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A Democratic do-over on opioids? Addressing the opioid crisis was one of the defining political issues of the last Congress — but some Democratic lawmakers feel Congress fell short with the Opioid Crisis Response Act that President Trump ultimately signed. And now that they control the House, lawmakers, Capitol Hill aides, and lobbyists tell STAT they’re gearing up for another push to overhaul U.S. addiction treatment. While planning is still at the early stage, those individuals described a range of policy and messaging goals, including:   Elements of a $100 billion proposal from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Cummings, including increasing treatment grants for nonprofits and public health departments Calling opioid manufacturer CEOs before Congress to testify about drugmaker marketing practices — an idea pushed by new Energy & Commerce Committee member Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) Further expanding access to mental health treatment via telemedicine, a proposal from Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.)

Worth your time This hair-raising read from the New York Times outlines a different type of North Korean terrorist threat — biological weapons deployed on a massive scale — and how the Trump administration has done little to guard against it. — Lev Facher  The government shutdown, now in the middle of its fourth week, is threatening the ability of the government to help people living near toxic Superfund sites — another way the impasse is affecting Americans’ health, the Washington Post reports. — Ike Swetlitz Kaiser Health News effortlessly explains how drug formularies often stifle use of biosimilars — including lower cost insulins. — Nick Florko