The HHS secretary oversees the NIH and can be expected to influence
issues of importance to PWP such as NIH research funding decisions, stem
cell research policy, the appointment of the new Director of the NIH,
prescription drug coverage, Medicare and Medicaid reforms. Depending on
your political viewpoints, this report may bring good news, bad news, or
a mixed bag. Be sure to read the last sentence.
The following report is from:
KAISER DAILY HEALTH POLICY REPORT
A service of kaisernetwork.org
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_hpolicy.cfm
(according to their website - these reports are nonpartisan and
objective)
CAPITOL HILL WATCH
Bush Taps Wisconsin Governor Thompson for HHS
President-elect Bush on Dec. 29 nominated Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson
(R) for the position of HHS secretary, the Washington Post reports.
Thompson, praised by Bush as a "leader and an innovator," is one of
several recent individuals selected to "round out a firmly conservative
Cabinet," the Post adds (Milbank, Washington Post, 12/30). At a news
conference announcing his cabinet position nominations last week, Bush
hailed Thompson as "a creative, conservative, compassionate governor" and
a "champion ... for disadvantaged Americans." Thompson cited health care
reform, long term care for seniors, the expansion of opportunities for
the disabled and advancements in biotechnology and scientific research as
issues he is "absolutely passionate" about and on which he hopes to focus
on if confirmed (Conference transcript, 12/29). The Washington Post
reports that Thompson "is poised to lead a federal bureaucracy he has
disdained, long and loudly, as an obstacle to the welfare and health care
innovations he championed for his state." Thompson, in his autobiography
"Power to the People: An American State at Work," referred to Washington,
D.C., as "Disneyland East" and wrote that "common sense cannot flourish
in an America where Washington calls the shots." But the Post reports
that "the leap from critic to cabinet member" is not necessarily "as
radical departure as it might seem," according to Thomas Corbett, a
former HHS official who is now the associate director of the University
of Wisconsin's Institute for Research on Poverty. "It would be working
for a president who is also a states' rights kind of guy," Corbett said.
The Wisconsin Track Record
The Post reports that no governor "has been as aggressive as Thompson --
or as impatient -- in trying to secure 'waivers' from HHS" to create
health and welfare programs in ways that "federal officials didn't
envision," and he has been a "main proponent of converting Medicaid to a
system of block grants." During his tenure in Wisconsin he used waivers
to build social policy that the Post labels "deeply conservative but not
entirely simple to classify." For example, while he enacted welfare to
work legislation, he "vastly expanded Wisconsin's subsidies for child
care, health insurance and job training." And although he opposes
abortion, he supported family-planning programs and "fostered a broad new
state initiative to improve women's health." One of his chief
achievements is Wisconsin's CHIP program, BadgerCare. Eighteen months
ago the program became the first in the nation to offer health coverage
to the parents of eligible children. Another initiative that is "ahead
of the national debate" is Wisconsin's restructuring of its long-term
care system for the elderly. The state is also allowing people with
disabilities to retain government subsidies after gaining employment
(Goldstein, Washington Post, 12/30.)
Organ Politics
Thompson is also poised to handle the "bitter fight" being waged
nationwide over the country's policy on organ distribution. Many states,
including Wisconsin, have passed legislation designed to keep organs in
the states in which they were donated. However, recent HHS guidelines
have sought to make "scarce" organs available to those who need them
most, regardless of location. Hans Sollinger, chair of organ
transplantation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said that
Thompson is a good candidate to address this issue. "[Thompson] will
come in with a very detailed knowledge about the issues (because) he has
been intimately involved with them through his work in Wisconsin. So he
already has a distinct advantage," Sollinger said (Griffin, Milwaukee
Journal-Sentinel, 12/30). United Network for Organ Sharing Executive
Director Walter Graham also expressed support for Thompson. "As governor
of the state of Wisconsin for 14 years, Thompson has demonstrated strong
leadership and management skills necessary for this key position. In
that time he has also devoted significant personal interest and
commitment to the issues of organ donation and transplantation," Graham
said (UNOS release, 12/29).
Abortion Issues
Thompson's record on abortion issues drew praise from some abortion
rights opponents and criticism from abortion rights advocates. While
governor, Thompson signed informed consent legislation and a law banning
"partial-birth" abortions. Abortion-rights groups have voiced "fierc[e]"
opposition to the nomination, criticizing Thompson's positions and record
on abortion issues. "Thompson has taken every opportunity to restrict a
woman's right to choose and to make access to abortion services more
difficult," National Abortion and Reproductive Rights League President
Kate Michaelman said (Salladay/Freedberg,
San Francisco Chronicle, 12/30). Michaelman added that an antiabortion
HHS Secretary such as Thompson could have a "devastating" impact on
women's reproductive rights (NARAL release, 12/28). When grading several
lawmakers on their abortion-rights records earlier this year, NARAL gave
Thompson an "F" for maintaining an "abysmal record" on abortion issues
(Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 7/14). On the antiabortion
side, Ken Connor, president of the Family Research Council, lauded
Thompson's "track record of achievement in the pro-life arena." Connor
added, "We look forward to lending him our support as he strives to
enhance the dignity and well-being of every human life" (Family Research
Council release, 12/29). However, Peggy Hamill, state director for the
antiabortion group Pro-Life Wisconsin, said, "While the president-elect
could have chosen someone much worse, we've never viewed Tommy (Thompson)
as a strong pro-lifer." Hamill explained that while Thompson was
governor of Wisconsin, the state's family planning budget increased. She
added that she is also "troubled" by Thompson's past support of stem-cell
research (San Francisco Chronicle, 12/30).
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