Chiquita Brooks-LaSure

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is an American public policy expert serving as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under President Joe Biden. She is the first Black woman to lead the agency, which oversees critical health programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Her career has spanned key roles in the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Congress, and the private sector, focusing on expanding health coverage and equity.

Early life and education

Born in Washington, D.C., Brooks-LaSure was raised in Maryland and developed an early interest in public service. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University, where she studied health policy and social dynamics. She later pursued a Master of Public Policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, solidifying her expertise in the intricacies of the American healthcare system. Her academic foundation prepared her for a career navigating the intersection of federal policy, state implementation, and private insurance markets.

Career before CMS

Brooks-LaSure began her career as a professional staff member on the United States House Committee on Ways and Means, working on legislation related to Medicare and health insurance. Following the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, she joined the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a director at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, helping to implement the landmark law's insurance market reforms. She later served as a deputy director at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight and held leadership roles at the consulting firm Manatt Health, advising states and health systems on coverage expansion and delivery system reform.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate in May 2021, Brooks-LaSure assumed leadership of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Her tenure has focused on stabilizing and strengthening the nation's health safety net, with a particular emphasis on the programs administered by CMS. She oversees a budget exceeding a trillion dollars and manages key relationships with state Medicaid directors, insurance commissioners, providers like the American Hospital Association, and advocacy groups such as AARP.

Policy priorities and initiatives

A central priority for Brooks-LaSure has been expanding access to affordable coverage, including through the enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces extended by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. She has also worked to reduce health disparities, launching initiatives to improve maternal health outcomes and address structural inequities within Medicare and Medicaid. Other key initiatives include advancing value-based care models, implementing the Inflation Reduction Act's drug pricing provisions for Medicare, and supporting the Biden administration's efforts to streamline enrollment and renewals for Medicaid beneficiaries following the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Personal life

Brooks-LaSure resides in Maryland with her family. She is known to be a dedicated advocate for health equity both in her professional and personal capacities, often speaking at events hosted by organizations like the National Association of Health Services Executives and the American Public Health Association. Her leadership at CMS is frequently highlighted as a historic milestone for diversity in the senior ranks of the federal government of the United States.

Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrators Category:Princeton University alumni Category:Georgetown University alumni