President-elect
Donald Trump has announced that Georgia Republican Rep. Tom Price will take
over the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under when he takes
office next January.
Price is known for
being against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and has already proposed plans to
repeal and replace the legislation implemented under President Obama.
"Chairman Price,
a renowned physician, has earned a reputation for being a tireless problem
solver and the go-to expert on healthcare policy, making him the ideal choice
to serve in this capacity," Trump said in a statement. "He is
exceptionally qualified to shepherd our commitment to repeal and replace
Obamacare and bring affordable and accessible healthcare to every American."
The president-elect
also named Indiana healthcare consultant Seema Verma to head the Centres for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CNMA). Verma is the CEO of a consultancy firm
dealing with healthcare and assisted in the creation of the Healthy Indiana
Plan 2.0 as an alternative to ACA Medicaid expansion.
Describing Verma and Price as “dream team", Trump
spoke of the former’s experience in Medicare and Medicaid policy.
See Also:Navigating Healthcare Uncertainty Until U.S. Presidential Inauguration
Price is expected to
expand tax credits to help Americans offset health insurance costs and to
create an interstate health insurance market.
HIT should benefit
under Price’s leadership as the former orthopaedic surgeon is focused on this
area – particularly legislation connected to electronic health records meaningful
use reporting.
As chief of the CMS,
Verma will decide on the future of healthcare programmes value-based innovation models, the meaningful
use programme and MACRA.
Meanwhile, stakeholders have been
responding to the appointment of Price. The American Hospital Association has said: “As
healthcare continues to evolve and as care becomes more patient centered, Dr.
Price's experience both as a surgeon, along with practicing at Emory University
and Grady Memorial Hospital, makes him uniquely qualified to lead the
Department of Health and Human Services.”
HIMSS has also shown support. “During our many engagements with Chairman Price at HIMSS conferences and meetings, and as a congressional supporter of the HIMSS Foundation's Institute for e-Health Policy education sessions on health IT solutions, we have found Chairman Price to be an advocate and an ally to those transforming healthcare," the organisation said.
Source: Healthcare FinanceNews
Image Credit: The Last Refuge
