Amid the uncertainty in the insurance marketplace, a 55-43 Senate vote on March 13 installed Seema Verma as the new administrator of CMS.
 
Heading an agency that oversees coverage for more than 130 million people, Verma takes over as the future of Medicaid hangs in the balance. Verma will report to new HHS Secretary Tom Price as they work together to implement legislative changes that appear to be imminent.
 
In her previous role as a health policy adviser, Verma was instrumental in overhauling Indiana’s Medicaid program, which could serve as a model for states moving forward. The Indiana program uses health savings accounts (HSAs) and requires that beneficiaries pay modest premiums.