Xavier Becerra has been elected to the post of Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services after wining the poll with a razor-thin margin. In his new role, Becerra will be at the helm of coronavirus vaccine distribution and efficient implementation of the Affordable Care Act all over the country.
- Xavier Becerra, former California Attorney General, is the first Latino to head HHS. He had the support of payers and providers including some of the highly influential ones like the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association.
- President Joe Biden has carefully picked a distinct cabinet having representation of multiple races. Along with Becerra, another top health official chosen to a full vote was Rachel Levine, the first transgender official to get a Senate confirmation as assistant secretary of HHS.
- Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore said, “There may not be a higher-stakes job in the executive branch outside the President. Becerra’s job will include supervising the continued rollout of the coronavirus vaccine and carrying out Biden’s healthcare agenda”.
- Becerra distanced himself from “A Medicare for All”, pointing out that he served at the pleasure of the President who is known to be against the concept of “single-payer health care system”. Becerra stood rigid against monopolization and competitive high prices of hospital bills and said that he had taken “on drug makers and hospitals who unfairly jack up the process on patients”.
