Â鶹ŮÓÅ

Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick received praise from an unwelcome place Thursday: the White House. President Obama’s chief spokesman, Josh Earnest, lauded Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) for deciding to expand Medicaid in his state under ObamaCare. (Fabian, 7/14)

Donald Trump's reported selection of Mike Pence as his running mate means the Indiana governor will be in the position of calling for repeal of his own Medicaid expansion, which has extended coverage to more than 300,000 low-income adults. Pence, a strong opponent of the Affordable Care Act, nonetheless pushed through a conservative version of Medicaid expansion in his state that took effect last year. (Meyer, 7/14)

When faced with the decision of whether to embrace Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion or stick to his party’s ideology in rejecting the health care law, Mike Pence did what several Republican governors have done: He swallowed his pride and took the money for his state. But Donald Trump’s likely running mate decided to do it with a conservative twist: He added a litany of controversial rules and restrictions for how poor people in Indiana could qualify for the newly generous Medicaid coverage. (Pradhan, 7/15)

Mike Pence’s tenure has been marked by a series of public health controversies that have reverberated across the country — and would again be thrust into the national spotlight with Pence as Donald Trump's running mate. ... Pence’s positions on abortion, Medicaid, needle exchange and the human papillomavirus vaccine have largely drawn plaudits from conservatives, but some decisions stoked outrage among some public health experts. (Demko, 7/14)

Donald Trump may have just made women’s health a bigger issue in the 2016 election. With Mike Pence emerging as Trump’s likely vice presidential pick, the presumptive Republican nominee could strengthen his credibility with anti-abortion leaders who have been wary of him. But Pence’s selection won’t do Trump any favors with advocates of women’s health, who say the Indiana governor has supported some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the country. (Nather, 7/14)

Congressional Republicans dined out on Obamacare repeal during the past three election cycles, but they’re broadening their message for 2016 to stress their record on drug addiction, mental illness and Zika as a way to appeal to home state voters. ... The idea is for the GOP to show it can govern effectively, and appeal to voters outside the die-hard Republican base. But it’s by no means a risk-free strategy. Much of this agenda is in legislative limbo — either because of funding fights or, in the case of Zika, because Republicans have tied it to unrelated but controversial provisions about clean water, contraception, even the Confederate flag. (Cook and Norman, 7/14)

A July poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that Hillary Clinton has the advantage when voters are asked which potential president best represents their positions on health care. Almost half of the respondents chose Clinton, while a third picked Donald J. Trump. But does it matter? (Johnson, 7/15)

Clinton and Obama touted the public plan option as a way to boost competition and make the exchanges more viable. Their proposals come as 15 of the 23 not-for-profit co-op plans created by the ACA have collapsed and a number of private insurers have left the exchanges, complaining that the customers tend to be sicker and more costly to cover than non-exchange members. ... But some observers question whether Clinton stepped up her support for the public option and the Medicare buy-in more to placate the sizable single-payer wing of her party rather than because she seriously intends to pursue those controversial policies if she's elected. (Meyer, 7/13)

A state lab is working to ensure that the food served at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia is contamination-free. Virginia’s Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services is currently testing samples of the food — including massive blocks of hamburgers to a case of pork tenderloins — that will be served at the convention, which takes place July 25-28. (Demeria, 7/14)