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January 21, 2017 12:00 AM

What we know so far about the Trump administration's key healthcare players and congressional committee leaders

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    Here are the men and women who have been named and floated as contenders for healthcare policy positions in the White House and executive departments and agencies, as well as the chairs and ranking members on congressional committees and subcommittees that influence healthcare policy.

    White House

    Andrew Bremberg, a top aide for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, worked at HHS under President George W. Bush and was Mitt Romney's point person on repeal of the Affordable Care Act in 2012.

    Director

    Andrew Bremberg

    Katy Talento is a longtime GOP Hill staffer, most recently for Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. She has drawn criticism from liberals for writing about health hazards of birth control drugs for the Federalist, a conservative website.

    Healthcare policy

    Katy Talento

    Zina Bash is a Harvard-trained lawyer and most recently was an executive at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, a physician-owned hospital in Edinburg, Texas.

    Regulatory reform, legal and immigration policy

    Zina Bash

    HHS

    Dr. Tom Price, an orthopedic surgeon, is primed to dismantle the ACA and will push more state control over health spending. Democrats have seized on reports that he used his influence on behalf of healthcare companies in his stock portfolio and that contribute to his campaign.

    Secretary

    Nominee: Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.)

    As a consultant to GOP governors, Seema Verma helped infuse Medicaid waivers with conservative policy ideas such as Indiana's requirement that beneficiaries pay into health savings

    CMS administrator

    Nominee: Seema Verma

    Names floated include Balaji Srinivasan, who co-founded a genetic testing company, and Jim O'Neill, a former HHS official who's now with an investment firm run by Trump confidant Peter Thiel. Both made their names as libertarians in Silicon Valley. Another candidate is Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

    FDA commissioner

    2 names floated

    With Trump yet to name anyone to run the CDC, Dr. Anne Schuchat, an epidemiologist who joined the agency in 1988 and has served as principal deputy director, will assume interim leadership..

    CDC director

    Interim: Anne Schuchat

    On the eve of his inauguration, Trump asked Dr. Francis Collins to stay on, at least for now. President Barack Obama tapped Collins, known for his leadership of the Human Genome Project, to run the NIH in 2009.

    National Institutes of Health

    Dr. Francis Collins

    Justice Department

    Jeff Sessions would be charged with reducing fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid and would lead the administration's enforcement of antitrust laws as healthcare players continue to consolidate.

    Attorney general

    Nominee: Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)

    Federal Trade Commission

    Chairwoman Edith Ramirez plans to resign Feb. 10 from the FTC, which polices consolidation among hospitals and physician practices. Trump is said to be considering Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes for the job.

    Veterans Affairs

    Dr. David Shulkin, now the VA's undersecretary for health, is expected to resist calls for privatization of veterans' healthcare and continue the efforts to improve quality and access initiated under the Obama administration.

    Nominee: Dr. David Shulkin

    Key House committee leaders

    Ways and Means

    Kevin Brady would be a leader in GOP efforts to revamp Medicare as a premium-support system. He has said, however, that he intends for the process to be gradual, with early Medicare reforms targeting post-acute care.

    CHAIR

    Kevin Brady (R-Texas)

    Richard Neal signaled he will pressure Republicans to work with Democrats to improve the ACA and called it “shortsighted to start anew” with repeal. He has supported bundled payments in Medicare and has used tax legislation to support rural healthcare providers.

    RANKING

    Richard Neal (D-Mass.)

    Health subcommittee

    Pat Tiberi has resisted site-neutral Medicare payments and has promoted Medicare Advantage plans. He will be a key figure if the GOP pushes a premium-support model for Medicare.

    CHAIR

    Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio)

    Sander Levin helped pass the ACA in 2010 and will work aggressively to protect that law and resist GOP efforts to alter Medicare and Medicaid.

    RANKING

    Sander Levin (D-Mich.)

    Energy and Commerce

    Greg Walden is considered one of the leaders in the House's fight to unravel the ACA. As a congressman representing rural communities in Oregon, he has backed legislation aimed at improving mental health and substance abuse services.

    CHAIR

    Chair Greg Walden (R-Ore.)

    Frank Pallone led Democrats' efforts to bolster National Institutes of Health funding in the 21st Century Cures Act and then was a chief backer of the sweeping legislation.

    RANKING

    Frank Pallone (D-N.J.)

    Health subcommittee

    Michael Burgess is a physician and strongly supported MACRA to replace Medicare's sustainable growth-rate formula for paying physicians. He's now pushing for more flexibility for physicians to comply with the new law.

    CHAIR

    Michael Burgess (R-Texas)

    Gene Green has described his job as fighting “on the front lines against the Trump Administration.”

    RANKING

    Gene Green (D-Texas)

    Appropriations

    Rodney Frelinghuysen has called for keeping some popular aspect of the ACA, including requiring insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to stay on their parents' insurance.

    CHAIR

    Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.)

    Nita Lowey is expected to fight attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and work to protect insurance coverage of women's health services.”

    RANKING

    Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.)

    Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.)

    Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

    Tom Cole says healthcare costs can be cut with tort reform and cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse, and he's wary of regulations that may encroach on personal health choices.

    CHAIR

    Tom Cole (R-Okla.)

    Rosa DeLauro , a cancer survivor, has championed funding boosts for the NIH, FDA and CDC. She's an aggressive defender of the ACA.

    RANKING

    Ranking Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)

    Budget

    Diane Black, a registered nurse, has supported legislation aimed at improving chronic care management and expanding telehealth services.

    CHAIR

    Diane Black (R-Tenn.)

    John Yarmuth may be a key voice in protecting Medicaid coverage levels as he argues against new Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin's attempts to reshape the state's program with provisions such as a requirement that beneficiaries be employed or looking for work

    Ranking

    John Yarmuth (D-Ky.)

    Senate

    Finance

    Orrin Hatch sponsored an ACA replacement with provisions that include allowing insurers to sell plans across state lines, Medicaid block grants and capping the tax exclusion on employer-based plans. He also has backed efforts to retool the Stark Law's restrictions against physician self-referral.

    CHAIR

    Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)

    Ron Wyden is behind an ACA provision that allows states to get waivers from many of the law's requirements if they can provide coverage that's at least as comprehensive and affordable. He may be an ally if Republicans pursue state flexibility as an alternative to full repeal.

    RANKING

    Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

    Health subcommittee

    Pat Toomey is a staunch ACA critic and opponent of abortion rights.

    Chair

    Patrick Toomey (R-Pa.)

    Debbie Stabenow has fought for funding to address lead-contaminated water in the city of Flint, Mich., and has called for more mental health funding for community centers.

    RANKING

    Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)

    Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

    Lamar Alexander is one of a few GOP senators expressing doubts about moving too quickly to kill the ACA. His willingness to work across party lines could make him an important figure in the repeal effort.

    Chair

    Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

    Democrats will count on Patty Murray to argue forcefully against rolling back coverage for reproductive health and push legislation to improve mental health services.

    RANKING

    Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

    Appropriations

    Thad Cochran has supported medical research funding and efforts to fight public health threats like Zika and Ebola.

    CHAIR

    Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

    Barbara Mikulski has been a champion of Maryland's unique all-payer system that could be a model for state-based health reforms.

    RANKING

    Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.)

    Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

    Roy Blunt has been a key figure in pushing mental health funding and reform and has advocated for community health centers.

    Chair

    Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

    Democrats will count on Patty Murray to argue forcefully against rolling back coverage for reproductive health and push legislation to improve mental health services.

    RANKING

    Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

    Special Committee on Aging

    Susan Collins is considered one of the most moderate Republicans in Congress, she could be one of a handful of GOP senators who make it difficult for the chamber to repeal and replace the ACA and make dramatic changes to Medicare and Medicaid.

    Chair

    Susan Collins (R-Maine)

    Bob Casey has emphasized protecting Medicare beneficiaries from higher premiums and deductibles and easing the enrollment process.

    RANKING

    Bob Casey (D-Pa.)

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