Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck

Welcome to Friday’s Overnight Health Care.

The race for president still hasn’t been called, but it’s looking good for Joe BidenJoe BidenBiden claims a ‘mandate’ to govern, calls for end to ‘partisan warfare’ Mark Meadows tests positive for coronavirus Trump supporters scream at Telemundo reporter during live broadcast from Maricopa ballot center MORE. His health agenda though? That depends on the Senate runoffs in Georgia. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases are surging to record levels.

We’ll start with a look ahead:

What could a Biden administration do on health care?

The election is not over, but Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads the Electoral College and looks like the favorite to get to 270 votes.

If he wins, the future of his health agenda largely depends on what happens with the Senate runoffs in Georgia. If Democrats win both races, that would give them 50 seats, enough to give them a very narrow majority, with a Vice President Kamala HarrisKamala HarrisGeorgia Senate race between Perdue, Ossoff heads to runoff Trump says Biden should not ‘wrongfully’ claim victory in presidential race Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck MORE breaking a tie.

What’s on the table: House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiBiden claims a ‘mandate’ to govern, calls for end to ‘partisan warfare’ Election scrambles prospects for next COVID-19 relief bill Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck MORE (D-Calif.) has already said Democrats will pursue budget reconciliation — an obscure but powerful tool that gets around the Senate filibuster — to build up the Affordable Care Act. That could include boosting subsidies and extending them to higher-income earners who are often priced out of the marketplaces.

A public option, which was the centerpiece of Biden’s plan, would probably be too controversial to pass through Congress without stronger Democratic majorities because of vehement opposition from the health-care industry.

If Republicans keep the Senate, a Biden administration could still rescind a number of changes Trump made, like allowing Medicaid work requirements. He could also reverse the Trump administration’s changes to the Title X family planning program and have the federal government play a larger role in the COVID response. Congress and Biden might be able to find bipartisan ground on surprise billing and drug prices.

Election results underscore different views on coronavirus

Even if Biden does end up the winner, there certainly are a lot of people who voted for President TrumpDonald John TrumpBiden claims a ‘mandate’ to govern, calls for end to ‘partisan warfare’ Mark Meadows tests positive for coronavirus Georgia Senate race between Perdue, Ossoff heads to runoff MORE, prompting some questions and soul-searching among public health experts.

“I’m surprised of the outcome,” said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

More than 230,000 people in America have died from the coronavirus, and cases and hospitalizations are still rising. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the threat of the virus, mocking those wearing masks and holding events where people failed to use social distancing.

Key split among voters: COVID and economy. Exit polls showed a sharp split between Biden and Trump supporters over prioritizing the economy or coronavirus.

Voters saying the coronavirus mattered most to their vote went for Biden 82 percent to Trump’s 14 percent, according to an exit poll from Edison Research. On the flip side, voters saying the economy mattered most went for Trump 82 percent to Biden’s 17 percent.

“It is just *staggering* to me that the failure to get even close to controlling a pandemic seems a relatively minor matter when it comes to an election,” Bill Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, wrote on Twitter.

Read more here.

Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck

A fight is looming over the prospect of passing a coronavirus relief deal in an upcoming lame-duck session, as both sides claim leverage in the battle.

Congressional leaders and the White House each say they are interested in getting a fifth deal before the end of the year, as coronavirus cases climb across the country and public health officials warn of a brutal winter.

But deep differences remain.

Top Republicans are digging in on a smaller coronavirus relief deal, signaling that they believe Democrats should make concessions ahead of a looming lame-duck fight.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump says Biden should not ‘wrongfully’ claim victory in presidential race Election scrambles prospects for next COVID-19 relief bill Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck MORE (R-Ky.), speaking at a press conference in Kentucky, said Friday’s economic data backed the Senate GOP push for a smaller deal.

“That I think clearly ought to affect what size of any rescue package we additionally do. I do think we need another one but I think it reinforces the argument that I’ve been making … that something smaller rather than throwing another $3 trillion at this issue is more appropriate, with it highly targeted toward things that are directly related to the coronavirus,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky.

But Democrats are sticking by their pledge to “go big.” House Democrats initially passed a $3.4 trillion coronavirus relief deal in May and then a second smaller $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief deal. The Senate has not taken up either.

Read more here.

Another grim record on coronavirus: 118k cases

The U.S. broke another record of daily coronavirus cases Thursday, topping 118,000 new infections in the second straight day with more than 100,000 new cases.

The exact number of cases Thursday was 118,629, according to Johns Hopkins University data. There were also around 1,187 reported deaths, a nearly 20 percent increase from the same day last week.

The U.S. states that topped daily case records included Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin, with some states, such as Connecticut, reinstating some restrictions.

Tough days ahead: The situation is not showing any signs of improvement, as cases and hospitalizations keep climbing as winter approaches.

Read more here.

Related: Idaho sets new record for daily coronavirus cases

Top Wisconsin health official resigns amid spike in coronavirus cases

The top public health official in Wisconsin resigned Thursday amid an alarming surge in coronavirus cases across the Badger State.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) confirmed to The Hill on Friday that interim Division of Public Health Administrator Stephanie Smiley resigned from her post and will officially leave on Nov. 11.

Smiley said her job has been difficult, and she has accepted a position outside state service so she can focus more on her own health and family.

Wisconsin DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk will serve as interim state health officer and Deputy Division of Public Health Administrator Chuck Warzecha will serve as interim division administrator.

The shakeup in Wisconsin DHS leadership comes as the state grapples with one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the country. The state has had nearly 250,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 6,141 new cases tallied Friday alone, a new state record for single-day cases.

Read more here.

What we’re reading:

Counties with worst virus surges overwhelmingly voted Trump (AP)

Lucrative federal contract for Regeneron lacks usual taxpayer protections (STAT)

Steve BannonStephen (Steve) Kevin BannonOvernight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck Bannon’s lawyers move to withdraw from criminal case following comments about Fauci Twitter removes fake AP account that called election for Biden MORE loses lawyer after suggesting beheading of Fauci (The New York Times)

State by state:

‘It’s crap.’: DeSantis office ‘leaks’ state records to fuel COVID-19 death ‘conspiracy’ (Miami Herald)

How escalating COVID cases forced one state to change its masking strategy (Kaiser Health News)

These two families watched loved ones die of coronavirus in overwhelmed Utah hospitals (Salt Lake Tribune)

Click Here: Putters