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President-elect Donald Trump has tapped John Brooks to lead his HHS landing team, three people familiar with the selection granted anonymity to discuss government transition efforts told POLITICO. The elevation of Brooks, a former senior Medicare official during Trump’s first term who went on to advise former HHS Secretary Alex Azar on drug pricing policy, lends policy heft to a Trump health team that has faced scrutiny over its top nominees' lack of government experience. (Lim and Cancryn, 12/17)

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, remains popular with the public, garnering the approval of 54% of U.S. adults, according to a recently released Gallup poll. But experts say that may not insulate the federal health insurance program from change as President-elect Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans look to renew $4 trillion in expiring tax cuts. (Gibson, 12/17)

Anxiety over President-elect Donald Trump's potential immigration policies is rippling through the nursing home and home health industries, where more than one-third of workers are foreign-born. Providers and trade groups fear the possibility of mass deportations and tougher visa requirements could make it harder for nursing homes and home care companies to recruit and retain nurses and nurse aides from outside the U.S. (Eastabrook, 12/17)

The cabinet that President-elect Donald Trump has assembled is a jumble of seemingly conflicting ideologies—populists and plutocrats, traditional conservatives and hard right disrupters, even a couple of former Democrats. As Washington braces for the incoming administration, the unconventional slate of nominees offers clues to how he plans to govern in an emboldened second term. (Ball, 12/17)

President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services met with at least 10 Republican senators Monday and Tuesday, defending his views on vaccine safety and abortion to a largely friendly list of GOP lawmakers. Many senators remain mum about whether they would support Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and say they are waiting for the Senate confirmation hearing, which is likely to take place in the new year. But Kennedy told CQ Roll Call he feels “hopeful” about his confirmation process. (Cohen, DeGroot, Hellmann and Raman, 12/17)

If Republican senators are concerned about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s previous criticism of vaccines or support for abortion access, many who’ve had early meetings with him are not showing it. (Owermohle, Wilkerson and Zhang, 12/17)

An attorney advising Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized The New York Times and other media outlets for publishing a claim that the Trump ally wants to eradicate approval for the polio vaccine. Attorney Aaron Siri joined Fox News on Tuesday to clarify his statements after it was widely reported he advised Kennedy, who President-elect Trump tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to pause distribution of several vaccines. “It’s totally false to say that the petition sought to revoke the polio vaccine, as if the petition intended to make it so that Americans couldn’t get the polio vaccine,” Siri said. “It was for only one of six licensed polio vaccines.” Siri noted that he filed a petition on behalf of a separate client, not Kennedy, and it was specifically for a “new polio vaccine” licensed in 1990. “He doesn’t want to get rid of any vaccines. Mr. Kennedy has made very clear, he just wants to make sure that there’s transparency and that there’s proper science,” Siri said. (Irwin, 12/17)

If no Democrats cross the aisle to vote for Kennedy, he can afford to lose only three Republican votes in the closely divided Senate. Some Republicans have embraced Kennedy’s selection to oversee the nation’s public health infrastructure, saying he will bring overdue changes as Americans struggle with a rise in chronic disease, premature deaths and other problems. Others have called on the former Democrat to explain his positions on vaccines, abortion and agriculture policy, warning they have serious questions about his planned agenda. (Diamond and Roubein, 12/17)

Namandjé Bumpus, principal deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, is leaving the agency. Commissioner Robert Califf shared the news with staff Tuesday morning, according to an email reviewed by STAT. ... The deputy commissioner is often primed for the commissioner role; if Kamala Harris had won the election, Bumpus likely would have been a key contender to lead the agency. Califf said Bumpus told him she was leaving earlier this month. She will depart the agency at the end of the year. (Lawrence, 12/17)