Trending News Today: Healthcare Stakeholders Wary of Affordable Care Act Repeal

President-elect Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers may be the only individuals supporting a potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act. There have been no patient, physician, hospital, or other stakeholder groups that have expressed support for a repeal, according to the Los Angeles Times. Many Americans have said they would like to keep, or even expand the health law, while experts caution that repealing the legislation may lead to poor outcomes, according to the report.

With opioid overdose-related deaths on the rise, tackling the opioid crisis may be one of the first actions Trump takes once he is sworn in to office. During his campaign, Trump made promises to solve the crisis by more aggressively prosecuting drug traffickers and preventing shipping loopholes that may allow the Chinese to mail fentanyl to the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal. He also pledged to reduce the amount of legal opioids that can be manufactured and sold within the United States.

A new study indicates that optimism could potentially help women live longer, happier lives. Researchers found that women who were confident that positive things would come to them in the future had a 31% reduced mortality risk compared with less optimistic women. Other studies have also shown a correlation between optimism and a reduced risk of mortality related to cardiovascular disease, according to the Los Angeles Times.