Washington – Computer & Communication Industry Association CEO and President Ed Black today respectfully urged the U.S. Senate to promptly approve the nomination of Andy Slavitt as the next Administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“Andy Slavitt has tremendous experience as a technology leader and in health care,” Black noted. “Slavitt enjoys the respect of leaders from across the entire high-tech spectrum. CMS will greatly benefit from someone with as strong a technology background as Andy in this role.”
Because of the CMS’ central role in the implementation of the ACA, the nomination of any candidate to run the agency would likely be caught up in the controversy and politics surrounding the health care law, but Black urged Senators to judge Slavitt on his incredible competence and the merits of his nomination.
Millions of American citizens will be impacted by the ability of the government to master the many security and technological challenges problems with government operations and programs. The infusion of technological talent willing to serve in the public interest is important to us all.
“Many have strong feeling about the underlying policy, but regardless, when called upon for public service, Andy put his 20 years of experience to use for the nation – and helped to fix what was clearly broken,” Black said. “When others went back to their executive suites, he left the top technology post at his private employer to join the government full time and continue to lend his experience and expertise to his fellow Americans. This is exactly the sort of CMS Administrator we want.”
Slavitt joined CMS in July of 2014 as the #2 official after a 20-year career in the private sector as a healthcare and technology executive. Before joining the federal government, he was most recently Group Executive Vice President for Optum, a unit of UnitedHealth. Slavitt, who has degrees from Wharton and Harvard, has served as acting CMS Administrator since February when his predecessor, Marilyn Tavenner stepped down.
“Americans expect their government to function effectively, especially when it comes to technology,” Black noted. “What Andy Slavitt has done as acting CMS Administrator is apply private sector technology experience to make public service delivery more accessible and effective for the average citizen – but that job is not done. More antiquated, paper processes need to be modernized, and made efficient and effective, to meet the expectations of our citizens. We need Acting Administrator Slavitt to be confirmed as administrator so he can finish the job.”