Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story Biden proposes Medicaid, Medicare cover obesity drugsA proposed rule from the Biden administration would expand acccess to the drugs to 7.4 million Americans. © GettyThe Biden administration proposed a rule Tuesday that would allow anti-obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound to be covered under Medicaid and Medicare for more Americans.  Millions of Americans are diagnosed with obesity, which is considered a chronic disease that can lead to serious health consequences like cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. One recent study found three-quarters of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.    The proposal would increase access to the drugs for roughly 3.4 million Medicare users and about 4 million Medicaid enrollees, according to a White House press release.  But the late-term move by the Biden administration won’t take effect unless the Trump administration decides to make the rule final.    Trump’s pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has publicly spoken out against anti-obesity medications.    Meanwhile, Trump’s pick to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mehmet Oz, has spoken positively about the drugs in the past.    The proposal is also expensive.  It’s estimated it would cost the federal government about $25 billion for Medicare and $11 billion for Medicaid over a decade. States would pay around $4 billion for their share of Medicaid.  Some Democrats expressed concern over the price tag, and said the proposal would only work if the Biden administration managed to get drug manufacturers to lower their prices.  "We cannot allow Medicare and Medicaid to simply be a cash cow for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said.   “Without addressing price gouging, today’s announcement only raises false hopes for many who need access to weight loss drugs. Compelling Medicare and Medicaid to offer medications, whose prices they cannot now negotiate, will only bloat spending—costing taxpayers billions, raising premiums, and threatening the long-term security and promise of Medicare,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas).     Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel 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:  Tons of chicken, pork and beef recalled over listeria concernsYu Shang Food, Inc. is recalling more than 70,000 pounds of its ready-to-eat meat and poultry products because of a listeria outbreak that has sickened at least 11 people, including one baby who subsequently died. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Thursday announced an expanded recall from the distributor, which initially recalled the food products on Nov. 9, 2024. On Monday, …  Full Story  HIV-positive organ transplants allowed under new rulePeople with HIV will soon be permitted to receive transplanted kidneys and livers from donors who are also infected with the virus under a new rule approved by the Biden administration. The final rule, announced Tuesday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), removes the requirement that such transplants be conducted as part of clinical research. HHS initially proposed the rule change in September. Since 2013, …  Full Story  Mexican cattle imports suspended after New World screwworm detected The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that a New World screwworm (NWS) was detected in Mexico on Friday, causing the agency to pause animal imports from the country.  The U.S. chief veterinary officer said a NWS was discovered in a cow at an inspection checkpoint close to Mexico’s border with Guatemala.  “Given the northward movement of NWS, APHIS has …  Full Story   Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: Indiana hospitals pull merger application after pushback over monopoly concerns (KFF Health News)  Texas committee won’t examine maternal deaths in first years after abortion ban (Washington Post)  The price tag on Project 2025’s abortion plan: $300 million cut to Medi-Cal (Cal Matters)  What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Same drug, 2,200 different prices (Wall Street Journal)  In MAHA-verse, ex-Bernie die-hards and conservative moms find a political home (STAT)  New drug causes 20 percent weight loss in early Amgen results (The New York Times)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: Homan says he is willing to put Denver mayor ‘in jail’ over deportation position Tom Homan, President-elect Trump’s pick for “border czar,” said he is willing to put Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D) in jail over … Read more Appeals court agrees to end Trump’s classified documents case The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday granted a request from special counsel Jack Smith to drop President-elect Trump’s Florida documents case, … Read more What People Think Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: How America can make health insurance great again Voters say no more marijuana — Congress should take note    You're all caught up. 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