Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHHS's Seema Verma squandered millions of taxpayer $$ on personal PR
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.politico.com/amp/story/2019/03/29/seema-verma-contracts-1306652"The Trump appointee who oversees Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare quietly directed millions of taxpayer dollars in contracts to Republican communications consultants during her tenure atop the agency including hiring one well-connected GOP media adviser to bolster her public profile.
The communications subcontracts approved by CMS Administrator Seema Verma routed through a larger federal contract and described to POLITICO by three individuals with firsthand knowledge of the agreements represent a sharp break from precedent at the agency. Those deals, managed by Vermas deputies, came in some cases over the objections of CMS staffers, who raised concerns about her push to use federal funds on GOP consultants and to amplify coverage of Vermas own work. CMS has its own large communications shop, including about two dozen people who handle the press.
Verma, a close ally of Vice President Mike Pence, has become a lightning rod for pushing work requirements in Medicaid and spearheading the Trump administrations efforts to unilaterally unwind pieces of Obamacare. She previously worked as a consultant to conservative states seeking to reshape health care programs for the poor.
Her agencys use of outside contracts and subcontracts is legal, but experts and current officials say it is not transparent and raises ethical questions.
Outsourcing communications work to private contractors puts the agency's ability to protect potentially market-moving information from premature disclosure at considerable risk, said Andy Schneider, a Medicaid expert who worked at CMS during the Obama administration and is now a researcher at Georgetown University.
(More at link)
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 469 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (5)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
HHS's Seema Verma squandered millions of taxpayer $$ on personal PR (Original Post)
Tanuki
Mar 2019
OP
at140
(6,110 posts)1. The waste & abuse in gov't each year is much bigger than
all the armed robberies during the year. Medicare fraud each year boggles my mind.
at140
(6,110 posts)2. $5 says Seema Verma will never see inside of a prison.
She will skate free as do most gov't big shots abusing the system.
Ohiogal
(32,001 posts)3. She is a cruel, evil, witch
There's a special place in the fiery afterlife for her and Pence.