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Presses nominee on public health impact of Biden administration’s energy policies, access to health care providers in rural America, and the NY nursing home scandal.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) questioned Xavier Becerra, President Biden’s nominee to be the next secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Becerra testified before the Senate Committee on Finance.

Barrasso pressed Becerra on a number of issues, including how the Biden administration’s energy policies have negatively impacted public health, access to medical education and health providers in rural areas, and the nursing home scandal in New York.

On Biden’s Energy Policies Impacting Health:

“You started your testimony referring to the painful impact of coronavirus on all of us.

“Rural communities, as we talked, are facing significant challenges, especially as a result of the pandemic.

“We talked about rural health needs and getting physicians and training into rural communities.

“I’m a doctor who practiced in Wyoming for over two decades, I am very interested and focused on protecting and improving health care in rural America.

“One aspect of health care that is often overlooked are the many factors outside of direct patient care that impact the health of individuals.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social determinants of health have a major impact on people’s health, well-being, and quality of life.

“When you were in the House of Representatives, you actually helped draft legislation requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct research on the social determinants of health in Medicare's value-based programs.

“Then you agree that social determinants of health, such as employment and educational opportunity, all strongly impact the health of individuals. Chronic unemployment is harmful at a high rate.

“And that’s why I’m so bothered that one of the first actions taken by the Biden administration was a ban on oil and gas leasing. The impact of that on jobs in my state are just devastating.

“It’s killing jobs, its killing hope. In communities, people are worried about rising unemployment rates and all of the issues that come along with that.

“These industries create thousands of jobs and contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to states. The money is used for education for schools and students, and helping hospitals stay open and stay viable in these communities.

“The Biden administration’s decision is clearly going to have a detrimental impact, I believe, on the health and wellbeing of communities in Wyoming and across rural America. And it’s a decision made by executive order on day one.

“Do you agree that cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from hospitals and schools is going to have an impact on health in rural communities?”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso questioning Becerra on Biden’s energy policies impacting health.

On Graduate Medical Education & Rural Health Providers:

“The other issue that you and I talked about is graduate medical education.

“You and I have similar situations. You in California, know the majority of the money goes to the big cities. Doctors train there, you talked about wife who is a physician.

“Most people practice medicine within 50 miles of where they do their training.

“And so little of the money goes to the 26 states that have the greatest needs in terms of underserved communities.

“I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to give additional thought to that, but it’s critical that we get a redistribution of the money if we’re going to get a redistribution of where physicians practice in America. Because they tend to stay pretty close to the area where they train.”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso questioning Becerra on graduate medical education.

On New York Nursing Home Scandal:

“I want to talk about what’s happening also with the pandemic, especially how it’s impacting seniors, other vulnerable people living in nursing facilities.

“In terms of my home state of Wyoming, a large proportion of people who have lost their lives to coronavirus have been patients in nursing homes. That’s where it struck first within the state.

“From a public health perspective, I think it’s important for states and local governments to accurately report information regarding the impact of coronavirus.

“Unfortunately, it is clear the state of New York not only failed to report accurate data regarding nursing home deaths, but likely deliberately mislead the public.

“According to the Attorney General of New York, the state undercounted deaths from coronavirus in nursing homes by up to 50%.

“Do you believe it is important for states to accurately report public health data, especially deaths from coronavirus?

“Given this glaring evidence that’s presented by the New York Attorney General, as secretary will you advocate that the Biden administration fully investigate what occurred in this situation?”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso questioning Becerra on NY nursing home scandal.

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