February 2017

Late this week, the Senate approved President Trump's nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price (R-GA) by a party-line vote of 52 – 47. The President has indicated that he would wait until Price is confirmed to release his plan for health care reform so with this action the process of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is expected to accelerate. During his hearings with Senate committees, Price appeared to distance himself from the President's statements that the administration's health plan would ensure "health insurance for all Americans." Instead Price repeatedly stated that "all Americans" would have access to the high quality care that they desire in the administration's ACA replacement plan.

Price is an orthopedic surgeon by profession and until now was a U.S. House Representative from Georgia and chair of the House Budget Committee. He is a strong opponent of the ACA and has also drafted proposals to transform Medicaid into a state block grant program. Price is also on record as voting against the legislation that gave the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco.