The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) plays a critical role in the health care access of all Americans and the overall well-being of our nation.
Under the Secretary’s leadership, the agencies that make up HHS oversee Medicare and Medicaid funding, conduct research to improve the quality of health care, monitor health care fraud and abuse, and respond to the pandemic. There is.
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I scholar of medical policy Robert Wood Johnson, former U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Health Policy Research Fellow; During my time as a Fellow from 2000 to 2001, I saw firsthand how important the role of the HHS Secretary is in protecting and preserving the health of our nation.
The Secretary’s directives will impact America’s ability to prepare for health threats, introduce childhood vaccines, strengthen water supplies, and many other public health measures. Understanding how the department and its leaders are impacting America’s health is especially important in today’s environment of emerging infectious diseases and misinformation.
What does the Secretary of Health and Human Services do?
The Secretary of Health and Human Services is a member of the President. advisory cabinetappointed by the President with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. The Secretary advises the President on health policy issues and public health measures and is responsible for: 13 divisions Responsible for the health of the people.
The duties of the HHS Secretary include: Department mission: “Promote the health and well-being of all Americans by providing effective health and human services and promoting sound and sustained progress in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services.”
This mission requires one of the largest budgets of any U.S. federal agency. According to the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Health and Human Services: at least 20 percent of the federal budget For fiscal year 2025, HHS will approx. Federal spending is $1.8 trillion.
HHS Secretary’s Authority
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has several important powers that enable the funding and implementation of programs and initiatives essential to America’s health and well-being.
One of these powers is the right to administer and regulate Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The majority of HHS’s budget goes to the Medicare and Medicaid programs; 52 percent and 33 percent of fundsrespectively. The Secretary works with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to set guidelines for coverage, payment, and service delivery. The Secretary also issues regulations and guidelines to implement the ACA provisions and govern the federal government. health insurance marketplaceensure compliance with ACA requirements, and educate the public about ACA requirements. Rights and benefits under the ACA.
The HHS Secretary also oversees medical and scientific research. Through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Secretary has broad authority to allocate funds and promote research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of disease. The annual budget of the NIH is Over $47 billion.
With the surge in international travel, the health of the nation is increasingly dependent on the health of the world. The Secretary of HHS, on behalf of the United States, global health issuesoften collaborates with the World Health Organization, foreign governments, and ministries of health to strengthen pandemic preparedness and global health security.
public health emergency
The HHS Secretary also has legal authority to prepare for and respond to public health and medical emergencies.
for example, public health law Authorizes the Secretary of Health to lead the federal response to health threats, including declaring public health emergencies to control infectious diseases.
Through the Food and Drug Administration, Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act This allows the HHS Secretary to oversee the safety and effectiveness of foods, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.
The Secretary may also authorize FDA to issue the following certifications: emergency use authorizationallows clinicians to use unapproved medical products to manage certain conditions in emergencies. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the HHS Secretary declared that conditions warranted the FDA to issue the following recommendations: EUA for COVID-19 vaccineand can be brought to market quickly.
under social security lawthe Secretary provides certain Medicare, Medicaid, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)requirements. This provision ensures that medical items and services are available under programs under the Social Security Act during public emergencies.
Notable Secretary of Health
The Secretary of Health and Human Services’ leadership can support and spearhead health care programs, roll out insurance expansions, and determine how the nation responds to the pandemic.
for example, Donna Shalala She was the longest-serving HHS Secretary from 1993 to 2001. children’s health insurance program In 1997, access to health care was expanded for millions of children.
Obeta Culp Hobby He was first secretary of HHS, then known as the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Serving from 1953 to 1955, she polio vaccine She overcame the disease in her final years, leading to the near eradication of the disease that causes this disorder in the United States.
Health Secretary Obeta Culp Hobby and Surgeon General Leonard Scheele discuss polio vaccine development.
Worked from 2009 to 2014, Kathleen Sebelius contributed to the realization of Affordable Medical Care Act. She helped establish the health insurance market and advocated for Medicaid expansion under the ACA, making health insurance available to millions of low-income Americans.
The HHS Secretary’s priorities and decisions have a direct and lasting impact on the health and well-being of most Americans, making this role one of the most important in the federal government.
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