Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Feud Between Azar And Verma May Hurt Trump In Election Where Voters Care Deeply About Health Agenda
The Washington Post: Infighting Between Alex Azar, Seema Verma Stymies Trump Health Agenda
Bitter infighting among President Trump’s top health officials — as well as his own shifting demands on signature policies — have undermined key planks of the president’s health-care agenda as he girds for a tough reelection campaign, according to current and former administration officials. Though polls show the issue is critically important to voters, Trump has failed to deliver on his most important health-care promises. His plan to dramatically lower the prices consumers pay for prescription drugs has been stalled by internal disputes, as well as by technical and regulatory issues, said six people with knowledge of the process. And an administration plan to replace the Affordable Care Act has not materialized even as the administration seeks to strike down the law in federal court. (Abutaleb, Dawsey, Winfield Cunningham and Goldstein, 12/11)
Politico: Azar, Verma Battle For Trump’s Favor Amid White House Showdown
Even after Donald Trump had urged them to end their feud, the president’s top two health deputies couldn’t resist competing for his attention — and undermining each other on Twitter and cable TV. Seema Verma, who runs Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare, last Tuesday heaped praise on Trump’s recent order that requires hospitals and health insurers to post their prices. "The federal agency I lead, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is taking swift action to implement it," Verma wrote in an accompanying Chicago Tribune op-ed that day. But on Friday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar went on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” — one of Trump’s favorite TV shows — and claimed credit for driving the same initiative. (Diamond, Cancryn and Pradhan, 12/11)
Politico: White House Moves Up Meeting With Warring Health Officials
President Donald Trump's top two health officials have been called to a White House meeting Wednesday evening with acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in the latest attempt to quash their escalating feud, according to four individuals with knowledge of the gathering. HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma were originally planning to meet with Mulvaney on Thursday, and it's not clear why the meeting has been moved up or if Trump will attend. (Pradhan and Cancryn, 12/11)
In other news about the administration —
The Wall Street Journal: Confirmation Hearing Is Smooth For Nominee To Lead Indian Health Agency
President Trump’s nominee to lead the Indian Health Service breezed through a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, facing few tough questions from the handful of lawmakers who were present. Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee, a career IHS official who has served as the agency’s acting director since June 2017, has in recent weeks gained the support of many Native American tribes. That made him a shoo-in for senators taking signals from their constituents. (Weaver, 12/11)
