Medicare Chief Steps Down, Ran Health Care Rollout
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated PressÌý January 19, 2015
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WASHINGTON (AP) —Ìý‘s top administrator unexpectedly resigned Friday, becoming the latest casualty in the turmoil over the president’s health care law, which is still struggling for acceptance even as millions benefit from expandedÌýcoverage.
‘s departure underscores the uncertainty overshadowing PresidentÌý‘s health care law nearly five years after its party-line passage by a then-Democratic-led Congress. TheÌýÌýwill hear a challenge to the legality of the law’s financial subsidies this spring, and a newÌýÌýis preparing more repealÌývotes.
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A former intensive care nurse with a businesslike approach to a divisive area of public policy, Tavenner told staff in an email that she’s stepping down at the end of February with “sadness and mixed emotions.” Her chief of staff is alsoÌýleaving.
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Tavenner, 63, survived the technology meltdown that initially paralyzed HealthCare.gov. She remained in place even as her boss, formerÌýsecretaryÌý, left office following signals of White HouseÌýunhappiness.
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But Tavenner was embarrassed last fall when she testified to Congress that 7.3 million people were fully enrolled for private coverage under the health law. That number turned out to be an over-count that exaggerated the total by about 400,000 people. The error, discovered by Republican congressional staff, was termed “unacceptable” by new HHS SecretaryÌý.
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Tavenner had a played a key role in the 2013 decision to go live with HealthCare.gov, signing a required cybersecurity clearance after technology professionals under her balked because testing was incomplete. The website later passed security tests and received full authority toÌýoperate.
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In her farewell message, Tavenner termed the health law’s online insurance markets “a success.” But she also said her job, which involves oversight of Medicare and Medicaid as well, was a “huge and complex responsibility” and “we had many additional challenges put before us” because of Obama’s health law. Roughly 1 in 3 Americans are covered by health insurance programs run by the Centers for Medicare and MedicaidÌýServices.
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Despite Tavenner’s close association with “Obamacare,” some senior Republicans in Congress said they were sorry to see herÌýleave.
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“She has proven herself to be a strong leader and a straight shooter who brought in much-needed private sector sensibility into the agency,” Sen.Ìý, R-Utah, said in a statement. “I truly appreciate her service and wish her the very best in her nextÌýadventure.”
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But former House oversight chairmanÌý, R-Calif., said, “Tavenner had to go.” The over-count, discovered by his staff, “was a deplorable example of an agency trying to scam the American people,” Issa said. The administration insists it was only a mistake, resulting from a double-count of people with dentalÌýcoverage.
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In her own message to the department, current HHS Secretary Burwell called Tavenner “one of our most esteemed and accomplished colleagues” and said the decision to leave was Tavenner’s.
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Tavenner joined HHS shortly before the passage of the Affordable Care Act. She came from state government, having served as Virginia’s health secretary under former Democratic Gov..
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Although she started out directly caring for patients, most of her career was spent in hospital administration. She rose through the ranks to become a top executive ofÌý.
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, a former technology executive who played a leading role in the rescue operation to get HealthCare.gov working last year, will take over as acting Medicare administrator. The website is the online portal to subsidized private coverage for people who don’t have health insurance on theÌýjob.
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Slavitt had impressed the White House with his mix of technology and management skills. He stayed on after HealthCare.gov stabilized, serving as Tavenner’s principal deputy, responsible not only for HealthCare.gov but also for key Medicare and Medicaid issues asÌýwell.
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A permanent replacement requires Senate confirmation, and any presidential health care nominee could face rough going in the new Republican-led Senate. There was no immediate word on whether the White House would submit Slavitt’s name forÌýconfirmation.
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Since the health care law’s big coverage expansion began last year, at least 10 million uninsured Americans have gained coverage through a combination of subsidized private insurance and expanded Medicaid eligibility. A study this week also documented significant declines in the numbers of people who forego needed care because of costs, and who struggle to pay medicalÌýbills.
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But the Affordable Care Act has yet to find the public acceptance enjoyed by its federal forebears: Medicare, Medicaid, and theÌý.
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This year’s Supreme Court case looms as a crucialÌýtest.
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Plaintiffs in the case argue that the law as written only allows the federal government to subsidize coverage in states that have set up their own insurance markets. Supporters of the law say that while its wording may be confusing, Congress intended for subsidies to be available across the country, regardless of stateÌýactions.
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Since Washington is currently running the insurance markets in 37 states, a ruling favoring the plaintiffs would unravel much of the gain inÌýcoverage.
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Associated Press writersÌýÌýand Nedra Picker contributed to thisÌýreport.
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