Seema Verma

Identity and role

Seema Verma is a health-policy executive and former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS statements and remarks issued in her name as Administrator run from May 4, 2017¹ to January 8, 2021.²

Pandemic-relief / PPP-EIDL role

CMS announced on March 17, 2020 that it was expanding Medicare's telehealth benefits "under the 1135 waiver authority and the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act," consistent with the President's emergency declaration, for dates of service starting March 6, 2020. The release states that telehealth services "are paid under the Physician Fee Schedule at the same amount as in-person services," with coinsurance and deductible still applying. It quotes Verma: "The Trump Administration is taking swift and bold action to give patients greater access to care through telehealth during the COVID-19 outbreak."³

Sources held in this archive

Original source documents and archived captures

• CMS, "President Trump Expands Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Outbreak" (Mar. 17, 2020)
• CMS statement in the name of Administrator Seema Verma (May 4, 2017)
• CMS Administrator Seema Verma's press-call remarks on TennCare (Jan. 8, 2021)

Related profiles

• Andy Slavitt — her predecessor running CMS (as acting administrator), later Biden White House pandemic-response adviser.

Sources

1. CMS, "Statement from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma on AHCA Bill House Passage," May 4, 2017. Archive: cms-administrator-verma-statement-ahca-house-passage_2017-05-04 · Statement from CMS Administrator Verma on AHCA Bill House Passage (original: cms.gov) ↩
2. CMS, "CMS Administrator Seema Verma's Press Call Remarks as Prepared for Delivery on TennCare," Jan. 8, 2021. Archive: cms-administrator-verma-press-call-remarks-tenncare_2021-01-08 · CMS Administrator Seema Verma's Press Call Remarks on TennCare (original: cms.gov) ↩
3. CMS, "President Trump Expands Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Outbreak," Mar. 17, 2020. Archive: cms-trump-expands-telehealth-medicare_2020-03-17 · https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-expands-telehealth-benefits-medicare-beneficiaries-during-covid-19-outbreak ↩