Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story What Trump's return could mean for US health policyPresident Trump’s imminent return to power is poised to significantly upend the health policy landscape, from empowering vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to anticipated Medicaid cuts and imposing restrictions on access to abortion and other reproductive care. © AP During a victory speech early Wednesday morning, Trump declared the U.S. had delivered him and Republicans an “unprecedented mandate.” That will mean big changes to health care, starting with Kennedy.   Trump has pledged to let Kennedy “go wild” on food and medicine, and elevating him to a major role in the administration would likely invite open questions about the government’s role in regulating public health. Trump said publicly before Election Day that he would give Kennedy a major role in his administration, but there have been conflicting statements on whether that would be in a Senate-confirmed position.  Public health experts fear Kennedy is just the start of Trump giving a platform to people skeptical of the federal government. Kennedy says federal health regulators are held captive by industry special interests and has pledged to “make America healthy again” by purging entire departments to root out corruption.   Kennedy’s history in promoting a debunked links between vaccines and autism could further erode public confidence in routine immunizations, potentially leading to an increase in preventable illnesses.  On abortion, Trump said that not only will he not sign a national ban, but he would also veto one if it got to his desk. During the campaign, he tried to simultaneously take credit for ending Roe v. Wade while distancing himself from the fallout.   Still, abortion rights advocates don’t expect a friendly Trump administration. They are anticipating efforts to restrict access, whether it’s by allowing states to impose bans that the Biden-Harris administration fought against, or by prohibiting the mailing of the abortion drug mifepristone.  On ObamaCare, Trump’s actions will likely be dictated by the makeup of Congress. If Democrats win the House, the administration will take more targeted actions using executive authority, like cutting outreach funds, shortening enrollment periods and loosening regulations on insurers.  If Republicans win a trifecta by holding onto their House majority after securing the White House and Senate, there could be more changes. Policy experts also see Medicaid as a likely target for funding cuts.  Trump has promised not to touch Medicare and Social Security, but extending his 2017 tax cuts will need to be paid for somehow, putting Medicaid at risk. Conservatives have long eyed changes to the program, including work requirements for beneficiaries and capping the federal share.     Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.  Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:  RFK Jr. says he won’t ‘take away anybody’s vaccines’ after Trump winFormer presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he won’t take away vaccines from people when President-elect Trump takes office in January. Kennedy, who is expected to serve in a second Trump administration, said in a Wednesday interview with NBC News that he wants the American people to have the information to make informed decisions about vaccines. “I’m not going to take away anybody’s vaccines,” Kennedy …  Full Story  RFK Jr. says ‘entire departments’ at FDA ‘have to go’Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is slated to hold a potentially big role in a new Trump administration, said Wednesday there are “entire departments” within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that “have to go.” “In some categories … there are entire departments, like the nutrition department at the FDA … that have to go, that are not doing their job, they’re not …  Full Story  Paid sick leave measures pass in Alaska, Missouri and Nebraska Workers in three states are now entitled to paid sick leave for the first time.   In Alaska, most workers are now entitled to at least 40 hours of paid sick leave a year. Larger employers in the state can allow 56 or more hours of paid sick leave a year with those days carrying over to the next year, according to the ballot measure language.   The initiative passed with 56.5 percent of the vote in Alaska, according …  Full Story   Zoom Out Tracking ballot measures across the country: Abortion-rights measures go 7 for 10 in state elections Reproductive rights were broadly popular at the state level Tuesday night, as seven states passed ballot measures aimed at preserving, expanding or restoring the right to an abortion.  The measures won in blue states like New York and Maryland and in red and purple states like Montana, Arizona and Missouri — victories that could dramatically expand abortion access for millions of women. There have now been 14 states that … Full Story   Around the Nation Local and state headlines: California voters give Medi-Cal doctors a raise by passing Prop. 35 (CalMatters) New York voters pass Prop 1, enshrining abortion rights into state constitution (Gothamist)  Nevada backs abortion rights measure in key voter referendum (Bloomberg)  What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: What letting RFK Jr. ‘go wild’ might mean for Trump’s FDA (Stat)  Trump’s White House return poised to tangle health care safety net (KFF Health News)  Abortion-focused US state supreme court races draw mixed results (Reuters)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: 5 takeaways as Trump wins White House for a second time Former President Trump completed an extraordinary comeback early Wednesday morning, becoming the first president to win nonconsecutive terms in more … Read more Election 2024 live updates: Harris delivers concession speech after loss to Trump Vice President Harris conceded the election Wednesday afternoon at the site that Democrats hoped would host a victory party on Election Day. Hours … Read more  You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Health Care newsletter Subscribe