Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Price's Stocks Continue To Haunt Nominee As He Heads Toward Confirmation Vote
The Associated Press: Price Nears Senate Confirmation As Trump Health Secretary
Republicans are ready to overpower Democrats and push another of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees through the Senate, the man who will help lead the GOP drive to erase and replace the health care law. The Senate voted 51-48 Wednesday to short-circuit Democratic delaying tactics against Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., Trump's choice for health secretary. Final approval of Price seemed certain, a vote that would elevate the long-time proponent of dismantling President Barack Obama's health care law and reshaping and curbing Medicare and Medicaid. (Fram, 2/9)
CQ Roll Call: HHS Nominee Likely To Be Confirmed Over Democratic Objections
The Senate appears likely to confirm Rep. Tom Price as secretary of Health and Human Services as early as Friday over the vocal objections of Democrats. Republicans are anxious to get the Georgia Republican in place to help them substantially revise the 2010 health care law. The Senate is expected to prevent a filibuster with a cloture vote Wednesday evening. Democrats' protests could push the final vote on confirmation to around 2 a.m. on Friday. (Young, 2/8)
USA Today: New Stock Questions Plague HHS Nominee Tom Price As Confirmation Vote Nears
President Trump's choice to be the top U.S. health official bought and sold health care company stocks often enough as a member of Congress to warrant probes by both federal securities regulators and the House ethics committee, former government ethics lawyers say. A USA TODAY analysis of stock trade reports by Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., also shows he often misstated the timing of stock purchases or failed to report them altogether. (O'Donnell, 2/8)
Previous KHN coverage: HHS Pick Price Made ‘Brazen’ Stock Trades While His Committee Was Under Scrutiny
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Can Tom Price Expect An Elizabeth Warren Moment On The Senate Floor?
The Senate voted Wednesday evening to allow up to 30 hours of floor debate on the Roswell Republican’s nomination to be secretary of health and human services. When it’s all over, likely in the wee hours of Friday morning, we’re expecting Price will be put in charge of a federal agency with a roughly $1 trillion annual budget. (Hallerman, 2/8)
Politico Pro: Can Price Steer GOP Through Obamacare Repeal Battle?
President Donald Trump’s pick for HHS secretary will take office with a directive that’s never been clearer — or more challenging. Rep. Tom Price is on the verge of confirmation to the nation’s top health care post, putting him at the controls of a trillion-dollar department and thrusting him into the center of the GOP’s tortuous effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. (Cancryn, 2/8)
