“Community Catalyst applauds the Obama Administration’s nomination of Marilyn Tavenner to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

“Ms. Tavenner is well qualified to lead the office that oversees Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which offer millions of American families, adults and children a pathway to quality affordable health care. As Acting Director, Ms. Tavenner has played an important role in implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and her experience and steady hand will be beneficial as critical provisions of the law go into effect.

“As a consumer health advocacy organization working in more than 40 states, we believe CMS needs a leader who will be a strong advocate for Medicaid. Given her current role and her past experience as a the former head of Health and Human Services for the State of Virginia, Ms. Tavenner understands the critical role CMS play in ensuring Medicaid meets the needs of the many vulnerable Americans who count on it to stay healthy. In addition to policy and management expertise, she has served on the health care front line as a nurse and has long been a strong public health advocate.

“Marilyn Tavenner is the right person for the job, and we hope the Senate swiftly approves her nomination.”

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About Community Catalyst

Community Catalyst is a national, non-profit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1997 with the belief that affordable quality health care should be accessible to everyone. We work in partnership with national, state and local organizations, policymakers, and philanthropic foundations to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, courtrooms, statehouses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org. Read our blog at http://blog.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @healthpolicyhub.