United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

“ Considerations in setting national priorities.—With respect to such priorities, the Secretary shall ensure that priority is given to areas in the delivery of health care services in the United States that— `` (1) contribute to a large burden of disease, including those that address the health care provided to patients with prevalent, high-cost chronic diseases; `` (2) have the greatest potential to decrease morbidity and mortality in this country, including those that are designed to eliminate harm to patients ”

“ Federal members may designate, to perform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a part of the member’s agency and a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government. Nonfederal members shall include individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to groups suffering disproportionate rates of illness and death in the United States; individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to equity in public health, health care, education, housing, and community-based services ”

“ But if 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction.
Right now, I am not that leader, and will not be a distraction. The focus of Congress should be on the urgent business of moving the President’s economic agenda forward, including affordable health care for every American.
We need the best care in America to be available to all Americans. We need this effort to succeed. ”

“ Melanie Egorin, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Legislation
Melanie Egorin has 25 years of health policy experience including more than 15 years with the federal government. She holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Emory University and a Ph.D. from the University of California San Francisco. A nationally recognized expert for breadth and depth of strategic policy knowledge in federal health programs and the American health system, Dr. ”

“ Evaluation and Report- The Secretary shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report which shall-- (1) assess the clinical effectiveness of pharmacist-provided services under the MTM services program, as compared to usual care, including an evaluation of whether enrollees maintained better health with fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits than similar patients not enrolled in the program; (2) assess changes in overall health care resource use by targeted individuals ”

“ The principal functions of the Health Reform Office, to the extent permitted by law, are to:
(a) provide leadership for and to coordinate the development of the Administration's policy agenda across executive departments and agencies concerning the provision of high-quality, affordable, and accessible health care and to slow the growth of health costs ”

“ We've extended the protections of a Patients' Bill of Rights to 85 million Americans who get their health care through Federal plans, Medicare, Medicaid, the Federal Employee Plan, the Veterans' Administration. Today we'll take executive action once again.
More than 120 million Americans are in workplace health plans that are protected under Federal law. The Secretary of Labor has now been instructed to ensure that all these people can quickly appeal, through an internal review process, any coverage decision that denies the care their doctors said was needed and appropriate. ”

“ First, to follow up on Daschle. What does the -- or what is your time frame for announcing a new Secretary? And will this withdrawal affect any of the appointments to other health-related areas, like the FDA and the Surgeon General?
GIBBS: We're working on nominees for both of those positions. Obviously families all over the country have -- understand the importance of getting somebody at the Food and Drug Administration who will set forth a regulatory structure that protects American families, whether it's the medicine that they take or the food that they eat. ”

“ And we’re going to prioritize those pharmacies that do a better job addressing equity.
And finally, we rolled out our federal community health centers partnership program. And over the past three weeks, we have been onboarding the first 250 centers. They collectively serve 12.5 million people and span all 50 states. You know, as a whole, these community health centers provide services for large numbers of public housing residents, people of color, and individuals with limited English proficiency. ”

“ Of all government public services, we have reason to be proud of our National Health Care program. For several years now, health care stood high in our people's esteem because service delivery is sustained and dedicated. We have moved to improve these services further. In particular, government has implemented new policies and programs to increase life expectancy by extensive immunization, improved nutrition and environmental sanitation. ”

“ Subsections (s) (2) (AA) (iii) (II) , (xx) (1) , and (ddd) (1) (B) of section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) are amended by striking ``United States Preventive Services Task Force ́ ́ each place it appears and inserting ``Task Force on Clinical Preventive Services ́ ́. ”

“ The term ‘Area Office’ means an administrative entity, including a program office, within the Service through which services and funds are provided to the Service Units within a defined geographic area.
“ (3) The term ‘Assistant Secretary’ means the Assistant Secretary of Indian Health.
“ (4) (A) The term ‘behavioral health’ means the blending of substance (including alcohol, drugs, inhalants, and tobacco) abuse and mental health prevention and treatment, for the purpose of providing comprehensive services. ”

“ So it will ultimately be up to states, to governors, to local school districts, and others to make determinations. But we do want to provide more clear guidance from the federal government, based on the expertise of health and medical experts, on what people should follow and what will help keep the American people safe. ”

“ This Administration is absolutely committed to ensuring every American adequate health care coverage that will never be taken away. To do any less in a nation as resourceful as ours would be unacceptable. ”

“ Article 36
⁠Medical and healthcare institutions of all types and at all levels shall divide responsibilities and cooperate with each other to provide citizens with such all-round and full-life-cycle medical and healthcare services as disease prevention, healthcare, treatment, nursing, rehabilitation, and palliative care. ”

“ So, as you just heard, we are very excited to be partnering with federally-qualified health centers, also known as community health centers. They do provide really substantial primary care services across many underserved areas. ”