Press Release - Readout of Xavier Becerra's Meeting with Members of the Business Roundtable

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Xavier Becerra met yesterday with members of the Business Roundtable to discuss President-elect Biden's rescue plan for the American people on COVID-19 and the economy, as well as other health care challenges facing the country. His conversation with business leaders focused on how to find common ground to get people the help they need during the pandemic and expand access to health care over the long term.

Becerra stressed that, in order to get the economy moving again and get people back to work, we have to get the pandemic under control. He noted the importance for the public and private sectors to work together on our response and recovery, and he urged them to be in ongoing communication with the incoming administration on ideas to strengthen the health care system coming out of this crisis. Becerra emphasized key priorities of the President-elect's American Rescue Plan, including rushing aid to the frontlines, including state and local governments, expanding vaccinations, and boosting the vaccine distribution system, including improving coordination with the states. He explained the administration's vision to reestablish federal leadership in the pandemic to coordinate a national response that gets Americans' the help they need to defeat COVID-19.

The business leaders welcomed the rescue plan and noted that sizable investments at the federal level were urgently needed, especially emphasizing the importance of resources to ramp up vaccination efforts. They also discussed their shared commitment with the Biden-Harris administration to prioritize racial equity in the COVID-19 response, as well broader health care reform efforts. The business leaders expressed their desire to work with the incoming administration to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and ensure people have access to quality, affordable health care coming out of the pandemic, which has had deep and lasting health impacts on millions of Americans. They pointed to expanding telehealth, community health, and addressing under-insurance and mental health as other priorities where they hope to work together with Becerra and the incoming Biden-Harris administration.