Trump nominates Obamacare critic as health secretary

Health and Fitness

US President-elect Donald Trump on
Tuesday nominated a fierce
Obamacare critic as health secretary,
indicating he plans to fulfill a
campaign promise to tear up the
divisive healthcare reform law.
Tom Price, a congressman from
Georgia and former orthopedic
surgeon, "is exceptionally qualified to
shepherd our commitment to repeal
and replace Obamacare and bring
affordable and accessible healthcare to
every American," Trump said in a
statement announcing his pick for
head of the Department of Health and
Human Services.
President Barack Obama's signature
healthcare reform, formally known as
the Affordable Care Act, has provided
health coverage to 20 million
Americans and pushed the level of
uninsured to a historic low of less than
10 percent.
But Obamacare also caused health
insurance prices to spike among other
groups, and lead to declining coverage
among many plans.
However, President-elect Trump has
said he hoped to preserve two of the
most popular features: allowing
children to stay on their parents' plans
until age 26, and preventing insurance
companies from denying coverage to
people with pre-existing conditions.
"There is much work to be done to
ensure we have a healthcare system
that works for patients, families, and
doctors; that leads the world in the
cure and prevention of illness; and
that is based on sensible rules to
protect the well-being of the country
while embracing its innovative spirit,"
Price said in a statement.
His nomination was swiftly criticized
by Democrats, with incoming Senate
Minority Leader Charles Schumer
calling it "akin to asking the fox to
guard the hen house."
"Congressman Price has proven to be
far out of the mainstream of what
Americans want when it comes to
Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and
Planned Parenthood," he said in a
statement.