Emory Healthcare CEO: What to Expect from Trump's HHS Nominee

Other area execs are mum on Tom Price, MD, who has been an outspoken opponent of specific portions of the PPACA that appear to benefit hospitals.

This is part of a series covering the Shaping of Healthcare's Future in the Trump era.

Despite his career as a physician and six-term 6th-district Georgia Congressional representative, some hospital and health system executives are wary about what to expect from Tom Price, MD, President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Beyond his congressional reputation as a staunch opponent of Obamacare, many don't seem to know much about him or what to expect from Tom Price as HHS Secretary.

The associations in healthcare have been predictably supportive of his nomination, perhaps in hopes that the new HHS secretary will work with them to retool the last administration's signature healthcare accomplishment without hurting their interests too badly.

But individual healthcare organization leaders in his home district of Atlanta—even those who know him personally—don't seem particularly eager to discuss him.

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Jonathan Lewin, MD, the president, CEO, and chair of the board of Emory Healthcare, agreed to discuss the nominee. Four other high-profile Atlanta-area health system leaders declined on-the-record interviews.

Perhaps that's at least in part because during his Congressional tenure, Price has been particularly critical of part of the law that requires insurers to offer a government-mandated basic level of coverage as well as a provision that extends federal aid to states in return for their expansion of Medicaid to cover more people.

Those provisions help hospitals financially, although Georgia, notably, is not one of the states that has expanded Medicaid under the PPACA.

Lewin, who has met with Price only once, has been at the helm of Emory Healthcare for less than a year, but over the holidays, he shared his views with HealthLeaders Media on his fellow physician and controversial HHS nominee. Following is a lightly edited transcript of his answers to those questions.

HLM: In your one meeting with Dr. Price, what did you discuss with him?

Lewin: We talked about the importance of research. He expressed support for strong federal funding of scientific and biomedical research. This is an issue of significant importance across Emory, and we really appreciate his support. 

The issue of economic modeling for research funding impact was discussed at length. Congressman Price expressed an interest in driving the message that research is good for the economy with his colleagues on Capitol Hill.

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He asked for us to help him better communicate the research and data around this issue. As we often do for our elected officials, we completed a research memo on the topic. Further, we promised to share our own economic impact report that will be completed in spring 2017.

HLM: What was your impression of him regarding his attitude toward helping hospitals in his district? 

Lewin: My impression is that Tom Price understands the importance of access to care. With his medical background, he understands how hospitals work, he recognizes the challenges facing our healthcare workforce, and he wants to do what is best for patients.

HLM: This is a president, and presumably an HHS nominee, who promises to cut red tape. What regulations would you like to see done away with or modified?

Lewin: We are deeply appreciative of the progress made in the 21st Century Cures Act, which just passed Congress, to address the regulatory burden on our researchers. Studies show that 42% of a researcher's time is spent on administrative work, much of which is redundant.

We look forward to continuing to tackle this problem by streamlining administrative requirements, like effort reporting, for scientists and recipients of research grants.

HLM: Dr. Price has an actual plan to replace Obamacare, which he and the administration have pledged is among their first priorities. Given that, what would you like to see maintained from the PPACA?

Lewin: We believe that avoiding discrimination against patients for preexisting conditions, allowing young adults to stay on their parent's policies up to age 26, and maintaining coverage for the previously uninsured should be foremost on everyone's mind. 

The costs to society in both human suffering and the long-term financial impact of the health of our population warrant careful consideration of how those recently-insured people can retain a sufficient degree of coverage.

Texas Health Resources has developed a strategy to both recruit and retain top physicians by remaining competitive in an ever-changing marketplace. Learn THR's top tips for physician recruitment and engagement by watching this live HealthLeaders Media webcast, Key Physician Recruitment Strategies from Texas Health Resources, on January 11.