Marilyn Tavenner
Marilyn B. Tavenner (born May 31, 1951) is Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. She became Acting Administrator following the resignation of Dr. Donald M. Berwick in December 2011, after serving as the agency's Principal Deputy Administrator. Prior to her original appointment to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, she served as Secretary of Health and Human Resources in the Cabinet of Virginia Governor Tim Kaine from 2006 to 2010. From 1981 to 2005, she was employed by Hospital Corporation of America, beginning as a nurse at Richmond, Virginia-based Johnston-Willis Hospital eventually becoming Chief Executive Officer of the hospital in 1993. In 2001, she became President of HCA's Central Atlantic Division, and was later appointed Group President of Outpatient Services before resigning from HCA in 2005. She earned B.S. in nursing and M.H.A. degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University. Tavenner was confirmed as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on May 15, 2013. Marilyn Tavenner spearheaded the Affordable Care Act website rollout, www.healthcare.gov, that allows people to enroll in health care plans. The site faced a number of issues for users who were trying to enroll and on October 29, 2013, Tavenner issued an apology. She also said in her prepared testimony that "the initial consumer experience of HealthCare.gov has not lived up to the expectations of the American people and is not acceptable," adding that "we are committed to fixing these problems as soon as possible." and "I want to apologize to you that the website does not work as well as it should," she said. In January 2015, she announces her resignation, stating that February will be her last month serving as the administrator for C.M.S. Andrew M. Slavitt will become the acting administrator after Ms. Tavenner leaves. Mr. Slavitt started work at the agency in July 2014. He had been a top executive at Optum, a unit of UnitedHealthcare.