Early in the morning of February 10, 2017, the U.S. Senate confirmed Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services.  Senators voted along party lines, 52 to 47, to confirm Rep. Price, an orthopedic surgeon and prominent critic of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).   

Sworn in by Vice President Pence on Friday, February 10, Secretary Price has extensive congressional experience, from serving on the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and chairing the Budget Committee, to serving as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee and the Republican Policy Committee.  While in Congress, Secretary Price led efforts to repeal and replace the ACA, regularly sponsoring his own full replacement proposals.

Congressional Republicans remain divided over the timing and form of any ACA “repeal and replace” measure, as well as how to enact Medicaid reform – particularly the Medicaid expansion states may have taken pursuant to the ACA.  In recent days, President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) have each indicated that ACA repeal and replace may have a broader timetable for enactment, with Ryan anticipating enactment of legislation in 2017.  The confirmation of Secretary Price is expected to expedite discussions and finalization of an approach to “replace.” 

Continuing its work on Trump Administration nominations, the Senate Finance Committee will convene a hearing on February 16 to consider the nomination of Seema Verma to be the CMS Administrator.  Verma, a health care consultant, worked with Vice President Pence while he was Governor of Indiana, to design Indiana’s Medicaid expansion plan, known as the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) 2.0.