when the former president regains power. The jumble of proposals echoed conservative policy documents, channeled the residual anger of the post-pandemic anti-vaccine movement and alarmed experts who help set the nation’s health policies. (Glenza, 11/5)

Pollitico: Trump’s In. Here’s What It Means For Europe. 
Well, the Trump show’s just been rebooted. And Europe can’t look away. European policymakers have spent months preparing for Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House. But let’s be honest, they don’t really know how this will all unfold. In his previous stint as president, Trump attempted to curb drug prices with little impact. Since then, the Biden administration has used the IRA to push through far-reaching drug price restrictions for people on Medicare, the health insurance for older Americans. Trump is unlikely to roll this back, meaning Big Pharma in the U.S. and Europe will be considering their investment options as both regions push to limit pharma profits. (11/6)

Reaction from President-elect Donald Trump —

Variety: Donald Trump: 'We're Going To Help Our Country Heal'
Donald Trump sounded a note of unity to his supporters early Wednesday in his address that came shortly after the Associated Press and other major news outlets called the presidential race in his favor. “We’re going to help our country heal,” Trump told supporters at about 2:30 a.m. ET as they gathered in celebration at his resort facility Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump’s speech was short by his standards and light on personal attacks or extreme statements. He made reference to the assassination attempt that he survived in July, giving a nod to divine intervention. (Littleton, 11/6)

AP: Trump Snaps At Reporter When Asked About Abortion: 'Stop Talking About That' 
Donald Trump is refusing to say how he voted on Florida’s abortion measure — and getting testy about it. The first time he was asked, Trump avoided answering. Pressed a second time, Trump snapped at a reporter, saying they “should just stop talking about that.” Trump had previously indicated that he would back the measure — but then changed his mind and said he would vote against it. (Licon, 11/5)

Also —

The Washington Post: For Second Time In Eight Years, A Loss For A Woman Presidential Candidate
The chance to sweep away a barrier to women that is as old as the United States vanished as Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris to become the nation’s 47th president, devastating voters who hoped she could make history. Trump’s win, projected early Wednesday, means that the tradition of electing a man to the nation’s highest office remains unbroken after more than 200 years. (Slater and Brulliard, 11/6)

AP: Republicans Take Senate Majority And Eye Unified Power With Trump
Republicans have taken control of the U.S. Senate and are fighting to keep their majority in the U.S. House, which would produce a full sweep of GOP power in Congress alongside President-elect Donald Trump in the White House. A unified Republican grip on Washington would set the course for Trump’s agenda. Or if Democrats wrest control of the House, it would provide an almost certain backstop, with veto power over the White House. Trump, speaking early Wednesday at his election night party in Florida, said the results delivered an “unprecedented and powerful mandate” for Republicans. (Mascaro and Jalonick, 11/6)

Dallas Morning News: Allred Vows To Keep Fighting To Overturn Texas Abortion Ban In Speech Conceding To Cruz
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred stood alone on a stage Tuesday night in South Dallas, admitting defeat while pledging to keep up one of the central fights of his Senate campaign: overturning Texas’ abortion ban. The Democratic congressman from Dallas failed to defeat incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz in one of the most closely watched races for U.S. Senate. With 91% of early unofficial results counted, Cruz led Allred, 54% to 44%. (Smith, 11/6)

Stat: Key Republican Senators Shaping Health Care, Taxes, Budget
With Republicans set to take control of the Senate in January, a new cast of lawmakers will gain power and influence on health care policy. The GOP will have at least 51 seats in the chamber next year, after defeating the Democratic Sherrod Brown in Ohio and winning the West Virginia seat left open by Joe Manchin. Republicans also fended off challengers in states like Nebraska and Texas. (Zhang, 11/6)

Control of the U.S. House still in flux —

Politico: GOP Trifecta On The Line With House Control In Limbo
The fight for the House majority is still too close to call. While Donald Trump has won the presidency, it may be days or weeks until he knows if he’ll have powerful allies atop the House, due in part to close races in states that take longer to count ballots like California and Arizona. For months, neither party has held a significant edge, and both sides predicted modest gains if they get control of the House. (Fernandez, Wu and Carney, 11/6)

Bloomberg: US House Control Is Democrats' Best Hope After Losing Senate 
The party needs a net gain of just four House seats to wrest the slim majority from Republicans. But with several key races still too close to call — particularly in notoriously slow-counting California — it could be days before it’s clear which party has the majority. There’s reason for optimism for House Democrats, who picked up at least two seats in New York and who gained a seat each in Alabama and Louisiana, thanks to redistricting. But at least one loss in Pennsylvania, another in Michigan and failure to pick up some other competitive East Coast and Midwest seats make the race for the House a true toss-up. (Flatley, House and Dennis, 11/6)

Louisiana Illuminator: U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Easily Wins Reelection In Louisiana 
Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s resounding Election Day win in Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District race was all but guaranteed back in July when Democrats failed to enter a candidate in the race. (LaRose, 11/5)

The New York Times: Missouri Voters Pass Measure To Protect Abortion Rights And End Ban 
Missouri voters approved a ballot amendment that enshrines a right to abortion in the State Constitution, The Associated Press reported, a stunning repudiation of one of the nation’s strictest bans on abortion. Missouri was the first state to enact an abortion ban after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, and the vote makes it the first to overturn a ban through a citizen-initiated ballot measure. Abortion rights groups have said that the amendment would take effect 30 days after it passed, and that they would then need to go to court to ask that the state’s ban be officially overturned as unconstitutional. (Zernike, 11/5)

Springfield News-Leader: Abortion Is Once Again Legal In Missouri. Here's What People Are Saying About It
The people of Missouri have spoken: The government should not be involved in decisions on reproductive health care. The amendment has established a constitutional right to abortion in Missouri. According to the Missouri Secretary of State, the amendment will take effect in 30 days — Dec. 5, 2024. In a concession speech Tuesday evening, state Rep. Crystal Quade, Democratic candidate for Missouri governor, took note of early returns showing support for Amendment 3. "We know that Amendment 3 is going to pass," she said to cheers. "We are going to show the extremists in Jefferson City that they have gone too far." (Szuch, 11/5)

Mother Jones: Missouri Voted On Abortion Rights And Abortion Rights Won
In deep-red Missouri, where the state government is controlled by avowed abortion foes, even getting this initiative before voters was a feat. Republican state officials repeatedly threw up barriers to the process of certifying the ballot language and gathering signatures, leading to a series of bitter legal battles that all, ultimately, were decided in favor of abortion rights advocates. (Pauly, 11/5)

And from Arizona —

NPR: Arizona Voters Pass Constitutional Amendment Guaranteeing Abortion Access
Arizonans approved a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, according to a call by the Associated Press. Since 2022, Arizona has enforced a law banning abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. Proposition 139 will amend the state constitution to guarantee abortions access up to the point of fetal viability — around 24 weeks. The measure also allows exceptions for abortions beyond the point of viability to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person. (Davis-Young, 11/6)

NBC News: Montana Voters Approve Constitutional Right To Abortion
Montana voters approved a ballot measure enshrining abortion in the state constitution, NBC News projects, delivering a victory to advocates for reproductive rights in a Western red state. The amendment will not change current law on abortion in Montana: Abortion is legal in the state until fetal viability, around the 23rd or 24th week of pregnancy, backed up by a 1999 ruling by the state Supreme Court. But advocates for the ballot measure wanted to guard against potential changes by the Legislature or state Supreme Court justices in the heavily Republican state. (Arkin, 11/6)

Colorado Sun: Colorado Will Protect Abortion In State Constitution, Allow Public Spending On Procedure
Colorado voted Tuesday to preserve abortion access in the state constitution and lifted a 40-year-old ban on using government money to pay for abortions. In Colorado, one of a handful of states where there are no restrictions on when during a pregnancy abortions are allowed, the amendment prevents the legislature from adopting abortion restrictions. Abortion has been legal in Colorado since 1967. The amendment also strips from the Colorado Constitution a ban on using public money to pay for abortions. That prohibition was passed by Colorado voters in 1984. (Brown, 11/5)

The Nevada Independent: Nevadans Vote To Enshrine Abortion Rights In Constitution, But It Needs Approval In 2026 
Nevadans have overwhelmingly voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s Constitution, where they would be harder to undo. The approval of Question 6, which asked voters whether the Nevada Constitution should include a fundamental right to abortion, means that the Constitution will be amended if a majority of voters also approve it in 2026. The question would not change abortion access in the state, but it would make it harder for existing protections — allowing abortion up through 24 weeks into a pregnancy — to be overturned. The current law can be overturned by a one-time majority vote of the people, but if the protections are enshrined in the state Constitution, it would take two majority votes for a change to occur. (Neugeboren, 11/5)

NPR: Abortion Will Be Protected In The Maryland State Constitution 
Marylanders voted to protect reproductive rights in the state constitution Tuesday, according to a call by the Associated Press. Abortion is already legal in the state. By approving the amendment, though, voters have made it extremely difficult for lawmakers in the future to pass a law that could limit reproductive care without violating the state constitution. (Maucione, 11/5)

The New York Times: New Yorkers Pass An Equal Rights Amendment Tied To Abortion Access
A ballot measure in New York designed to safeguard protections for abortion and for those most vulnerable to discrimination passed overwhelmingly on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. The measure, known as Proposition 1 and the Equal Rights Amendment, was intended to codify abortion rights in the State Constitution by including “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health care and autonomy” as a protected class. (Ashford, 11/5)

Also —

The Texas Tribune: Amarillo Voters Reject Abortion “Travel Ban,” A Rare Rebuke Of Anti-Abortion Movement In Texas
Amarillo voters on Tuesday resoundingly rejected a proposal that would have effectively made it illegal to use local streets and highways to obtain an out-of-state abortion — a stunning rebuke in a deeply conservative portion of the state for anti-abortion advocates that first proposed the idea. The proposal, known as Proposition A, lost by about 20 percentage points Tuesday night, according to unofficial votes. Amarillo became the first Texas city to reject an anti-abortion ordinance placed on a citywide ballot. (Carver, 11/5)

South Dakota Searchlight: Abortion-Rights Measure Loses In South Dakota 
An attempt to restore abortion rights in South Dakota went down to defeat Tuesday. When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the national right to an abortion in 2022, a trigger ban adopted by the South Dakota Legislature in 2005 immediately took effect. The ban has one exception for abortions necessary to “preserve the life of the pregnant female.” This was the third time South Dakotans have voted on a statewide abortion ballot question. (Tupper, Haiar, Huber and Hult, 11/6)

AP: Voters Back Nebraska’s Ban On Abortions After 12 Weeks Of Pregnancy And Reject A Competing Measure
Nebraska voters supported a measure Tuesday that enshrines the state’s current ban on abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy in the state constitution, and they rejected a competing measure that sought to expand abortion rights. Nebraska was the first state to have competing abortion amendments on the same ballot since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, ending the nationwide right to abortion and allowing states to decide for themselves. The dueling measures were among a record number of petition-initiated measures on Nebraska’s ballot Tuesday. (Beck and Funk, 11/6)

The Hill: Florida’s Abortion Amendment Fails, Leaving 6-Week Ban In Place
Florida’s abortion-rights ballot initiative fell short of passing on Tuesday, leaving in place a six-week abortion ban that has helped restrict access across almost all of the Southern U.S. The measure’s defeat is a significant victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who engaged multiple levers of state-sponsored power to oppose it.  Florida is now the first state to defeat an abortion rights amendment since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The measure needed a 60 percent supermajority to pass, the highest threshold in the country. No abortion measure to date has passed with 60 percent of the vote. Florida was one of 10 states voting on abortion-related ballot measures Tuesday. All the others needed a simple majority to pass. (Weixel, 11/5)

Fox News: DeSantis Claims Victory Over Florida Abortion Amendment As Supporters Celebrate: 'Praise God'
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed victory on Tuesday evening over the defeat of an amendment that would have created a constitutional right to abortion. Conservative and pro-life social media users celebrated DeSantis' victory lap, calling the failure of Amendment 4 a "huge win for life." SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a comment provided to Fox Digital Tuesday: "Thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis, when we wake up tomorrow, babies with beating hearts will still be protected in the free state of Florida." (Colton, 11/5)

The Washington Post: Florida Amendment To Legalize Recreational Marijuana Rejected
A measure to legalize the use of recreational marijuana in Florida failed on Tuesday, a stinging defeat for cannabis industry players who poured more than $100 million into the campaign to make the drug legal amid vocal opposition from Gov. Ron DeSantis. More than half of Florida voters approved of the measure, but it did not reach the 60 percent threshold needed to enshrine the initiative in Florida’s constitution. (Ovalle, 11/6)

Reason: Voters Reject Marijuana Legalization In North Dakota And South Dakota
Voters in two sparsely populated red states, North Dakota and South Dakota, have rejected ballot initiatives that would have legalized recreational marijuana. With nearly all ballots counted on Tuesday night, North Dakota's Initiated Measure 5 had received support from less than 48 percent of voters. South Dakota's Initiated Measure 29 was favored by about 42 percent of voters with three-quarters of ballots counted. Registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats by more than 2 to 1 in South Dakota, where the GOP has controlled the governor's office and both chambers of the state legislature since 1995. (Sullum, 11/6)

WCVB Boston: Massachusetts Voters Reject Legal Use Of Psychedelics
Massachusetts voters on Tuesday rejected giving anyone over age 21 to use certain natural psychedelic substances, including so-called magic mushrooms, under licensed supervision. The law would have also allowed individuals to grow and possess limited quantities of those substances in their homes and would create a commission to regulate those substances. (Haynes, 11/6)

On paid sick leave —

Nebraska Examiner: Nebraskans Vote Yes To Requiring Employers To Provide Earned Paid Sick Leave 
Nebraska employers will now be required to provide earned paid sick leave for eligible employees, through a ballot issue that passed Tuesday. Advocates had estimated that 250,000 Nebraskans were working full-time without paid sick days, leaving them to face choices that included ignoring their illness and sending sick kids to school to avoid consequences such as missing a day’s pay. However, passage of Initiative 436 means that eligible employees now will have the right to earn sick time for personal or family health needs. The issue had about 75 percent support about 11 p.m. (Gonzalez, 11/5)

First Alert 4: MO Votes To Increase Minimum Wage, Require Paid Sick Leave
Missourians voted to increase the minimum wage and require paid sick leave. Voting “yes” on Proposition A meant you agreed to several things: increasing the minimum wage from $13 to $15 over the course of two years, allowing that increase to continue in 2027 and beyond based on the Consumer Price Index, requiring all employers to offer one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, and give the Department of Labor oversight for enforcing these new laws. There are exemptions built in for government employers and those working in public or private education. Missouri currently has the 16th highest minimum wage in the country. (11/6)

Alaska Beacon: Alaska Voters Favor Sick Leave Mandate With Most Votes Counted 
Alaska voters favored a ballot measure backed by labor unions by a margin of 12.46 percentage points with roughly 70% of the ballots counted early Wednesday. Voters weighed in on Ballot Measure 1, which would provide three new protections for workers: an increase in the minimum wage, a mandate for paid sick leave and protection against employer-required attendance at political or religious meetings or events unrelated to job duties. (Rosen, 11/6)

Also —

The Colorado Sun: Denver 2Q Results: Voters Appear To Approve Tax Increase For Denver Health
A Denver ballot measure to raise sales taxes in the city to support the city’s safety-net health system appeared headed for passage late Tuesday. Ballot Issue 2Q had 57% of the vote at 11:30 p.m. when Denver released its final batch of results for the night. The measure’s 57% yes to 43% no margin had remained consistent throughout the night. It needs 50% of the vote to pass. The measure proposed a 0.34% increase in the city’s sales tax rate — that’s 3.4 cents on a $10 purchase. It is expected to raise $70 million in its first year to fund Denver Health, which has seen its economic stability falter in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Ingold, 11/6)

Houston Chronicle: Texas Supreme Court Republican Justices Likely To Win Reelection
Three Republican justices appear likely to retain their seats on the all-GOP Texas Supreme Court, according to unofficial election results. ... The Republicans were the only three judges on the nine-person court up for reelection this cycle and their Democratic challengers cast them as out-of-touch with Texans for rulings that repeatedly upheld the state’s abortion restrictions. (Goldenstein, 11/6)

CalMatters: California Voters Give Medi-Cal Doctors A Raise By Passing Prop. 35
Doctors who serve California’s poorest residents will get paid more, in some cases, for the first time in two decades, thanks to a ballot measure approved by voters Tuesday. The Associated Press called Proposition 35 after results showed it jumped to a sizable lead. The ballot measure asked voters to earmark between $2 billion and $5 billion of special tax revenue annually to Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for low-income residents and people with disabilities. The revenue comes from an existing tax on health insurers that lawmakers are currently able to spend in other ways. (Hwang, 11/5)

Los Angeles Times: California Voters Approve Anti-Crime, Anti-Drug Ballot Measure Prop. 36 
California voters on Tuesday approved a November ballot measure that will impose stricter penalties for repeat theft and crimes involving fentanyl, steering away from recent progressive policies that critics blamed for increased lawlessness. Proposition 36 will make it a felony for someone to steal merchandise of any value after two previous offenses and can lead to longer jail or prison sentences. The ballot measure also allows judges to sentence convicted drug dealers who traffic in large quantities of hard drugs, including fentanyl, or who are armed with a gun while trafficking the drugs to state prison instead of county jails. It will also create a “treatment-mandated felony” as a new category of crime, by giving some eligible drug offenders an option for treatment instead of jail time. (Sosa, 11/5)

CBS News: California Proposition 34 Would Restrict How Providers Spend Prescription Drug Revenue. Here's What To Know
A California ballot measure up for vote in the 2024 election would establish restrictions on how some health providers can spend revenue from prescription drug programs. Proposition 34 would set up rules requiring certain providers to spend 98% of their revenues from federal discount prescription drug programs on direct patient care, with penalties for those who fail to comply. (Pehling, 11/5)

NBC Los Angeles: See Elections Results For The 10 California Ballot Propositions 
California voters were asked to decide ten statewide ballot propositions in the November election. See updated results. (Lloyd, 11/6)

Also —

The Guardian: California Democrat Adam Schiff Wins Dianne Feinstein’s Former Senate Seat 
Democrat Adam Schiff, the California congressman who led Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, has won his campaign for US Senate. Schiff will be filling the Senate seat that Dianne Feinstein held for 31 years, until her death at 90. “California will continue to be at the forefront of progress, the bulwark of democracy, the champion of innovation and the protector of our rights and freedoms,” he said. (Beckett, 11/6)

Delaware News Journal: Sarah McBride Wins Delaware Congressional Seat, Becomes First Transgender Rep In US History
State Sen. Sarah McBride will be Delaware's next representative in Congress, becoming the first transgender person elected to federal office in the history of the United States. McBride, a Democrat and current state legislator, defeated Republican John Whalen in Tuesday's general election. “Tonight is a testament to Delawareans: that here in our state of neighbors, we judge candidates based on their ideas and not their identities,” McBride said in her victory address Tuesday night. (Wilson, 11/5)

AP: Silenced Transgender State Lawmaker Zooey Zephyr Wins Reelection In Montana 
Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr won reelection in a race that will allow the transgender lawmaker to return to the House floor nearly two years after she was silenced and sanctioned by her Republican colleagues. Zephyr, a Democrat, defeated Republican Barbara Starmer in her Democrat-leaning district in the college town of Missoula. Zephyr, who was in her first term, was last permitted to speak on the chamber floor in April 2023, when she refused to apologize for saying some lawmakers would have blood on their hands for supporting a ban on gender-affirming medical care for youth. (Schoenbaum and Hanson, 11/6)

The Hill: Julie Johnson Becomes First Openly LGBTQ Person To Serve Texas In Congress
Julie Johnson was projected to win her election Tuesday for Texas’s 32nd Congressional District, making history as the first openly LGBTQ person to represent Texas in Congress and the first elected from anywhere in the South, where legislation targeting LGBTQ rights is largely concentrated. (Migdon, 11/5)

The Hill: Randall Becomes First Woman, LGBTQ Person To Represent Washington’s 6th District
Democrat Emily Randall was projected to win her bid for Washington’s 6th Congressional District Tuesday, making history as the first woman and openly LGBTQ person elected to represent the district in Congress. A former LGBTQ and abortion rights organizer, Randall credits the 2016 election of former President Trump with inspiring her to run for office. (Migdon, 11/6)

California voters reaffirm gay marriage —

Los Angeles Times: California Voters Approve Proposition 3, Reaffirming Gay Marriage In The California Constitution
The California Constitution will no longer include outdated language that defines only marriages between a man and a woman as valid, after voters approved Proposition 3 on Tuesday. The measure amends the state Constitution to recognize a “fundamental right to marry, regardless of sex or race.” (Mays, 11/5)

Also —

Pink News: Trump's LGBTQ+ Views Are Grim – Could He Reverse Crucial Rights?
Donald Trump has made no secret of his anti-LGBTQ+ views - but can the 47th president actually take away hard-fought LGBTQ+ rights? (Thiel and Hansford, 11/6)

Mother Jones: What The “Most Anti-LGBTQ” Election In Decades Means For Trans People 
If Trump wins the presidency, Casey says, the attacks succeeding now on the state level can be expected to graduate to the federal government, says Logan Casey, director of policy research for the Movement Advancement Project. In his first term, Trump already provided a model for targeting transgender people. He banned them from the military; permitted anti-trans discrimination in health care; rolled back protections for trans students; and created a broad license for businesses to discriminate based on “religious objections”—often against LGBTQ people. More clues for a second term come from Project 2025, much of which was written by former Trump administration members, which equates “transgender ideology” with pornography and declares that it should be banned. The blueprint for a second Trump administration proposes wiping the terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” completely out of all federal policy. (Pauly and Szilagy, 11/5)

Stat: Hospitals Argue Supreme Court Case Over Billions In DSH Payments
Tuesday’s oral arguments before the Supreme Court in a case involving billions in Medicare payments to hospitals revealed a split among the justices willing to show their cards. (Bannow, 11/5)

Modern Healthcare: What To Know About Supreme Court's Medicare DSH Case
A hospital industry challenge to how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services computes Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments is up for consideration at the highest court in the land Tuesday. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Advocate Christ Medical Center v. Becerra, which is the third DSH payments lawsuit the justices have considered since 2019. (Early, 11/5)

Other health industry developments —

Fierce Healthcare: Hospital Groups Blast Senators' Site-Neutral Payment Reform Plan
Federation of American Hospitals Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Charlene MacDonald said site-neutral policies "equate to Medicare cuts that threaten access to 24/7 hospital care—a framework Congress has rejected time and again." "Seniors deserve better than tired old policies pushed by the insurance industry that just threaten access to reliable hospital care," MacDonald said. (Landi, 11/5)

Bloomberg: UnitedHealth Unilaterally Cut Doctors' Pay For ER, Mental Health, Records Show
UnitedHealth Group Inc. systematically cut what it paid for emergency room visits and mental health care to doctors outside of its network, sparking internal tension over how those changes were handled and the potential effect on members, newly unsealed court documents show. The records open a window into the workings of its UnitedHealthcare unit, the largest US health insurer, and shed light on a bitter battle between financial heavyweights in the $5 trillion US medical system. (Tozzi, 11/5)

ABC13 Houston: St. Joseph Medical Center Employees Say They're Missing Paychecks After Transition To New Owners, Healthcare Systems Of America
The transition to new ownership for St. Joseph Medical Center in downtown Houston isn't going very smoothly for some hospital employees, who say they didn't receive their paychecks or the correct amount that they earned. In May, Steward Health Care, who previously owned St. Joseph, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In a news release, the company wrote that one of the primary factors included "challenges created by insufficient reimbursement by government payers as a result of decreasing reimbursement rates." (Nguyen, 11/4)

Modern Healthcare: Cerebral Avoided Paying $2.9M Fine To DOJ
Embattled digital behavioral health company Cerebral has agreed to pay the federal government more than $3.6 million in fines but will defer payments on additional charges due to the company's financial condition. The Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration said Monday that the company has agreed to pay the fines as part of a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. (Turner, 11/5)

Military.com: Veterans File Class-Action Suit Over Medical Retirements For Burn Pit-Related Illnesses 
Two veterans have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Army for refusing to classify illnesses linked to burn pit exposure as combat-related, a designation that would make their medical retirement pay tax-free. Retired Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Smoke and retired Lt. Col. Jennifer McIntyre filed suit Oct. 15 in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., over the retirements they were awarded after being exposed to burn pits during their deployments to Iraq, and Afghanistan in McIntyre's case. (Kime, 11/5)

Military Times: DOD Fixes Problem That Mistakenly Dropped 16K Tricare Beneficiaries
Defense officials are advising about 16,000 Tricare beneficiaries who briefly lost their Tricare eligibility last week after being inadvertently dropped from the rolls of the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System to call the DEERS Support office to confirm that they are now good to go. Officials attributed the hiccup to a data transfer. (Jowers, 11/5)

KFF Health News: Community Health Workers Spread Across The US, Even In Rural Areas
Kelly Engebretson was excited to get fitted for a prosthetic after having part of his leg amputated. But he wasn’t sure how he’d get to the appointment. Nah Thu Thu Win’s twin sons needed vaccinations before starting kindergarten. But she speaks little English, and the boys lacked health insurance. ... Engebretson, Win, Arce, and Serrano were fortunate to have someone to help. They’re all paired with community health workers in Huron, a city of 14,000 people known for being home to the state fair and what’s billed as the world’s largest pheasant sculpture. (Zionts, 11/6)

Becker's Hospital Review: New Storm Could Threaten IV Supplies On Gulf Coast: 3 Things To Know
Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico, could disrupt the supply chain for IV solutions, according to a Nov. 5 news release from nonprofit Healthcare Ready. (Murphy, 11/5)

Modern Healthcare: Hims & Hers Defends Compounded GLP-1s As Ozempic Shortage Wanes
Direct-to-consumer telehealth company Hims & Hers is defending its sale of compounded glucagon-like peptide agonists, or GLP-1s, even as shortages of the name brand weight loss medications are waning. Compounded GLP-1s are essentially copies of popular weight loss medications made by manufacturers such as Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Hims & Hers CEO Andrew Dudum said during the company's third quarter earnings call that compounded GLP-1s offered patients access to medications they are unable to get elsewhere. (Turner, 11/5)

CIDRAP: WHO Unveils Priority Pathogen List For Urgent Vaccine Development 
A new World Health Organization (WHO) study published today identifies 17 priority pathogens for vaccine development, signifying the first global effort to gauge pathogens by regional disease burden, antimicrobial resistance risk, and socioeconomic impact. The list includes longstanding priorities for vaccine research and development, including HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB), conditions that lead to 2.5 million deaths each year. The team published its findings in eBioMedicine. The report also spotlights pathogens such as group A Streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae as disease-control priorities for all regions, pointing to the urgency of the need to develop new vaccines for pathogens that are increasingly resistant to antimicrobials. (Schnirring, 11/5)

In science news —

NPR: Black-Footed Ferrets Born To A Cloned Mom
A cloned black-footed ferret successfully gave birth — marking the first time a U.S. clone of an endangered species produced offspring, and an opportunity to rebuild the black-footed ferret population. (Diaz, 11/5)

Los Angeles Times: USDA To Eliminate School Lunch Fees For Low-Income Families
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that students eligible for free or reduced price school meals cannot be charged processing fees beginning in 2027. School districts currently work with processing companies to offer cashless payment systems for families. But the companies can charge “processing fees” for each transaction. By law, students who are eligible for reduced price meals cannot be charged more than 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch. With processing fees, however, families can end up paying 10 times that amount. (Morga and Lewis, 11/5)

In other health news from across the U.S. —

CBS News: Florida's COVID-19 Deaths Near 5,500 This Year
The number of Florida resident deaths linked to COVID-19 this year is nearing 5,500, according to data posted on the state Department of Health website. Meanwhile, cases are the lowest since the pandemic began in 2020. The data showed 5,484 deaths had been reported, a total that has steadily increased during the year. (Cone, 11/5)

North Carolina Health News: CDC Director Speaks In Raleigh Amid Election Uncertainty
Mandy Cohen, the former head of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services who is now director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, returned to North Carolina Monday for a roundtable discussion about the factors that shape people’s health. The outcome of yesterday’s election could determine how much the nation focuses on things such as access to transportation, jobs and housing — things that have a larger influence on health care outcomes than realized in the past. (Baxley, 11/6)

KFF Health News: In Vermont, Where Almost Everyone Has Insurance, Many Can’t Find Or Afford Care
On a warm autumn morning, Roger Brown walked through a grove of towering trees whose sap fuels his maple syrup business. He was checking for damage after recent flooding. But these days, his workers’ health worries him more than his trees’. The cost of Slopeside Syrup’s employee health insurance premiums spiked 24% this year. Next year it will rise 14%. The jumps mean less money to pay workers, and expensive insurance coverage that doesn’t ensure employees can get care, Brown said. “Vermont is seen as the most progressive state, so how is health care here so screwed up?” (Galewitz, 11/6)

Stat: The New Dystopic Era Of Pharma Sites Selling Their Own Drugs
Want to self-prescribe a prescription drug? No problem! Some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. are piloting websites that essentially sell their drugs directly to consumers. (Adriane Fugh-Berman and Judy Butler, 11/6)

Los Angeles Times: Trump Would Allow RFK Jr. To Infect The Body Politic With Crackpot Theories 
“I’m gonna let him go wild on health,” Trump told the crowd at his recent Madison Square Garden hatefest. “I’m gonna let him go wild on the food. I’m gonna let him go wild on medicines.” The Washington Post reported that Kennedy could be given “significant control over health and food safety … with discussions about some Cabinet and agency officials reporting to him.” (Robin Abcarian, 11/5)

Health Affairs: Is It Possible To Pay For More Equitable Health Outcomes? 
When it comes to health care reform and payment policy, what happens in Massachusetts often doesn’t stay just there—before there were ACOs, there were BCBSMA’s Alternative Quality Contracts, and before there was Obamacare, there was Romneycare. Payers in Massachusetts hope to use the principles of value-based care and pay-for-performance to reduce health care disparities. (Michael S. Gerber, 11/4)