The Senate has confirmed Chiquita Brooks-LaSure as the next CMS administrator. She will lead the trillion-dollar agency within HHS that manages Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance marketplace programs.
Ms. Brooks-LaSure's nomination was confirmed in a 55-44 vote May 25.
Four things to know about Ms. Brooks-LaSure, the first Black woman to lead CMS.
1. Ms. Brooks-LaSure's nomination faced Republican opposition after CMS rescinded approval for a Texas Section 1115 waiver in April that would have extended reimbursement to hospitals in the state for uncompensated care through Sept. 30, 2030. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, HHS and the acting CMS administrator May 14 over the revoked Medicaid funding, and Texas will now resubmit a Medicaid waiver application with opportunities for public comment.
2. Ms. Brooks-LaSure is experienced in public service and private consulting, including serving as managing director of consulting firm Manatt Health.
3. Under former President Barack Obama, she was deputy director of policy and regulation at the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. She also served as director of coverage policy within the HHS Office of Health Reform.
4. Ms. Brooks-LaSurewas part of the Democratic staff for the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee and helped lead marketplace and private insurance policy development during ACA implementation.