News Release

HHS Secretary Names Governors Bush and Manchin as New Medicaid Advisory Commission Members

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that Governor Jeb Bush of Florida and Governor Joe Manchin, III of West Virginia have joined the Medicaid Commission as voting members. The commission is tasked with advising Secretary Leavitt on ways to modernize Medicaid in a financially sustainable way.

Chaired by former Governors Don Sundquist of Tennessee and Angus King of Maine, the non-partisan Medicaid Commission also consists of health policy leaders, state health department officials, public policy organizations, individuals with disabilities and others with special expertise.

The commission submitted its first report to Secretary Leavitt on Sept. 1, 2005, which included recommendations to achieve reductions in spending growth during the next five years while making meaningful long-term enhancements to better serve beneficiaries.

Secretary Leavitt added that the second Medicaid Commission report will be submitted in December, 2006. The commission will meet on Oct. 26-27 to discuss long-term recommendations on the future of the Medicaid program for the second report.

The second report will address the following issues:

• Eligibility, benefits design and delivery;
• Expanding the number of people covered with quality care while recognizing budget constraints;
• Long-term care;
• Quality of care, choice, and beneficiary satisfaction; and
• Program administration.

The meetings, beginning at 9 a.m. each day, will be held at:

Holiday Inn on the Hill
415 New Jersey Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20001