Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Tavnenner Moves Through Revolving Door, Accepts Top Lobbying Spot At Health Insurance Trade Group
The New York Times: Head Of Obama’s Health Care Rollout To Lobby For Insurers
Marilyn B. Tavenner, the former Obama administration official in charge of the rollout of HealthCare.gov, was chosen on Wednesday to be the top lobbyist for the nation’s health insurance industry. Ms. Tavenner, who stepped down from her federal job in February, will become president and chief executive of America’s Health Insurance Plans, the trade group whose members include Aetna, Anthem, Humana, Kaiser Permanente and many Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. (Pear, 7/16)
The Wall Street Journal: Health Insurance Trade Group Names New CEO
The latest turn of the revolving door between government and health industry comes as government business is exerting a bigger effect on insurers’ bottom lines. Under federal rules designed to minimize the opportunities for officials to pass freely between government and the private sector, Ms. Tavenner will be barred from lobbying her former colleagues for the remaining months of the Obama administration, but she isn’t subject to a similar restriction on lobbying Congress. (Radnofsky and Wilde Mathews, 7/15)
The Washington Post: Former CMS Chief To Become Top Lobbyist For Health Plans
She stepped down from CMS in February 2015. A former hospital executive and Virginia health secretary, Tavenner will replace Karen Ignagni, a highly respected insurance lobbyist with more than two decades of experience at AHIP. Ignagni resigned to become the CEO of insurance company EmblemHealth in May. The change in AHIP’s leadership is a significant moment in the group’s history as insurers adjust to the health care environment created by Obamacare and seek to protect reimbursement rates for Medicare Advantage, a popular alternative to traditional Medicare. (Viebeck, 7/15)
Politico: Former Medicare Chief To Head Health Insurance Lobby AHIP
But AHIP’s decision to hire a former Obama administration official as its next leader also signals that health insurers are committed to the health reform law. ... Tavenner, who was the first Senate-confirmed CMS administrator in almost a decade, is well-regarded by Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill. ... After UnitedHealth Group’s exit from AHIP there are questions about fissures. Representing the interests of both nonprofit carriers and the big national for-profit players has become increasingly challenging as insurers seek their footing in the overhauled insurance landscape. (Palmer and Demko, 7/15)
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Former Medicare Chief Named Top Health Insurance Lobbyist
Marilyn Tavenner will lead the trade group following the departure of former CEO Karen Ignagni earlier this year. Tavenner formerly lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and oversaw the implementation of President Barack Obama's health law. ... It's a turbulent time for health insurers. The largest companies are consolidating and firms are still struggling with the roll out of the federal health law. Already, Aetna and Humana have announced a merger, Clayton-based Centene Corp. is in the process of acquiring Health Net Inc., and Anthem is pursuing a deal with Cigna. (Shapiro, 7/15)
