Shaheen Requests Public Briefing from HHS Secretary Azar on Coronavirus Threat, Highlights Importance of Medicaid Expansion in Responding to Substance Use Disorder Epidemic

Senator Shaheen questions Secretary Alex Azar during today’s Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee hearing. Shaheen’s questioning can be viewed in full here. 

(Washington, DC) – During a Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing this morning, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar on steps to better inform the American public of the threat posed by the coronavirus and highlighted the importance of federal support for the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion in states like New Hampshire, one of the states hardest hit by the substance use disorder epidemic. Following a classified briefing on the threat of coronavirus provided to members of the Senate by HHS Secretary Azar earlier today, Shaheen called for a public briefing, stating: “I have met with a number of constituents, in fact right after the briefing, who were very concerned that they didn’t have information and I think it would be very helpful to the public to be able to hear what’s being said and I didn’t hear anything this morning that I haven’t read in the newspaper already.”

Shaheen’s questioning can be viewed here.