Dr. Tom Price selected as U.S. Health Secretary

[Horizon]

Not to get political with the exception of how this affects our lives as patients with ME/CFS but the Trump administration has selected Dr. Tom Price as Secretary of Health & Human Services (see http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/28/u...secretary-health-and-human-services.html?_r=0)

I suppose it is all speculation but given that he will oversee CDC, NIH, Medicare/Medicaid I am concerned as to how this will affect our research going forward, funding, and our access to proper health care.

Any thoughts? I don't know much about this guy and what he may want to do or his thoughts on ME/CFS which I assume would be very hard to know.

 

[sarah darwins]

Well, he's a sweetheart.

Comprehensive bio on Wiki. I particularly recommend a read of the section "Tenure"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Price_(U.S._politician)

 

[Comet]

Just watched a piece on Obamacare on CNN about an hour ago. Still a lot of questions. They said any changes would take about (at least?) a year. Ironically, people in red states (states in which more people voted for Trump) are more dependent on Obamacare, according to the report. They didn't go into funding.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/28/new...dex.html?iid=ob_homepage_deskrecommended_pool

 

[*GG*]

Not to get political with the exception of how this affects our lives as patients with ME/CFS but the Trump administration has selected Dr. Tom Price as Secretary of Health & Human Services (see http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/28/u...secretary-health-and-human-services.html?_r=0)

I suppose it is all speculation but given that he will oversee CDC, NIH, Medicare/Medicaid I am concerned as to how this will affect our research going forward, funding, and our access to proper health care.

Any thoughts? I don't know much about this guy and what he may want to do or his thoughts on ME/CFS which I assume would be very hard to know.

Would not think he knows much about ME/CFS which is Not necessarily bad.

Sounds like he might be on the right track: "Price is the sponsor of the Empowering Patients First Act (EPFA), which he first introduced in the 111th Congress and has reintroduced in each Congress since then."

GG

 

[barbc56]

I particularly recommend a read of the section "Tenure"

Edit. For those with mobile devices. Tenure is under the heading US House of Representatives.

 

[dreampop]

I'm moving from optimistic to attentively concerned, this is a guy who is ok with discriminating against gays, why wouldn't he be ok with discriminating against perceived psychosomatic syndromes. He wants to balance the federal budget, I wouldn't be surprised if that means finding stuff to cut at the NIH. Frankly makes me furious Collins left it to the year he'd probably be removed to increase the cfs funding. Big red flags.

 

[dreampop]

The NIH increase to double CFS funding is for next year, I won't be surprise if it gets blocked.

 

[Sushi]

Let's remember to discuss this thread topic in the framework of Forum Rules:

Views on religion and politics are personal and important to each of us. This forum is not the place to discuss general politics or religious beliefs. This type of discussion can be divisive and can easily lead to misunderstandings, animosity and unintended offense.
Political discussion directly related to ME/CFS is allowed.

 

[*GG*]

The NIH increase to double CFS funding is for next year, I won't be surprise if it gets blocked.

I wouldn't count on it, I am optimistic

GG

 

[Riley]

Any thoughts? I don't know much about this guy and what he may want to do or his thoughts on ME/CFS which I assume would be very hard to know.

Apparently Tom Price is the representative for the Atlanta area. I was talking with a fellow patient today, and she told me that Ryan Prior and Mary Dimmock have tried to deal with him in the past and that he is an ME/CFS denier.

I realize this is hearsay. I'm not sure if RP or MD are forum members. Maybe they or someone else from the Atlanta area can comment further.

 

[caledonia]

@medfeb Opinion on Tom Price appointment to HHS?

 

[greeneagledown]

In general, the Secretary of HHS isn't really all that involved in debates regarding funding of NIH, even though NIH falls under HHS. And I very much doubt Price (or any secretary of HHS) will be thinking about CFS at all if and when he replaces Francis Collins with a new NIH director. I think that who is Secretary of HHS has essentially no impact on a) NIH funding levels and b) what research is funded at NIH.

 

[Denise]

In general, the Secretary of HHS isn't really all that involved in debates regarding funding of NIH, even though NIH falls under HHS. And I very much doubt Price (or any secretary of HHS) will be thinking about CFS at all if and when he replaces Francis Collins with a new NIH director. I think that who is Secretary of HHS has essentially no impact on a) NIH funding levels and b) what research is funded at NIH.

The head of NIH is nominated by the president and requires Senate confirmation as do the position of head of FDA and that of the Surgeon General.
Oddly enough the head of CDC does not require Senate confirmation but is appointed by the president.

 

[greeneagledown]

The head of NIH is nominated by the president and requires Senate confirmation as do the position of head of FDA and that of the Surgeon General.

Touche. I knew that at one point. Well, that makes the head of HHS even less consequential to CFS.

 

[Denise]

Touche. I knew that at one point. Well, that makes the head of HHS even less consequential to CFS.

In terms of funding for ME, the head of HHS has little to do with it because the funding for research would be in NIH or CDC budgets.
But the head of HHS is of consequence in that HHS can develop strategic plans and agencies within HHS (AHRQ, HRSA, etc) can help disseminate information, help with education of healthcare providers, etc. And CFSAC is housed within HHS.

 

[medfeb]

Apparently Tom Price is the representative for the Atlanta area. I was talking with a fellow patient today, and she told me that Ryan Prior and Mary Dimmock have tried to deal with him in the past and that he is an ME/CFS denier.

I realize this is hearsay. I'm not sure if RP or MD are forum members. Maybe they or someone else from the Atlanta area can comment further.

I'm not from Georgia and was not familiar with Price before his announcement although I have also heard that he has not been helpful to ME in the past - not sure that it was an issue of him being a denier.

My concern with him is on what he does with repeal/replacement of Obama Care. As far as funding, I'm more concerned with the change in leadership at NIH

 

[Horizon]

Well hopefully based on your posts it sounds like whatever his personal thoughts it is largely irrelevant to our cause.

 

[ash0787]

Impossible to tell what his views on CFS/ME are just looking at that article and he seems ideologically in line with the rest of Trump's appointments. One thing that might be relevant though is that Trump seems open minded towards
medical theories that go against common medical knowledge, as per his conversations about vaccination where he chooses to believe in the story of a single female patient in the face of the backlash from the entire medical / scientific establishment.