The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA)
recently provided the listserv with breaking news about
the resignation of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Administrator (CMS), Tom Scully. CMS today announced the
Acting Administrator replacing Scully, Dennis G. Smith.
Below is the full story, taken directly from the HHS
Web site, which explains how CMS will handle the
transition.
SECRETARY THOMPSON NAMES ACTING ADMINISTRATOR AT CENTERS
FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today named Dennis G.
Smith as interim head of the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS). He becomes Acting Administrator
following the resignation of CMS Administrator Tom Scully,
effective Tuesday. Smith is Director of CMS’ Center for
Medicaid and State Operations.
At the same time, Secretary Thompson said Leslie V. Norwalk
will remain in her position as Deputy Administrator and
Chief Operating Officer at CMS. Norwalk will continue to be
the CMS lead in carrying out the Medicare legislation
signed into law by the President last week.
“HHS’ largest operating division will be in good hands with
Dennis Smith as interim chief of the agency until a new
Administrator is nominated and sworn in,” Secretary Thompson
said. “At the same time, it is very important that Leslie
Norwalk should carry on in the Deputy Administrator and COO
position. We will rely on her leadership to direct the very
complex and demanding task of implementing the hundreds of
changes to be made under the Medicare improvement act.”
With an estimated FY 2004 budget of almost a half trillion
dollars ($495 billion in budget authority), CMS’ Medicare
and Medicaid are the second and third largest federal
programs, behind the Social Security Administration in
total budget. Medicare pays about 1 billion claims per year
on behalf of some 40 million elderly and disabled
beneficiaries. The joint federal-state Medicaid program
provides medical services for some 40 million low income
Americans, including skilled nursing care. CMS also
administers the State Child Health Insurance Program,
providing health coverage for more than 5 million
low-income children not covered by Medicaid.
This story is available at:
http://hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20031217.html
