A Republican senator has lifted his opposition to all healthcare nominees from the Obama administration.
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., had been refusing to consider any nominations until he received additional information from the Department of Health and Human Services on Obamacare’s consumer operated and oriented plan program, or co-ops. Sasse said on Thursday that he got the information he requested.
“After much delay and obfuscation, HHS has finally come to the table and provided my office access to new documents, financial reports and additional information,” he said.
Sasse’s office wanted information on how HHS doled out $1.2 billion in grants to 12 failed cooperatives, more than half of the 23 that were created to provide more competition for Obamacare marketplaces.
The Senate has yet to move on two pivotal healthcare nominees: Robert Califf to head the Food and Drug Administration and Andy Slavitt to direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
While Califf has had a confirmation hearing, Slavitt has not.
