Watchdog to examine Medicare chief's publicity spending
Source: Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A government watchdog said Friday it will review costly outside contracts to handle public relations for Medicare chief Seema Verma, whose agency oversees health insurance programs covering more than 100 million Americans.
Responding to a request by congressional Democrats, the Health and Human Services inspector general’s office said it will examine Verma’s public relations contracts at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, known as CMS.
Democrats called Verma’s contracts “a highly questionable use of taxpayer dollars” at the same time her agency had slashed the ad budget for the Affordable Care Act, hindering enrollment.
“Instead of spending resources to improve health care for everyone in the country, Administrator Verma appears to have steered money to political allies in an effort to boost her reputation,” said Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Patty Murray, D.-Wash., in a letter requesting the probe.
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By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
April 5, 2019
Read more: https://apnews.com/31890c04ce5c4498a3b800947fdd9372
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