Tavenner Gets Official Senate Nod to Head CMS

The United States Senate confirmed Marilyn Tavenner as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, announced Wednesday.

“Marilyn brings with her a breadth of experience and expertise from virtually all angles of health care policy and delivery, having served as a hospital CEO, a state health official, and a registered nurse,” said Sebelius. “Marilyn will serve in a critical role at CMS as we work to improve the health care for hundreds of millions of Americans.”

Tavenner has been serving as the acting administrator for CMS since 2010 and is the first CMS administrator to be confirmed in more than nine years. She previously served as Principal Deputy Administrator for CMS.

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As administrator, Tavenner is responsible for overseeing CMS, an $820 billion agency, as it implements the insurance reforms and Health Insurance Marketplaces included in the health reform law.

“The National Association for Home Care & Hospice is pleased that Marilyn Tavenner has been confirmed as Administrator of CMS. Ms. Tavenner brought her wealth of health care experience as a nurse, health care executive and government official at the state level to the position,” said Val J. Halamandaris, president of the NAHC.

“During this critical time in our nation’s history as Congress debates the health care system including the Medicare and Medicaid programs,” Halamandaris continued, “we look forward to Ms. Tavenner’s continued leadership at CMS.”

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President Obama’s nomination of Tavenner to lead CMS received bipartisan support in the Senate, as senators voted 91 to 7 to confirm her as administrator.

Written by Alyssa Gerace