Seema Verma, to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The appointment was announced on Tuesday morning. Seema, an Indianapolis resident, is the founder and CEO of a health policy consulting firm SVC Inc. Medicaid and Medicare are two governmental programs that provide medical and health coverage to specific groups of people. CMS is part of the Health and Human Services Department, which employs over 6,000.
Seema is known for advising VP-elect Mike Pence in Medicaid issues. Her profile on her company site proclaims her role as the architect the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), America’s first consumer-directed Medicaid program under Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana
In a statement, the President-elect declared “I am pleased to nominate Seema Verma to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. She has decades of experience advising on Medicare and Medicaid policy and helping states navigate our complicated systems. Together, Chairman Price and Seema Verma are the dream team that will transform our healthcare system for the benefit of all Americans”.
Verma, a health policy consultant with close ties to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, has served as the State of Indiana’s health reform lead, designing ‘Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0,’ a Medicaid waiver proposal for the state. Verma also worked with multiple public health agencies to develop Medicaid reform programs, including waivers for Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan. “I am honoured to be nominated by President-elect Trump today,” said Verma. “I look forward to helping him tackle our nation's daunting healthcare problems in a responsible and sustainable way".
Seema Verma has a Master’s degree in Public Health with concentration in health policy and management from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor in Life Sciences from the University of Maryland.
USINPAC Indiana Chair Raju Chinthala lauded President-elect Trump’s pick saying, “Congratulations to Seema Verma for her appointment as a Director for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Seema is an expert in reforming healthcare. She will be a great asset to the Trump administration for bringing health care reforms in the country. We will continue to work with the Trump administration to present qualified Indian Americans for their administration so qualified candidates like Seema Verma and Nikki Haley can serve our country".