Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story SCOTUS to hear first case on transgender care for minors On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors.  © APArguments for the landmark case will be the first time that the conservative-majority court will weigh in on the legality of gender-affirming care.  The lawsuit's outcome could have far-reaching consequences, potentially impacting laws passed in more than two dozen Republican-led states banning medications used for gender-affirming care like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender kids and teens.  Legal challenges to those state bans have been met with mixed reactions, with federal appeals courts divided on whether they are constitutional.    Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee (R) signed a bill banning gender-affirming medical care for minors into law in 2023. A district court judge blocked state officials from enforcing the ban, but a court of appeals later overturned the challenge, allowing the ban to take effect.    The law threatens gender-affirming medical care providers with professional disciplinary action, private lawsuits and fines of up to $25,000.    More than 20 Republican-led states have filed briefs asking the justices to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, as have 135 athletes, coaches and parents who argue that overturning the law will undermine efforts to bar trans women from women’s sports and restrooms.   On the other side, 64 transgender adults, including actors Elliot Page and Nicole Maines and Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, argued in September that access to gender-affirming health care had proved vital to their overall health, well-being and “even their survival.”   Democratic attorneys general in 19 states and Washington, D.C., said Tennessee’s ban “departs from traditional norms of state medical regulation.”   The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case comes at the request of the Biden administration, which intervened in the lawsuit and supports the argument that Tennessee’s ban violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.    Read more here from The Hill’s Brooke Migdon.   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:  Trump’s DEA nominee withdraws from considerationPresident-elect Trump’s nominee to serve as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from consideration. “To have been nominated by President-Elect @realDonaldTrump to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime,” Florida’s Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a post on X Tuesday evening. “Over the past several …  Full Story  California bill would ease access to over-the-counter birth control pillsLow-income Californians would have an easier time purchasing hormonal birth control pills at their local pharmacy under a new bill. The bill, which was recently introduced to the California State Assembly, would remove a self-screening requirement for recipients of Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, trying to access daily hormonal birth control pills without a prescription.   The Food and Drug Administration …  Full Story  Consumer watchdog wants FTC to investigate Oz for influencer marketing violations A consumer advocacy group wants the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to open an investigation into whether Dr. Mehmet Oz violated influencer marketing rules by promoting products from a wellness and supplement company across social media without appropriate disclosures.  In a letter sent to the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Tuesday, Public Citizen said Oz regularly cross-posts content for iHerb among various social …  Full Story   In Other News Branch out with a different read: Democrats push back on Republican COVID-19 report House Democrats on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Tuesday released their own report responding to the Republican-led panel’s final report, deeming the subcommittee to have “failed” in its endeavor to uncover the origins of COVID-19 and instead having “fueled extreme narratives.” Full Story   Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: Appeals court allows Idaho to enforce its ‘abortion trafficking’ law (Idaho Capital Sun)  Distribution of Raw Farm’s products suspended in California amid bird flu concerns (Los Angeles Times)  Many questions left to be answered in Nebraska's medical marijuana rollout (KETV)  What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: How RFK Jr. transformed from green hero to vaccine skeptic (Wall Street Journal)  The fight against medical debt is pivoting to the states after Trump's election (NPR)  Unknown disease kills 143 in southwest Congo, local authorities say (Reuters)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: McConnell cries foul after 2 Democratic judges cancel retirement after Trump victory Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vented his displeasure Monday after two Democratic-appointed federal judges reversed their decisions … Read more Graham calls Hegseth allegations ‘very disturbing’ Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said allegations against Pete Hegseth of sexual assault and other misconduct, some stemming from his time atop two veterans … 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