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Re: Health Brief: TrumpĒs third try for a top doctor (fwd)

> From: Noelle <noelle> > Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:59:02 -0700 (PDT) > > new surgeon general nominee said instead of Medicare for All, > we would be fine if we eat better Tell that to the president. I dare you. > > From: WP Intelligence <http://www.washingtonpost.com/~wpintelligence> > > Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:52:59 +0000 > > > > Health Brief from The Washington Post > > > > Plus: Health policy could shake up key Senate races > > > > < > > https://sli.washingtonpost.com/click?s=234952&li=health202&m=6e1c8b48186107dfcba979ecd71fbefc&p=69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > > > PUBLISHED BY < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/469cc8f/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/1/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > READ ONLINE < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/camp-rw/?trackId=5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb&s=69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=wpi_healthbrief&linknum=2&linktot=43 > > > | SIGN UP < > > https://www.washingtonpost.com/newsletters/health-brief/?method=SURL&location=ENL%3Fmethod%3DSURL&location=ENL&auto=true&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=wpi_healthbrief > > > > > > > < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/44a9caf/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/4/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > > > < > > https://sli.washingtonpost.com/click?s=1069934&li=health202&m=6e1c8b48186107dfcba979ecd71fbefc&p=69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582&stpe=default > > > > > > > < > > https://sli.washingtonpost.com/click?s=1069934&li=health202&m=6e1c8b48186107dfcba979ecd71fbefc&p=69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582&stpe=default > > > > > > > Are you still interested in this newsletter? > > > > Since you haven't read in a while, we'll pause sending it to you. Let us > > know if you still would like to keep receiving it. > > > > Yes, keep this newsletter < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/448b1ab/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/7/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > > >   > > > > <http://www.washpost.com/~megan.wilson> By Megan R. Wilson <mailto: > > http://www.washpost.com/~megan.wilson> > > > > < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/47416f7/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/10/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > Listen to this briefing < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/47416f8/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/11/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > > > Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here to get it in your > > inbox. < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/44ee640/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977 ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/12/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > > > In today’s issue: > > The White House has pulled Trump’s surgeon general pick Casey Means and > > tapped Nicole Saphier instead, marking its third attempt to fill the role > > Means’s nomination collapsed after Republican senators raised concerns > > about her credentials and vaccine views, despite backing from Trump allies > > Trump is escalating his feud with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) over the > > failed nomination, injecting health politics into a tight GOP primary > > … And more. > > > > Welcome back to Health Brief, everyone! With the House wrapping up votes on > > several key (but non-health-policy-focused) measures, lawmakers are headed > > back to their districts for a week-long recess. > > > > < > > https://sli.washingtonpost.com/click?s=906524&li=health202&m=6e1c8b48186107dfcba979ecd71fbefc&p=69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582&stpe=default > > > > > > > < > > https://sli.washingtonpost.com/click?s=906524&li=health202&m=6e1c8b48186107dfcba979ecd71fbefc&p=69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582&stpe=default > > > > > > > And, much like Congress, I’ll also be out next week. But I’ve got some > > great help to bring fresh issues of Health Brief your way in the meantime.  > > > > Please reach out to Rebecca Adams, the amazing lead health care analyst at > > Washington Post Intelligence, who will be helming the newsletter while I’m > > out. She’s at http://www.washpost.com/~rebecca.adams <mailto: > > http://www.washpost.com/~rebecca.adams> . My talented WPI colleagues, Nour Wood and > > Kendrick Frankel, are also cooking up some great material for next week. > > > > But I’m still around for now, so you can still send me your best health > > care policy tips: http://www.washpost.com/~megan.wilson <mailto: > > http://www.washpost.com/~megan.wilson> . > > > > President Donald Trump holds up a document appointing Nicole Saphier as the > > new surgeon general during an Oval Office event on Thursday. (Andrew > > Harnik/Getty Images) > > > > The Lead Brief > > > > President Donald Trump has pulled the nomination for Casey Means, his > > initial pick to serve as the nation’s top doctor, and selected Nicole > > Saphier for the role instead. > > > > Saphier marks Trump’s third attempt to fill the U.S. surgeon general post. > > The White House first selected Janette Nesheiwat for the role, but decided > > to withdraw her nomination and put Means forward last May. > > > > My WaPo colleagues Lauren Weber, Rachel Roubein and Dan Diamond have the > > full story < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/47416f9/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/18/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > >. It’s filled with > > details about Saphier’s background and previous disagreements with the > > Trump administration, Trump’s backlash against a GOP senator he blames for > > tanking Means’s nomination and reaction from the Make America Healthy > > Again movement — including an interview with Means herself. > > > > Saphier is a radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and had > > been a Fox News medical contributor until her nomination. In a Truth Social > > post, Trump called her “a STAR physician” and “an INCREDIBLE > > COMMUNICATOR, who makes complicated health issues more easily understood by > > all Americans.” > > > > She authored a book in 2020 called “Make America Healthy Again: How Bad > > Behavior and Big Government Caused a Trillion-Dollar Crisis,” encouraging > > Americans to take better care of themselves. > > > > “The only way to lower health care costs for everyone is to stop > > incentivizing bad health decisions. Plans like ‘Medicare-for-all’ would > > allow Americans to continue to eat poorly and lead sedentary lives. We can’ > > t keep expecting doctors to fix behaviors that we have in our power to > > prevent,” Saphier believes, according to a Goodreads summary < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/47416fa/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/19/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > >. > > > > After Trump claimed in a September news conference < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/453ffd8/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/20/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > that Tylenol use by > > pregnant women is linked to autism in children, Saphier described the event > > as “very messy” — and said there was “no new evidence” to prove > > any connection. > > ‘CONTINUE TO FIGHT’ > > Means’s nomination had stalled following a confirmation hearing before the > > Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in February, despite > > lobbying advocates of the MAHA movement. > > > > Multiple Republicans on the panel — including Chair Bill Cassidy ( > > R-Louisiana) — expressed skepticism about Means’s credentials and views > > on vaccines. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) > > also had reservations, which complicated her ability to advance through the > > committee. > > > > “The decision about me and my nomination came down to three senators — > > three disgruntled senators — so I don’t think it represents the bigger > > picture of what’s happening with the [MAHA] movement, which is overall > > very positive,” Means told my colleagues on Thursday, pointing to a > > successful vote to strip pesticide provisions opposed by MAHA from the farm > > bill. > > > > Trump said in another social media post that Means would “continue to > > fight for MAHA on the many important Health issues facing our Country.” > > > > Election watch v > > > > After announcing that Saphier would become his new pick for surgeon general, > > Trump lambasted < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/47416fb/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/22/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > Cassidy as a key reason Means did > > not move forward — urging Republicans in Louisiana not to vote < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/47416fc/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/23/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > for him in an upcoming primary. > > > > Cassidy, who voted to impeach Trump during his first administration, is in a > > hotly contested primary race against Rep. Julia Letlow (R) and Louisiana > > state Treasurer John Fleming. He is falling behind < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/47416fd/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/24/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > both opponents, according to an > > Emerson College poll released Thursday. > > > > Cassidy’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Trump’s > > posts. > > > > Why it matters: Cassidy leads the Senate’s health panel and sits on the > > Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over some health care > > policy issues. If he’s unseated, it could change the composition of both. > > > > → Cassidy has been rebuked by Trump and followers of his Make America > > Great Again movement over the impeachment vote, and the president earlier > > this year said he endorsed Letlow for the Senate seat. > > > > But the rift with MAGA comes as powerful antiabortion groups are backing > > Cassidy in his bid to keep his Senate seat. Marjorie Dannenfelser, who leads > > the Susan B. Anthony List Pro-Life America, introduced Cassidy at a gala > > hosted by the organization Wednesday night, acknowledging the “tough” > > electoral spot he’s in. > > > > “You deserve all of our support,” said Dannenfelser, recalling that the > > Louisiana race that initially brought Cassidy to the Senate — beating > > Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu in 2014 — was the first the group had ever > > engaged in. > > > > “I know you have a tough primary, and you need to win,” she said. > > > > From our notebook > > > > Maine Gov. Janet Mills is dropping out of the race that Democrats hope will > > unseat Sen. Susan Collins (R) in a bid to regain control of the Senate. Liz > > Goodwin in The Washington Post newsroom reports Mills said she had run out < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/47416fe/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977 > > ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/25/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582> of money to compete. > > > > This all but guarantees that Graham Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer who > > has secured an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), will face > > off against Collins in November. > > > > → The health care angle: Platner, who has been drawing large crowds of > > voters to his events, recently unveiled his health care platform < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/47416ff/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/26/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > >. It calls for breaking up > > pharmacy benefit managers, enacting Medicare-for-all and expanding the > > government’s drug price negotiation program. > > > > Litigation Report > > > > The Trump administration told a federal court it would be appealing < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/4741700/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/27/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > a decision to temporarily halt > > some of the sweeping changes the federal government has made to vaccine > > policy, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s effort to > > overhaul an influential immunization advisory panel and replace it with his > > own picks. > > > > In March, a federal judge temporarily blocked < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/47066f2/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/28/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > the administration from > > implementing changes to the nation’s childhood immunization schedule. The > > decision prevents the advisory panel, called the Advisory Committee on > > Immunization Practices (ACIP), from meeting. > > > > Following the ruling, Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of > > Health and Human Services, said the department “looks forward to this > > judge’s decision being overturned, just like his other attempts to keep > > the Trump administration from governing.” > > > > The decision is still in effect while courts mull the appeals process. > > > > Once the Trump administration files its appeal, the groups suing Kennedy — > > including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of > > Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America — plan to > > respond. > > > > “I have remained optimistic that it would not want to relitigate issues on > > which it is bound to lose,” said Richard H. Hughes IV, the lawyer at > > Epstein Becker Green who represents the public health and physicians’ > > groups. “We will, in due course, respond to the government’s appeal, and > > we expect to prevail.” > > > > Hughes tells me he expects the Justice Department to file its opening brief > > in June, in line with the standard timeline set by the U.S. Court of Appeals > > for the 1st Circuit, unless the administration seeks and wins an expedited > > schedule. > > > > What We’re Reading > > > > “House strikes pesticide language from farm bill < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/4741701/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/29/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > >,” Politico’s Grace Yarrow and > > Rachel Shin report. > > > > “Cigna exits ACA exchanges despite dramatic profit growth in Q1 < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/4741702/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/30/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > >,” Rebecca Pifer Parduhn writes > > for Healthcare Dive. > > > > “Hospitals Sell Muni Debt at Fastest Pace in More Than a Decade < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/4741703/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/31/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > >,” Bloomberg’s Nic Querolo > > reports. > > > > This newsletter is published by WP Intelligence < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/448b1ac/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/32/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > , The Washington Post’s > > subscription service for professionals that provides business, policy and > > thought leaders with actionable insights. WP Intelligence operates > > independently from The Washington Post newsroom. Learn more about WP > > Intelligence < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/469cc8f/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/33/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > . > > > > < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/448b1ac/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/34/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > You received this email because you signed up for Health Brief or because it > > is included in your subscription. > > > > Manage newsletters < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/448b1ae/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977 > > ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/35/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > > > > > 1301 K St NW, > > Washington DC 20071 > > > > ©2026 WP Intelligence, a division of The Washington Post | Privacy Policy > > < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/car-ln-tr/448b1b3/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/41/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > > | Help & Contact < > > https://s2.washingtonpost.com/448b1b4/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582/5977ca66ae7e8a6816e764cb/42/43/69f3cf1ce9f14b167bc51582 > > >


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