On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan held a meeting with attendees from patient advocacy groups. The attendees expressed their individual opinions and as a group exchanged information pertaining to the Department's priorities. The meeting included representatives and patients from the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, JDRF, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the National Health Council. Deputy Secretary Hargan was joined by two senior advisors Dan Best, HHS’s Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Drug Pricing Reform, and Dr. Brett Giroir, HHS’s Assistant Secretary for Health and Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Mental Health and Opioid Policy.

The gathering was part of Secretary Alex Azar’s efforts to ensure patients and their representatives have their voices heard as HHS implements President Trump’s important reforms to improve healthcare for all Americans.

Participants shared their perspectives on achieving HHS’s priorities: lowering the high price of prescription drugs, making health insurance and more accessible and affordable, creating a value-based healthcare system, and combating the opioid crisis.

Deputy Secretary Hargan thanked the participants for their insights and emphasized President Trump’s personal commitment to taking bold action to make health insurance and prescription drugs more affordable. He emphasized that HHS will maintain engagement with patient groups as the Department works to create a better healthcare system for every American.