Trump’s health pick says drug prices ‘too high’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s pick to be the health secretary says people “pushed out or left out” by the Obama-era health law also need help.

Alex Azar says in prepared remarks for the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee that government must help people who risk being priced out of the insurance market by rising premiums.

Several million consumers who buy their own health insurance policies aren’t eligible for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. But their premiums have gone up because of the health law.

Legislation to help stabilize premiums is pending in Congress.

Azar is a former drug company and government executive. He seems to be trying to avoid the kind of harsh rhetoric about the health law that usually comes from Trump and that Democrats find objectionable