President Obama has nominated Governor of Kansas Kathleen Sebelius as his Secretary of Health and Human Services, replacing Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who withdrew his nomination last month after questions arose in regard to his initial failure to pay more than $128,000 in back income.
Seblius, known as a healthcare policy wonk who gained a reputation as a consumer/patient advocate in her role as the Kansas state insurance commissioner, will oversee a vast federal department that covers CMS, as well as several other federal health agencies and programs. In this capacity she be responsible the helping implement the president’s healthcare vision, according to a White House statement.
Joining Sebleius will be health care expert Nancy-Ann DeParle who will direct the White House Office for Health Reform (a role that Daschle also would have filled). A former commissioner of the Department of Human Services for Tennessee, DeParle also was Health Care Financing Administration adminsitrator under the Clinton administration.
“If we are going to help families, save businesses, and improve the long-term economic health of our nation, we must realize that fixing what’s wrong with our healthcare system is no longer just a moral imperative, but a fiscal imperative,” said President Obama. “Healthcare reform that reduces costs while expanding coverage is no longer just a dream we hope to achieve — it’s a necessity we have to achieve.”
Initial industry reception of the nomination news was generally positive, but measured, given the uncertainty of competitive bidding.
“We are looking forward to meeting with both Governor Sebelius, after her confirmation by the Senate, and with Nancy-Ann DeParle, who is familiar with many of our issues,” said AAHomecare President Tyler Wilson, in a public statement. “Since DeParle’s direct involvement with Medicare in the ’90s, our industry has experienced severe reimbursement cuts and we have seen a short-lived yet highly troubled implementation of competitive bidding, which was just a concept during her tenure at HCFA.”
“Do not look for any sweeping changes from her. She will definitely be in agreement with the President,” said Sandra London-Leib, CEO of Advanced Homecare in the same statement. “After hearing the President this morning talk about the bidding process for all government contracts and payments, it is very clear that competitive bidding will be the standard course of action for her department.”
