Sebelius Weighs in on the Debt Debate

Politico Pro got the “get” with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius yesterday, who said the debt ceiling negotiation is casting a shadow over HHS’s day-to-day operations.  “I would think it would make people a little leery about contracting with us, not knowing if we’re going to pay our bills. That’s a pretty precarious place to be,” she said.

Interrupting the department’s operations could have serious consequences because of the critical nature of the services the department provides, she suggested. “The services that are delivered by people in our department are really essential … often life and death services at the ground level, so many states rely on the funding that comes out of our office, we’re just going to continue to operate and, as I say, hope that the stalemate and the log jam breaks quickly,” she said.