New Faces at CMS

On Thursday, CMS Acting Administrator Charlene Frizzera
announced some personnel changes “that will position the agency to
successfully implement the important initiatives and priorities
outlined over the past few months by the president,” she said in a
memo. Among the changes:

Jonathan Blum, a former Senate Finance Committee staffer and
Avalere analyst, has been named the new director of CMS’ Center for
Medicare Management. Blum worked with Finance Committee Chairman
Max Baucus, D-Mont., during development of the Medicare
Modernization Act. He also served as a program examiner for the
Office of Management and Budget focusing on Medicare and was a
health policy advisor to the Obama-Biden transition team.

Amy Hall, another former Capitol Hill staffer, has been named
director of the agency’s Office of Legislation. In her new
capacity, Hall will develop the legislative agenda for the entire
scope of CMS’ programs and will be the direct liaison between CMS,
HHS and the White House Office of Management and Budget. Hall has
worked for the House in various capacities and is a former staff
member to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John
Dingell, D-Mich. According to Frizzera’s memo, she was instrumental
on all major health care financing legislation passed by the House
during the last 10 years involving Medicaid, Medicare and
SCHIP.