Wyden Statement on the Nominations of Tom Price to be HHS Secretary and Seema Verma to be CMS Administrator

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released a statement regarding the nominations of U.S. Rep. Tom Price to be the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Seema Verma to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

“Given Chairman Price’s past health proposals, I have grave concerns with what his policies would do to Americans,” Wyden said. “I intend to give his nomination a full and thorough review in the coming weeks, and I look forward to encouraging him to pursue policies that protect and strengthen the Medicare guarantee, strengthen critical safety net programs for children and families, preserve high quality care for the 73 million Americans benefiting from Medicaid and CHIP, and maintain non-discrimination rules in health care.

“The Secretary of Health and Human Services also plays a critical role in women’s access to basic health services and removing barriers to reproductive health care. Ensuring affordable health coverage for all includes robust protections for women’s and reproductive health care. Failure to do so will drive women back to receiving care in unsafe, non-medical settings.

“Seema Verma will be responsible for the health care of over 100 million Americans – including seniors, low and middle-income Americans, pregnant women and mothers, those with disabilities, and many others. I look forward to learning more about her views on health care and the critical programs she will administer as the Finance Committee gives her nomination close consideration.”

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