Azar’s Waning Role In Crisis Gives Hints Into Politics Of Administration’s Response
While in the early days of the crisis, HHS Secretary Alex Azar took the lead, he has since been noticeably absent from a number of relevant briefings. In other news from the Trump administration, CMS is working with Medicare and Medicaid officials to craft responses to the outbreak.
The Wall Street Journal:
HHS Secretary Is Largely Sidelined In U.S. Effort To Battle Coronavirus
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar appeared taken aback late last month when lawmakers questioned whether someone else should lead the nation’s response to coronavirus. “I serve as the lead on this while it’s a public-health emergency,” he said at a congressional budget hearing on Feb. 26. “It’s just the longstanding doctrine that this should be led by HHS with a public-health emergency.” About six hours later, President Trump made an appearance in the White House briefing room after a trip from India to say he was putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge. The vice president, he said, has “a certain talent for this.” (Armour and Burton, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
CMS Encourages Medicare Advantage Plans To Remove Barriers To COVID-19 Care
The CMS has encouraged Medicare Advantage plans to eliminate or reduce cost-sharing for their members affected by the coronavirus outbreak.Medicare Advantage, the private alternative to the traditional Medicare program, serves roughly 22 million seniors and disabled adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that older adults and people with serious chronic medical conditions are at a higher risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19. (Livingston, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
CMS Pressed To Quickly Craft Medicaid Action Plan For COVID-19
The Trump administration and state leaders are facing pressure to quickly issue policies enabling state Medicaid programs to more effectively address the coronavirus outbreak. Health plans, state officials, and Medicaid experts are urging policymakers to declare that state Medicaid programs will cover COVID-19 testing and treatment for Medicaid-eligible people without patient cost sharing, which the Trump administration has pressed commercial insurers to do. Some have also suggested temporarily expanding coverage to low-income adults exposed to the virus in the 13 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. (Meyer, 3/11)
