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Thursday, Sep 28 2017

Full Issue

Tough Talk: 'The Price' Not Right For HHS Secretary; He Should Have To Repay Taxpayers These Funds

Opinion writers take a harsh look at the expenses Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has racked up by flying chartered, rather than commercial, flights. But former HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt offers a defense.

It鈥檚 hard to think of someone in Washington these days who might rival Mr. Price for brazen hypocrisy, though, admittedly, the bar is high. This is the very same Mr. Price, remember, who, as a congressman from Georgia for the past 12 years, piously condemned the federal government鈥檚 鈥渞eckless spending.鈥 (9/27)

For Tom Price, the price is right. The fake-news media is attacking our hard-working secretary of health and human services. First, those losers at Politico reported that Price took $60,000 in charter flights, including a $25,000 flight to Philadelphia, apparently at taxpayer expense. Politico pointed out that a train to and from Philly cost $72. (Dana Milbank, 9/27)

Memo to Price:聽Several airlines fly to Philadelphia, Nashville and Atlanta. If you really want to聽keep聽in touch with Americans, you'll meet more聽of them on commercial flights. ... The underlying聽principle is simple: Don't waste taxpayer money.聽鈥淭axpayers generally should pay no more than necessary for transportation,鈥 and non-commercial planes should be used when they are 鈥渢he most cost-effective mode of travel,鈥 say government rules and guidance. (9/27)

Critics of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price have called for the Office of the Inspector General to review his travel arrangements. It鈥檚 often the case that the allegation makes headlines, but when the issue is investigated, the report indicates proper procedures were followed. Opinion might be more credibly offered after a review is completed. Decisions to use a non-commercial aircraft for government officials cannot be made casually. For each trip, a full analysis is required by law. Before a trip is authorized, multiple government executives must attest to the trip鈥檚 government purpose and economic justification. (Mike Leavitt, 9/27)

During the past five months, as congressional Republicans were making five separate efforts to gut health care for low-income Americans, the man in charge of administering Obamacare was flying around the country on private jets at a cost to taxpayers of more than $400,000. The 鈥渙ptics in some of this don鈥檛 look good,鈥 Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price conceded to Fox News on Saturday. Indeed, the optics are so bad that the House Oversight Committee has begun an investigation. President Donald Trump, who said Wednesday that he鈥檚 鈥渘ot happy鈥 about the private jet use, is putting distance between himself and Price. (9/28)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
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