Tag: Rep. Tom Price
In brief: Republicans push through Price's confirmation, reps introduce separate benefit legislation
February 3, 2017HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The 14 Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee have voted to confirm Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., as secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, according to news reports.Price's confirmation now goes to the Senate floor for a full vote.Democrats made headlines on Jan. 31, when they boycotted the vote on Price scheduled to take place at 10 that morning, saying they wanted more time to ask questions about his background. An article in the Wall Street Journal reported...
Senate Democrats delay Price's confirmation
January 31, 2017HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee have boycotted a vote on President Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., according to news reports.
The committee was scheduled to vote at 10 a.m.
Democrats boycotted the vote due to “truly alarming news” of a Wall Street Journal report that Price received a special discounted rate for stocks of an Australian pharmaceutical company called Innate Immunotherapies,...
Rep. Price says audits should focus on actual fraud
January 26, 2017HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., nominee for secretary of Department of Health and Human Services, told members of the Senate Finance Committee that he thinks the agency should focus audits on weeding out blatant fraud instead of verifying medical necessity. The comments came in response to a question from Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, about what HHS can do to protect Medicaid from scammers, according to an article on Law360. The Senate Finance committee will vote soon on whether to accept Price's...
Health care, for a Price
January 23, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
I've been making a round of calls to HME industry consultants today to see what they're working on with their provider clients. (Managing Editor Theresa likes to call the story that I write from these calls “Consultant's corner.”) I can't say that I've dug up much yet. I've been hearing a lot about audits, but that's pretty much business as usual for HME providers these days.
A number of consultants I've spoken with have mentioned the anticipation surrounding...
Senate eyes confirmation hearings for Price
January 5, 2017HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - A key Senate committee will reportedly hold a confirmation hearing for Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., the nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.An aide to Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, says the hearing could be held Jan. 18, according to news reports.The HELP Committee is one of two committees of jurisdiction for the confirmation process....
Price 'hands down' best pick, poll respondents say
December 16, 2016Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - The overwhelming majority of respondents to a recent HME Newspoll (85%) say the nomination of Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to the top post at the Department of Health and Human Services could signal the start of good things for the HME industry.“It is an exciting time for the HME industry,” said one poll respondent. “I cannot recall a time when we have had a proponent of our industry who understands it in the way that he does at this level of government.”Price,...
Industry cheers Price nomination
December 2, 2016Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - As the new secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., would have a huge agenda—one that, industry stakeholders believe, could better support HME.Price, a six-term congressman and a longtime champion of HME, has been tapped by President-Elect Donald Trump to take over the huge agency. Price's resume includes introducing multiple bills to create an alternative to the competitive bidding program called the market-pricing program, and to soften...
Trump taps HME champion Price as HHS secretary
November 29, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - President Elect Donald Trump has named Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., a long-time champion of the HME industry and its efforts to reform Medicare's competitive bidding program, as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, according to news reports.
Price, a six-term congressman, is a vocal critic of the Affordable Care Act and, according to The New York Times, has been studying how to dismantle and replace Obamacare for the past six years. He serves on the influential...
In brief: Bill seeks to change LCD process, Apria provides notice of security breach
October 7, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Two senators recently introduced a bill that seeks to improve the transparency and accountability of the local coverage determination (LCD) process performed by the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs).The Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2016 would: require open and public meetings with the MACs that are on the record; require disclosure by the MACs of the rationale for an LCD and the evidence for that decision at the beginning of the process; provide stakeholders...
Rep. Price steps up support for HME industry
October 7, 2016HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa, and ATLANTA - Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., attended a healthcare forum hosted by The VGM Group this week and announced plans to attend the AAHomecare Washington Legislative Update at Medtrade in November.Price, who attended the forum with Rep. Rod Blum, R-Iowa, talked with area executives, doctors and advocates representing various segments of health care about the challenges their businesses face.Price shared a story about how he was driven to run for office after realizing, while practicing...