CMS Administrator’s Remarks Reveal Unwavering Medicaid Priorities

ANCOR is sharing this excerpt from Politico Pulse because it is important that our members remain aware of key Medicaid decision-makers’ broader priorities and outlooks:

“VERMA’S ‘FIRESIDE CHAT’ AT JPM — There was no fireside — or much fire, for that matter — at Seema Verma’s moderated Q&A before attendees Wednesday at the final full day of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. The CMS administrator emphasized the agency’s focus on upholding Medicaid to quality standards, touted technology and price transparency as a way to keep costs under control, and expressed support for realigning financial incentives to promote innovation in the states. Yes, the term “value-added” came up more than a few times.

In a light-hearted moment, J.P. Morgan analyst Gary Taylor asked the question on every reporter’s mind: Why do CMS rules typically drop on a Friday afternoon? Verma said she only remembers that happening ‘once or twice’ in her tenure, but admitted ‘I don’t like a Friday rule either’ and said the agency was trying to do better.”