Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story What a GOP trifecta means for health careWith Republicans in control of the House and Senate, President-elect Trump will have free rein to try to remake health care in the country. © AP Trump has already tapped controversial figures for Cabinet posts, and he could continue the trend by nominating someone like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the Department of Health and Human Services or its subagencies, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Trump has promised not to touch Medicare and Social Security, but Republicans want to extend his 2017 tax cuts. Those 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.  Republicans don’t have 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, but tax policy can be passed through reconciliation, a budgetary maneuver that requires only a majority vote in the Senate. That means Republicans will likely let the enhanced ObamaCare subsidies expire without bargaining with Democrats, and could also slash Medicaid payments to states to save money.    When it comes to reproductive rights, Trump has said he would veto any effort to pass a national abortion ban, saying that power should be left up to states. But during his campaign, Trump also took credit for the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, and at one point left the door open on a federal abortion ban.     Reproductive rights advocates have signaled they do not take Trump at his word and expect future abortion restrictions when he returns to the White House early next year. A GOP majority in both the House and the Senate would ultimately make it easier to rollout further restrictions.   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:  Abortion opponents unveil strategy to undermine state protectionsAnti-abortion groups are plotting an aggressive postelection strategy to undo federal and state protections for abortion, including ballot measures passed in the past two years after the end of Roe v. Wade.  The strategy outlined in Students for Life’s “Make America Pro-Life Again Roadmap” includes filing lawsuits challenging the federal regulation of the abortion pill and pushing for the passage of legislation …  Full Story  RFK Jr.: ‘Stuff’ Trump eats ‘really, like, bad’ Former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke about President-elect Trump’s eating habits on the campaign trail, calling the food the Republican leader ate “really, like, bad.”  Full Story   Extreme weather is ramping up toxic nitrate pollution in groundwater: Study Climate-driven extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and intense precipitation, may be accelerating the pace at which toxic nitrates are polluting groundwater, a recent study has found. Excess exposure to nitrates has been linked to an increased risk of pregnancy complications, certain types of digestive cancers and methemoglobinemia in infants, also known as “blue baby syndrome.”  Full Story  In Other News Branch out with a different read: Lunchables removed from school lunches nationwide Kraft Heinz’s Lunchables will no longer be a part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) due to weak demand.  The company announced Tuesday it would reconsider bringing back Lunchables in the future, but current demand does not reach what the company hoped for. Consumer Reports released a report earlier this year warning about the high sodium levels in Lunchables, however, which sparked debate over whether the food was safe for students. Full Story   Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: California dengue cases prompt swift response from public health officials (LAist)  Nurses at University of Illinois Hospital walk off the job in second strike since August (Chicago Tribune)  Women suing over Idaho abortion ban say they felt like “medical refugees” (CBS)  What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Teen infected in Canada’s first bird flu case is in critical condition (The Washington Post)  Ozempic and Wegovy may curb alcohol addiction, study suggests (NBC)  Trump would like to bring back mental institutions, but experts are skeptical (NPR)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: Trump Cabinet picks: Here’s who’s on the list to carry out his agenda President-elect Trump is assembling his Cabinet and senior staff for his second term in the White House before taking office in January. Trump must … Read more Trump bewilders Senate GOP with Gaetz AG selection President-elect Trump’s decision to tap Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to become attorney general caught Senate Republicans completely flat-footed, and put … 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