Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Administration's Pace In Filling Top Jobs Slows Regulatory Roll-Back Efforts
The Wall Street Journal: Trump Slow To Submit Nominations For Top Administration Posts
President Donald Trump wants to overhaul the tax code, replace the national health-care system and roll back regulations on most major industries. He faces at least one immediate obstacle: There is no one there to help him do it. Of 549 key administration positions that require Senate confirmation, just 15 of Mr. Trump’s picks have been confirmed, while an additional 18 await confirmation. For 516 of the positions—or 94% of the total—the White House hasn't yet nominated a candidate, according to the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit group that works with the White House and campaigns to professionalize the transfer of power between administrations. (Ballhaus, 2/28)
Politico Pro: CMS Pick Elaborates On Possible Recusal From Mental Health Issues
President Donald Trump’s pick to lead CMS, Seema Verma, said that if confirmed, she will recuse herself from certain mental health policy decisions, including the enforcement of mental health parity laws. Verma said the Office of Government Ethics advised her to steer away from issues that could intersect with her husband's child psychiatry practice at the Indiana Health Group — the largest behavioral health practice in the state. (Ehley, 2/27)
KCUR: Doctors Caught In Middle As Travel Ban Intersects With Rural Recruitment
The travel ban has since been blocked by a federal judge, but the Trump administration is fighting to restore it or implement a new version. The abruptness of the ban caused havoc at the nation’s airports as some people who were en route to the United States or had landed were told they could not enter. Many industries were affected, including an American medical system that relies increasingly on foreign labor. Health centers nationwide, including some in Kansas and Missouri, have long rolled out the welcome mat for foreign doctors. Rural areas in particular have benefited from a special “J-1 visa waiver” program for immigrant doctors who agree to work in underserved areas. (Marso, 2/27)
