Capitol Correspondence - 10.22.18

CMS Nominates Mary Mayhew to Head Medicaid

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As shared by Politico:

“The Trump administration has tapped Mary Mayhew — the architect of Maine’s aggressive conservative reforms to the social safety net — to oversee the national Medicaid program. She has been an ally of outgoing Maine Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican who has fought as hard as any governor against expanding Medicaid under Obamacare.

[…]

Mayhew served as Maine’s health commissioner for six years under LePage, leading efforts to tighten the state’s Medicaid eligibility standards, add work requirements to the food stamp program and implement other conservative reforms. She supported LePage as he rejected efforts to expand the state’s Medicaid program — repeatedly vetoing legislation and then resisting after nearly 60 percent of Maine voters approved expansion on a ballot measure in 2017. LePage is spending his final months in office fighting a court order to expand the program.

[…]

Mayhew joins CMS as the agency works to finalize a request Maine submitted in August 2017 to impose work requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries. Mayhew has said she was previously approached about joining the Trump administration to oversee the nation’s food stamps program.”

Politico Pro has shared that Director Mayhew will be recusing herself from the Maine work requirements decision: “‘As she left her employment with the state over a year ago, Director Mayhew does not have a recusal obligation under law or regulation with regard to her work in the state of Maine,’ the CMS spokesperson wrote. ‘However, in order to avoid even the appearance of any conflict of interest or undue influence, Director Mayhew is recusing herself from participation in any particular matters in which Maine is a party or represents a party, including its pending State Plan Amendment.’”

ANCOR welcomes Director Mayhew and has confirmed she is already representing CMCS in Washington, DC!