Stakeholders Cheer Biden's HHS Pick

The president-elect is expected this week to formally announce his choices for HHS secretary, CDC director, surgeon general and "coronavirus czar."

Reports that President-elect Joe Biden will nominate California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services were met with cheers Monday from payers, providers and other stakeholders.

Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, praised Becerra for his work as a Congressman, and for in his leadership role in defending the Affordable Care Act in California v. Texas. Which was argued last month before the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We have also worked with him as a longtime former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, including as a member of the Ways and Means Committee's health subcommittee," Pollack said. "He has been a champion for affordable health access and coverage, which the AHA has supported, and he has consistently made people across America and their health a priority."

Federation of American Hospitals President and CEO Chip Kahn also praised Becerra's "staunch support" of the ACA, and called the nomination "a historic choice at a historic time."

"He is a superb pick to lead the agency at the center of the fight against COVID-19," Kahn said. "As the virus continues to wreak havoc from coast to coast, he will step in with the kind of leadership that on day one will immediately impact the pandemic."

"During his time in Congress, I had opportunities to work with Attorney General Becerra on important healthcare issues and know that he brings to his new role a keen understanding of, and deep dedication to, Americans' health and healthcare," Kahn said. "He has a proven commitment to assuring all Americans affordable healthcare coverage as well as an established record of protecting and preserving Medicare for our seniors and disabled."

The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing executive director Lauren Aronson praised Becerra's "demonstrated track record of standing up for consumers."

"CSRxP looks forward to working with him and the administration to advance market-based solutions to lower prescription drug prices, cut through drug companies' blame game by pulling back the misguided Rebate Rule and hold Big Pharma accountable," said CSRxP.

"It will be particularly critical for the next HHS secretary to encourage greater prescription drug pricing transparency, foster generic and biosimilar competition and crack down on Big Pharma's egregious price-gouging and anti-competitive practices," Aronson said.

Media outlets are also reporting that Rochelle Walensky, MD, the chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, will lead the Centers for Disease Control; Vivek Murthy, MD, surgeon general under President Barack Obama, will return to that job under Biden; and that Jeffrey D. Zients, who led Obama's National Economic Council, will serve as Biden's "coronavirus czar."

Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, MD, said last week that he accepted President-elect Biden's offer to continue serving as the White House's chief medical advisor.

Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, said payers "look forward to working with the entire diverse, experienced and accomplished group of leaders nominated to and announced for key positions."

"These leaders will face several critical national priorities, including overcoming the COVID-19 crisis, improving health equity, advancing healthcare affordability and access, improving quality of care, and ensuring the stability of markets," Eyles said.

"Strong public-private partnerships are essential to achieving these goals, and health insurance providers are eager to assist the Biden health team," he said.

Pollack acknowledged that Becerra will face a critical issues at HHS, but that "nothing is more critical than the COVID-19 pandemic, and making sure hospitals, health systems and our heroic frontline caregivers have the resources and support they need to care for patients and win the battle against the virus."

"We also need to make important progress on advancing the transformation of healthcare, ensuring access to coverage, making healthcare equitable to all people in America and enhancing the quality of care," Pollack said.