It’s Official: Brad Smith to Head CMS’ Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation

ANCOR has been monitoring leadership announcements at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, or CMMI, because the agency has expressed interest in value-based payment models that could eventually cover Medicaid disability supports. Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) confirmed rumors dating from fall 2019, issuing an announcement that:

“Brad Smith will serve as Director of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation [CMMI] at CMS and Senior Advisor to Secretary Azar for Value-Based Transformation. 

Smith most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer of Anthem’s Diversified Business Group and was previously co-founder and CEO of Aspire Health, a healthcare company focused on providing home-based palliative care services to patients facing serious illnesses.

‘Brad will help HHS and CMS continue and accelerate the value-based transformation work that we have begun under President Trump,’ said Secretary Azar. ‘Delivering better value in healthcare is a key piece of how we’re executing on President Trump’s healthcare vision. Paying for outcomes rather than procedures through CMMI models is an important tool for the value-based transformation of healthcare that President Trump has prioritized. Brad has impressive experience with innovative care delivery and paying for value, and he will help expand Administrator Verma’s and CMS’s efforts to ensure Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries are getting better care, and better health, at a lower cost.’”