Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) withdrew on Tuesday his hold that has blocked the nomination of Marilyn Tavenner as administrator of the Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services, allowing a Senate vote to proceed.
When a vote is scheduled, it is expected that Tavenner, who has been CMS acting administrator for two years, will be confirmed. The Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved her nomination on April 23. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid’s office did not respond to an inquiry by Healthcare Finance News about when the Senate vote would take place by press time.
Singlehandedly, Harkin blocked the final step to a full Senate vote on Tavenner’s nomination in order to protest the administration’s plan to take $332 million from the healthcare reform law’s prevention fund and use it for educating the public about the health insurance exchanges and other aspects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
He issued his hold publicly to heighten public awareness and spotlight the administration’s policy decision, according to his remarks on the Senate floor, whichare posted on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s website. Harkin, who is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and who helped to push for inclusion of the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the ACA, said that he was “deeply disturbed” by the White House plan.
[See also: Lone senator blocks Tavenner nomination.]
“… it is ill-advised and short-sighted to raid the Prevention Fund, which is making absolutely critical investments in preventing disease, saving lives, and keeping women and their families healthy,” he said on the Senate floor Tuesday.
“This fund is saving lives, and saving money,” he added.
However, he lifted the hold on Tavenner’s nomination because he didn’t want “to interfere” with CMS’ work. He said that Tavenner “ … is strongly qualified to be the next CMS administrator, and that it is urgent to have an effective leader at the helm of CMS as we enter a critical stage in implementing the Affordable Care Act.”
If confirmed by the Senate, Tavenner, who has been acting administrator since Donald Berwick, MD, stepped down in December 2011, will be the first permanent CMS administrator since 2006.