Presented by Children's Hospital Association — Republicans are expected to undo the Biden administration’s contentious nursing home staffing rule, to the relief of the nursing home industry.  {beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story Nursing homes look to Trump to nix staffing rule Republicans are expected to undo the Biden administration’s contentious nursing home staffing rule, to the relief of the nursing home industry.   © GettyMore than 200,000 people in nursing homes and long-term care facilities died during the COVID-19 pandemic, in part due to staffing issues. The Biden administration introduced nursing home reforms, including issuing national minimum staffing requirements.   Under the rule, nursing homes are required to provide every resident with at least 3.48 hours of nursing care a day, and they must have a registered nurse on site 24-hours a day, seven days a week.    The rule — which is set to fully take effect for urban facilities in 2027 — has received bipartisan pushback. Republicans, though, have rallied harder against the rule.  Nursing home industry groups have tried to stop the rule from being implemented through legal action and urged Republicans and some Democratic lawmakers to work to rescind it. Industry groups argue the rule does not appropriately address current nursing home workforce challenges like staffing shortages. They claim the rule is a “one-size-fits-all" policy that will ultimately harm residents and force facilities to close.   Proponents of the rule, however, argue it finally sets a standard in an industry that has long needed more robust staffing requirements.    “We have minimum staffing standards for doggy day cares, we have minimum staffing standards for child care centers,” said Sam Brooks, director of public policy at the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. “It’s absurd to think that this is some burden that is going to undo the industry.”   There are several avenues that President-elect Trump or congressional Republicans could take to rescind the rule. Read more about them here.  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:  About 1 in 3 US women are accessing family planning services: CDCAbout 35 percent of U.S. women ages 15 to 49 said they received a family planning service between 2022 to 2023, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics.   The most common services received that year were getting a birth control method or prescription and attending a birth control checkup, according to the report.   Nearly a quarter of women …  Full Story  Bipartisan lawmakers want to force health insurers, PBMs to sell off pharmaciesA bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation that would force the breakup of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the drug industry middlemen that have come under increasing scrutiny by lawmakers and regulators.  A Senate bill led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) would prohibit a parent company of an insurer or PBM from also owning pharmacies, forcing companies to divest their pharmacy …  Full Story  Shell casings in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing matched to gun found on suspect: NYPDThe shell casings found at the scene of the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s shooting matched the gun found on the suspect in custody, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday. Tisch also said that the crime lab results matched the fingerprints of suspect Luigi Mangione to a water bottle and a Kind bar found near the scene of the killing. Thompson was gunned down last week outside New York Hilton …  Full Story   Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: Montana Supreme Court upholds injunction, allows transgender minors to access certain healthcare procedures (Flathead Beacon  Opioids ravaged a Kentucky town. Then rehab became its business (The New York Times)  Texas doctor’s viral TikTok video taken down after Gov. Abbott’s threats (Chron)  What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Biden officials take credit for ‘largest drop’ in overdose deaths. Experts are more cautious (Stat)  Dietary guidelines may promote plants but punt on ultra-processed foods (The Washington Post)  Ro to offer lower-price vials of weight loss drug Zepbound by teaming up with Eli Lilly (NBC)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: Mace, activist dispute handshake that resulted in arrest A disputed handshake is at the center of a Tuesday incident involving Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) that resulted in an Illinois man’s arrest, according … Read more Schumer says Senate will vote on Social Security changes  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday he’s “doing everything” he can to try to pass legislation that would enact some Social … Read more What People Think Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: Overdose deaths are down, but the crisis is far from resolvedWe can match UK life expectancy by forging a healthier and safer nation   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