Long-Term Care

Congress, health experts continue wait for new CMS administrator

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, August 20, 2009

President Obama’s apparent lack of urgency to name a new leader of CMS during the present healthcare reform initiative, the administration’s top priority, has left many politicians and members of the healthcare community perplexed given the importance of the Medicare and Medicaid programs to the proposed healthcare overhaul, according to The New York Times.

If a permanent, Senate-confirmed administrator was in place, that person could potentially go a long way in assisting Congress prepare reform legislation. The individual could also help to usher in any resulting changes to the Medicare and Medicaid systems, which account for CMS’ current $700 billion annual budget, a number that could face major adjustments behind Obama’s proposal to extract $400 billion from Medicare savings over the next 10 years to help fund coverage for the uninsured. Since January, CMS Chief Operating Officer Charlene M. Frizzera has served as acting administrator.

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