The Senate confirmed Seema Verma to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an agency that will have a major role in implementing any health reform that repeals and replaces Obamacare.
The Senate voted 55-43 to confirm Verma Monday evening. Verma is a health policy consultant who crafted Indiana’s Medicaid expansion program when former Gov. Mitch Daniels and then Vice President Mike Pence ran the state.
CMS runs the Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs and is responsible for running healthcare.gov, a website used by residents in 38 states and the District of Columbia to shop for Obamacare plans.
Verma won high praise from Republicans.
Her work on Medicaid expansion in Indiana “empowered people to take greater responsibility for their own health by providing incentives to use healthcare resources efficiently,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
However, Democrats were left wanting more answers from Verma during her confirmation hearing on her commitment to lowering drug prices and her thoughts on Medicaid eligibility.
“What I read was a lot of happy talk that didn’t amount to much substance,” Sen. Ron Wyden. D-Ore., has said.
