Marilyn Tavenner: Medicare’s new pragmatist-in-chief?

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/marilyn-tavenner-medicares-new-pragmatist-in-chief/2011/11/25/gIQADBbgvN_blog.html
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On Wednesday, the White House nominated Tavenner to run the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The announcement was made at nearly the same time that current CMS administrator Don Berwick submitted his resignation. Republican senators had pledged to block Berwick’s confirmation, and his recess appointment was set to expire at the end of the year.

Berwick and Tavenner have taken markedly different paths to the same job. Berwick spent decades writing, thinking and speaking about overhauling America’s health care system. His sweeping policy ideas, celebrated by many, also became a major political liability. In blocking his confirmation, Republicans seized onto Berwick’s comments about the British National Health Service as a possible “example” for the United States.

Such a situation is unlikely to play out with Tavenner, whose health-care experience lies much more in management than policy. In interviews this week, former colleagues describe her as a patient-centered manager, a hands-on medical professional equally comfortable in the board room and the emergency room. And in contrast to Berwick, Tavenner isn’t associated with a grand vision for health reform, or a particular policy agenda for Medicare and Medicaid.

“With Marilyn, you present the information, then she makes a decision, and you move on,” says Patrick Finnerty, who served as Virginia’s Medicaid director under Tavenner. “She doesn’t make promises she can’t keep. There are differences of opinions, and she would try to work through those. She’s straight with folks but always respectful.”


As a nurse,I am thrilled to see President Obama nominating a fellow RN! I hope she does great...she has a huge task in front of her!