Tom Price reportedly selected to head HHS

The New York Times (11/28, A1, Pear, Subscription Publication) reports on its front page that according to President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, he has chosen Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) to be the next HHS Secretary. Price, who is “an orthopedic surgeon, has been a severe critic of the health law, saying it interferes with the ability of patients and doctors to make medical decisions.”

In a front-page article, the Wall Street Journal (11/28, A1, Radnofsky, Nicholas, Subscription Publication) reports that this means Price will head the Trump Administration’s effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, and explains that Price’s criticism has focused on the power the ACA gave the federal government, as well as HHS. Should he be confirmed, Price will oversee 78,000 people from agencies such as CMS, NIH, the FDA,and the CDC.