Warren Questions Suitability of Health & Human Services Secretary Designate

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Tom Price

Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary-Designate Congressman Tom Price outlining concerns with his suitability to run the agency.

Read the Full Letter Here

The concerns follow Price’s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and cut Medicare and Medicaid, his opposition to improving women’s health care coverage and protecting the LGBTQ community’s access to health services.

"After reviewing your record, I am not convinced that you are willing or able to handle the agency's responsibilities. I am also not convinced that your policies and views as HHS Secretary would benefit the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” wrote Warren.

The Letter

Warren sighted concerns with eight issues including conflicts of interest, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid, health care for women, health care for the LGBTQ community, the importance of science in health policy, halting the opioid epidemic, and funding for biomedical research.

"The HHS Secretary is responsible for programs that provide high quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare to millions of Americans. The Department sets basic standards for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, pays for billions of dollars-worth of medical procedures and pharmaceuticals via the Medicare and Medicaid programs, enforces regulations covering everything from food, drug, and medical device safety to nursing home quality, runs the nation's premier medical research institutions, and is responsible for day-to-day public health promotion and for responding to urgent health care emergencies in the U.S. and abroad. It is critical that the HHS Secretary understand the importance of these programs and implement and enforce them effectively and efficiently, without ideological or partisan bias,” wrote Warren.

The letter consisted of 53 questions for Rep. Price and asked that he come prepared to answer them at the hearing and provide detailed written answers after.

This letter follows oversight letters to Department of Education Secretary-Designate Betsy DeVos and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary-Designate, Dr. Ben Carson.