U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday chose Tom Price, a six-term Republican congressman who firmly opposes President Obama's health care law, to be secretary of health and human services.
Price, regarded as a policy wonk, "is exceptionally qualified to shepherd our commitment to repeal and replace Obamacare and bring affordable and accessible health care to every American," Trump said in making the formal announcement.
Conservatives lauded the appointment, while abortions rights supporters and other Trump critics denounced it.
Price, 62, became an outspoken opponent of the health care law Obama signed in 2010, calling it an "unaffordable" piece of legislation.
"Premiums have gone up, not down," Price said recently. "Many Americans lost the health coverage they were told time and time again by the president that they could keep. Choices are fewer."
He joined Trump at his campaign speech on health care reform earlier this month, and issued a statement praising Trump's commitment to "fully repealing this failed law."
During the campaign, Trump promised repealing and replacing Obamacare, listing it as a top priority when he takes office.
However, after the election, Trump seems to have moved somewhat away from a full repeal, saying he would favor keeping some parts of the law, including the plank barring insurers from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions and the provision of the law that allows children to stay on their parents' health plans until the age of 26.
Price won election to the Georgia State Senate in 1996 and was first elected to the U.S. House from Georgia in 2004. He currently chairs the House Budget Committee.
He received his doctorate from the University of Michigan and started his career as an orthopedic surgeon in Roswell, Georgia.
The Cabinet-level pick requires Senate confirmation.
