Secretary Price Committed to Greater Medicaid Flexibility for States

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., issued the following statement today committing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to using its regulatory authority to create greater flexibility in the Medicaid program for states. The Trump Administration has announced a three-pronged approach to repealing and replacing Obamacare – which includes HHS providing essential regulatory relief.

“Our states know best how to care for their citizens – particularly their most vulnerable populations who receive healthcare coverage under Medicaid. Pursuant to the vision put forward by President Trump, the Department of Health and Human Services will be committed to doing everything within our authority to provide our nation’s governors and state legislatures with greater flexibility on how they utilize Medicaid resources in caring for those in need. This will include a review of existing waiver procedures to provide states the impetus and freedom to innovate and test new ideas to improve access to care and health outcomes. These efforts will complement the work Congress is already doing through the American Health Care Act and will do in subsequent legislation to deliver patient-centered healthcare reform.”