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January 10, 2018 at 07:08 AM
Alex Azar II says he supports the idea of letting insurers sell health coverage across state lines.
Azar, a former Eli Lilly & Co. executive, is President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the nomination Tuesday.
Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., asked Azar about the idea of letting consumers buy health coverage from out-of-state health insurers.
“I’m supportive of those efforts,” Azar told Heller. “Frankly, anything that can help increase access and choice, and make more options available to the patients and consumers, the more likely they are going to find something that’s affordable for them and works for them.”
(Related: 5 Things Trump’s Health Secretary Pick Told Senators)
Earlier, Azar told Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., that he wants to make whatever health insurance exists work better.
He also told Scott that he questions the value of Affordable Care Act public exchange plan coverage.
“What we have is not working for people,” Azar said. “Not working for the 10 million in the individual market. For many of those people, [the coverage] can be a false insurance card. Insurance, but with a very high deductible, or not having access to providers.”
