Price’s Second Senate Hearing Comes Amid Increasing Scrutiny Over Stocks, Contributors
Questions are expected to focus on the future of the health law as well as the congressman's past industry dealings. Ethics experts have said that HHS nominee Tom Price has shown "an extraordinary lack of good judgment" when it comes to his campaign and legislative actions.
The Associated Press:
Trump's Pick For Health Secretary Faces New Senate Hearing
A second Senate committee is ready to interrogate President Donald Trump's pick for health secretary, a nominee who's backed by Republicans but under fire from Democrats for his support for tearing down President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and his past stock trades. (Fram and Alonso-Zaldivar, 1/24)
USA Today:
Trump Health Nominee To Get Grilled As Obamacare Debate Heats Up
A festering debate about who has been hurt or helped more by President Obama's health law comes as the Senate Finance Committee meets Tuesday to consider the nomination of physician and ACA opponent Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga. When he introduced an ACA replacement bill in 2015, Price said that "under Obamacare, the American people are paying more for health care and getting less — less access, less quality, and fewer choices." (O'Donnell, 1/24)
The Washington Post:
HHS Nominee’s Mix Of Investments, Donations, Legislation Keeps Raising Questions
Rep. Tom Price, the Georgia Republican nominated by President Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is under increasing scrutiny for a trifecta of financial, campaign and legislative activities that some longtime ethics lawyers describe as “extremely rare” and revealing “an extraordinary lack of good judgment.” In recent years, Price has repeatedly traded stock in dozens of health-related companies while pushing bills that could have benefited many of them. At the same time, he has been uncommonly reliant on campaign contributions from the health-care industry, accepting more than $700,000 from physicians, hospitals, drug companies and insurers during his 2016 run for a seventh congressional term, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. (Kindy and Goldstein, 1/23)
The Wall Street Journal:
Senate To Question Trump Health Secretary Nominee Tom Price
Mr. Price, 62 years old and a third-generation physician, has attracted strong Democratic opposition because of his conservative views and outspoken opposition to the health law. He has supported curbing Medicaid spending and making changes to Medicare that critics say would shoulder seniors with more costs. Democrats also have called for an investigation into stock trades Mr. Price made in medical companies while he sponsored legislation that could have potentially benefited those companies. (Armour, 1/24)
Politico:
Price To Face Grilling On Trump's Order To Weaken Obamacare
Tuesday's hearing marks the second major test in a week for Price, who struggled at last week’s hearing to offer a clear blueprint for replacing Obamacare. Questioned by both Democrats and Republicans about his preferred replacement, he demurred, calling it a "legislative question" rather than an administrative one he'd handle as HHS secretary. At the same time, though, he assured lawmakers that the 20 million Americans insured through Obamacare wouldn’t lose coverage — a promise that could be hard to keep if Trump’s administration starts dismantling the law before Congress has readied a replacement plan. (Cancryn, 1/24)
CQ Roll Call:
Senate Finance Uncovers Stock, Tax Issues For HHS Nominee Price
The Senate Finance Committee’s investigation of the nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services turned up questions about his tax deductions and late property tax payments, as well as the value of his investment in an Australian biotechnology company. These revelations could add to Democratic protests about President Donald Trump’s choice of Rep. Tom Price to lead the nation’s federal medical programs. Price, a Georgia Republican, agreed to amend both his tax forms and his filing with the Office of Government Ethics to correct errors discovered by the Finance Committee, according to a staff memo obtained by CQ Roll Call. The staff prepared the Jan. 23 memo ahead of Tuesday’s hearing with Price. The Finance Committee has the responsibility of deciding whether to put the nomination before the full Senate. (Young, 1/23)
Kaiser Health News:
Trump’s HHS Choice: First A Letter To Medicare. Then A Campaign Contribution
Tom Price, the Georgia congressman tapped for the nation’s top health job, pressed Medicare officials on a funding change that led to a windfall for the small biotech company run by one of his top campaign contributors, according to a document released under an open records request. Price is facing a Senate hearing Tuesday on his nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services, a role that would put him at the helm of an agency overseeing billions in spending. His initial hearing revealed the depth of Democratic lawmakers’ concerns about Price’s investments in health care stocks. (Jewett and Taylor, 1/24)
