Rep. Tom Price

Long-term care providers delivered ringing endorsements of President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

That’s because operators feel that Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), a former practicing orthopedic surgeon and fellow provider, will bring an empathetic eye toward healthcare administration.

“I have found Price to be supportive of the long-term care sector as he understands the unique role of long-term care and the patients we care for,” Cynthia Morton, executive vice president at the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care, told McKnight’s.

Another top lobbyist said that Price’s “actually delivering care and understanding the rehabilitation process will add insight and some uniqueness in that role.”

Price has been a strong critic of the Affordable Care Act, and what he has called excessive regulation.