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Opinion: Alex Azar must commit to ‘righting the ship’ for health care payments

Alex Azar, the nominee to head HHS, must right the ship and renew the department's commitment to lowering health care costs and improving quality.

In the Affordable Care Act and other subsequent reforms, Congress directed the Department of Health and Human Services to test new ways to pay for health care, challenging health care providers, hospitals, and private insurers to provide better care for less money. Under President Trump and former HHS Secretary Tom Price, that work slowed and, in some cases, stopped, the nominee to replace him, , should commit to righting the ship.

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