Health Care — SNAP cliff roils shutdown debate

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View Online Health Care Health Care The Big Story  Food stamp cliff is latest shutdown flashpoint  The battle over food stamps has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the fierce partisan clash over government spending, The Hill's Mike Lillis reports.   © Nam Y. Huh, The Associated Press The Trump administration warns the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps feed more than 40 million people, will start to run out of funds Nov. 1.     Administration officials and congressional Republicans say Democrats, by opposing the GOP's stopgap spending bill, are threatening undue harm to some of the nation's poorest people. At least two dozen states are planning to cut off coverage when the funding expires.    A big question looming over the debate remains how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agency that oversees SNAP from Washington, intends to manage the program in the coming weeks.    The Trump administration has selectively funded certain programs and agencies in questionably constitutional ways that aim to help their allies. So far, there's no indication that will happen at the USDA.    Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned last week that the department lacks the funds "to provide SNAP for 40 million Americans come Nov. 1."    But the USDA has not clarified whether it intends to tap a SNAP contingency fund to pay benefits during the shutdown. That fund currently contains between $5 billion and $6 billion, according to advocates and congressional aides who monitor the issue.    That money would allow for partial payments to help defray grocery costs through the shutdown. Advocates also say the administration could use its legal transfer authority to supplement the contingency reserves, a strategy the administration has already used to pay military personnel and fill a shortfall under a separate federal nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC.  Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — 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: Planned Parenthood moves to block Medicaid termination in Ohio Two Planned Parenthood affiliates have moved to challenge the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) from prohibiting their participation in Medicaid. Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region requested an administrative hearing to challenge the state agency's decision to block them from participating in the federal health insurance program.  According to a Friday press release, the ODM sent …  Full Story Health activists ramp up war on processed foods amid MAHA movement Health advocates emboldened by the “Make America Healthy Again” movement are waging a war on processed foods, which have been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline and heart disease. Dr. Joel “Gator” Walsh, a pediatrician and author, told The Hill’s sister network NewsNation that a lot of those conditions are becoming increasingly common and manifesting earlier in life. “I …  Full Story Kim Kardashian diagnosed with a brain aneurysm: What is it? (NEXSTAR) – Kim Kardashian, the entrepreneurial reality TV star and criminal justice reform advocate, revealed that she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. In teaser clips that aired during the season premiere of “The Kardashians” on Wednesday, the SKIMS founder is seen undergoing an MRI and telling her family, “there was a little aneurysm,” People and The Today Show reported. Kardashian, 45, is also …  Full Story In Other News  Branch out with a different read: Federal judge strikes Biden-era ban on transgender care discrimination A federal judge on Wednesday struck down a former President Biden-era rule that extended federal health antidiscrimination protections to transgender health care.  Judge Louis Guirola Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi ruled in favor of a coalition of 15 GOP-led states that sued over the rule, which broadened sex discrimination by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list … Full Story Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on health care: Looming Medicaid, ACA cuts stand to bring a D.C. hospital to its knees (Wall Street Journal)  Idaho banned vaccine mandates. Activists want to make it a model for the country (ProPublica)  In Massachusetts, fertility coverage shortfalls cost patients dearly (Boston Globe)  What We're Reading  Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Some lawmakers hope open enrollment renews pressure to open the government (NOTUS)  'Medicaid cut me off': A rural health center faces new pressures (The New York Times)  How the first nine drug companies won priority review vouchers from Marty Makary's FDA (Stat)  What People Think  Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: US health policy must be guided by science, not ideology Insurers are mailing people unsolicited Cologuard tests, and it's a terrible idea   You're all caught up. See you next week!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? 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