One of the country’s top health officials visited Bloomington Friday. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar toured Baxter International. He joined Baxter CEO Joe Almeida as he signed the Pledge to America’s Workers, a commitment from companies around the country to train millions of workers.
The visit also follows the Trump administration’s recent signing of an executive order that aims to improve kidney disease treatment. Almeida says the change is significant.
“The first in decades that offers meaningful, concrete steps to empower patients who are either facing or battling end stage renal disease,” Almeida says.
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Baxter makes dialysis and other kidney disease-related products. The order supports at-home dialysis care and kidney transplants over dialysis received in centers. country
Azar, who previously served as president of the U.S. arm of Eli Lilly & Co., says Baxter can help advance overall health.
“Providing good jobs, good wages and ongoing training is a key contribution that companies like Baxter can make to support healthier Americans, healthier families and communities,” Azar says.
Medicare plans to change pricing models to support these efforts.