Nursing home provider groups hail Tavenner's appointment

Mark Parkinson

Nursing home groups have shown strong support for the appointment of Marilyn Tavenner to replace Donald Berwick, M.D. as administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Alan G. Rosenbloom, president of the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, noted that Tavenner “developed invaluable experience” in working with skilled nursing providers in her role as Virginia's Secretary of Health and Human Resources.

“Marilyn Tavenner is a strong choice to lead CMS because of her reputation as a smart, competent administrator, and because she has a strong working knowledge of how Medicare and Medicaid funding adequacy are both integral to the ongoing ability of SNFs to provide high quality long-term and post-acute care to U.S. seniors,” Rosenbloom said.

Tavenner also got high marks from Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living.

“On a personal level, Marilyn Tavenner shares our commitment for the elderly and I look forward to working in stronger partnership with her in the future,” said Parkinson.

Obama administration officials confirmed last week that Tavenner, who served as Berwick's principal deputy at CMS, has been appointed to replace him.