Sen. Warner opposes Seema Verma for CMS administrator

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, comments on the nomination of Seema Verma to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):

“Today, I voted against Seema Verma’s nomination to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As CMS Administrator, Ms. Verma would be responsible for the health care of 100 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as many aspects of the Affordable Care Act. I have serious concerns about her readiness to serve in this position.

“Unfortunately, neither Ms. Verma’s experience nor her responses to questioning indicate that she has given sufficient thought to how she will approach some of the difficult and complex issues that face these critical programs. Her positions on Medicaid, where her track record is most clear, raise concerning questions about how she will protect all beneficiaries and ensure the state-federal partnership stays intact.

“If she is confirmed, I am hopeful that she will become an advocate for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries, as well as those who have benefitted from the reforms of the ACA.  Issues such as caring for beneficiaries at all stages of illness, advancing quality care for the chronically ill, and moving Medicare into the 21st century through telehealth are too important to not be placed front and center.”

The Senate Finance Committee today advanced Seema Verma’s nomination in a 13-12 vote along party lines, clearing the way for a vote on the Senate floor.