Center for Healthcare Affordability Urges Swift Senate Confirmation of Dr. Erica Schwartz

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Center for Healthcare Affordability today urged the United States Senate to swiftly confirm Dr. Erica Schwartz as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calling her nomination an important step toward strong, credible public health leadership that can help protect both the health of the American people and the affordability of the healthcare system. President Trump announced Schwartz's nomination on April 16, 2026.

The Center said effective leadership at major public health agencies matters not only for emergency preparedness, but also for healthcare affordability. Large-scale disease outbreaks and public health failures can place enormous strain on hospitals, employers, taxpayers, and families, driving up costs across the system. CHA said steady, experienced leadership at the CDC can help improve preparedness, support sound decision-making, and reduce the kind of preventable system shocks that make healthcare even more expensive for Americans.

Dr. Schwartz is a physician, a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service, and former Deputy Surgeon General in the last Trump administration. Her background also includes senior federal health leadership and service as Chief Medical Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard.

"The Trump administration made a strong choice in nominating Dr. Erica Schwartz," said Emily Hargan, Senior Fellow at the Center for Healthcare Affordability. "She brings serious medical credentials, executive experience, and a deep understanding of how the federal health system actually works. That kind of leadership matters not only for public health, but also for affordability, because when government fails to prevent or contain major health threats, the financial consequences ripple through the entire healthcare system."

Hargan said Schwartz's background makes her especially well suited for the role because she combines clinical expertise with high-level operational and administrative experience.

"Healthcare affordability is not just about what families pay at the doctor's office," Hargan added. "It is also about whether the system is prepared, stable, and capable of responding to major outbreaks and public health threats without creating avoidable disruption and cost. Dr. Schwartz has the experience to lead responsibly, and the Senate should move swiftly to confirm her."

The Center for Healthcare Affordability also announced that it will score Dr. Schwartz's nomination in its Healthcare Affordability Tracker as part of its ongoing work to evaluate how major federal healthcare decisions may affect affordability, system performance, and patient access.

The Center for Healthcare Affordability is a project of the Institute for Legislative Analysis. The Center serves as a comprehensive resource for lawmakers, employers, and policy leaders seeking practical solutions to the healthcare cost crisis and a clearer understanding of how public policy affects affordability across the system.

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