It’s been a whirlwind couple of days for health policy types, with President-elect Donald Trump naming the controversial Rep. Tom Price to become secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the relatively unknown Seema Verma to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the new administration.
Reactions to the expected nominations — Trump can’t officially nominate anyone until he actually takes office on Jan. 20 — were swift and wide-ranging. You got the expected praise from the right and outrage from the left, particularly for Price, who is as conservative as they get in Congress.
But for the most part, the healthcare industry welcomed the picks. Here is an assortment of statements from various interest groups about Price and Verma.
“The American Medical Association strongly supports the nomination of Dr. Tom Price to become the next secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). His service as a physician, state legislator and member of the U.S. Congress provides a depth of experience to lead HHS. Dr. Price has been a leader in the development of health policies to advance patient choice and market-based solutions as well as reduce excessive regulatory burdens that diminish time devoted to patient care and increase costs,” said AMA Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Patrice A. Harris.
“We urge the Senate to promptly consider and confirm Dr. Price for this important role,” Harris added.
“It is difficult to imagine anyone more capable of serving his nation as the Secretary of Health and Human Services than Congressman Tom Price. With the work that lies ahead in improving the accessibility, quality and sustainability of our healthcare system, President-elect Trump has acted wisely in choosing a man who is both a diligent public servant and a widely acknowledged expert on health policy,” said Mary R. Grealy, president of the Healthcare Leadership Council, which represents CEOs from across the healthcare spectrum.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
“Dr. Price’s work on health reform in the U.S. House exemplifies his commitment to patients and consumers as well as his understanding that the physician-patient relationship is paramount and must not be adversely affected by government action. He is a champion of medical innovation, insisting that more can and must be done to develop new cures and treatments for life-threatening illnesses,” Grealy continued.
Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), also offered praise.
“AdvaMed congratulates Rep. Price on being nominated as secretary of HHS. As an orthopedic surgeon, he understands the important role medical technology plays in improving patient outcomes – allowing them to live longer, more productive lives – and in adding value to healthcare systems,” Whitaker said.
“Rep. Price has been a strong proponent for healthcare delivery policies that factor in the importance of patient access to medical technology.”
Despite Price’s stated skepticism of value-based care, CAPG, a national organization formerly known as the California Association of Physician Groups, seems optimistic that the incoming administration won’t make drastic changes on that front.
“CAPG welcomes the opportunity to work with Dr. Price and Ms. Verma to advance risk-based coordinated care and to strengthen the healthcare delivery system for the future,” CAPG President and CEO Donald Crane said.
Health IT Now, a coalition of groups pushing for interoperability of health information, expressed optimism about the future of health IT under the Trump administration.
“Dr. Price has long advocated for healthcare reforms that will ultimately encourage the continued growth of health IT. Price’s willingness to engage in thoughtful discussion and debate on complicated healthcare policies alongside his expertise in the field will serve him well as the healthcare community continues to embrace advances in science and technology,” Executive Director Robert Horne said.
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), made up of hospital CIOs, praised Price for one thing in particular.
Rep. Tom Price has been at the forefront of advancing important reforms to the nation’s health IT policy landscape. He was a leader in pushing for greater flexibility in the Meaningful Use program, including the 90-day reporting period. The shorter reporting period is a more realistic timeframe and will help hospitals stay focused on optimizing electronic health record systems for improved patient care. Dr. Price was also instrumental in 2015 in extending the timeline for providers to apply for hardship exemptions under the Meaningful Use program,” CHIME President and CEO Russell Branzell said.
Physician review site CareDash was not so enthusiastic, given Price’s long, visceral opposition to the Affordable Care Act.
““The pending nomination of Price as secretary of Health and Human Services could have major consequences for the 20 million Americans who currently have coverage under the Affordable Care Act. While it is too early to tell which elements of the ACA may be revised or revoked entirely, based on Price’s historic policy positions, lower- to middle-income Americans — the primary makeup of CareDash users — stand to be negatively impacted by significant changes to the current policy,” said Founder and CEO Ted Chan.
“Many CareDash users are newly insured as a result of the ACA and any new policy must sufficiently address how to control rising health insurance costs without thrusting the middle class back into a healthcare system without adequate and affordable coverage. It will also be critical to have a transition and policy replacement plan in place so that the costs of covering the uninsured are not once again absorbed by hospitals, employers and insured consumers,” Chan added.
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