Former CMS administrator takes helm of health department saddled with controversy
Dr. Meena Seshamani, with famliy members in attendance, is sworn in April 2, 2025, as Maryland's next secretary of Health. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters)
Dr. Meena Seshamani officially took over as Maryland's new secretary of health Wednesday, taking the helm of a department that has been mired in controversy in recent years.
Advocates say they are antsy to begin working with the secretary on some of those challenges, and to improve relationships between the department and the people it affects.
'We're looking to meet with the new secretary soon and hope to right that ship,' Ande Kolp, executive director with the Arc Maryland, said Tuesday. Kolp has been a frequent critic of issues this spring at the Developmental Disabilities Administration, which is overseen by the health department.
Seshamani takes over following the February departure of former Secretary Laura Herrera Scott, who left the position amid a flurry of negative press for the department.
Changes coming to Health Department
At the news of Herrera Scott's departure, Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said the department needed 'significant financial cleanup' following reports of incorrect spending projections for Medicaid and for the Developmental Disabilities Administration.
The health department was at the center of a budget storm in the just-ended legislative session, when lawmakers and Gov. Wes Moore (D) debated cutting hundreds of millions from the DDA to help close a projected $3 billion gap in the fiscal 2026 state budget.
Moore initially proposed cutting a total of $457 million cut from the DDA, arguing that the agency was experiencing 'unsustainable' spending and growth in its programs. Those cuts faced stiff opposition from the public, and lawmakers were able to settle on a still painful, but much more manageable, DDA cut of about $164 million in the final version of the fiscal 2026 budget approved Monday.
The budget woes added on to an already strained relationship between the department and the developmental disabilities community, with the department facing criticisms over transparency, along with complaints of burdensome paperwork for services.
Seshamani also inherits issues at the Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Centud6yikiku in Howard County, a high-security hospital that has been riddled with complaints of patient abuse and violence.
In addition to the long-standing state-level challenges, Seshamani will lead the department into uncharted waters in federal relations, given the iiualso the lead the state health department while operating under the Trump Administration's health care policies.
Seshamani previously served as deputy administrator at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Biden administration. She is a Hopkins-trained surgeon who was a head and neck surgeon at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, and she has a Ph.D. in economics from Oxford, according to a statement from Moore's ]office announcing her appointment as secretary. She is a former executive with MedStar.
Despite the challenges, Seshamani said she is 'honored' to serve as the Maryland Secretary of Health, and thanked Gov. Wes Moore and the General Assembly for the opportunity in a written statement Wednesday.
'I seek to protect and improve the health of all Marylanders in a thoughtful, data-driven way in partnership with the staff of the Department, across the Moore-Miller Administration, with the Maryland General Assembly, and with all the organizations in the state who strive to provide a world-class health care system for all Marylanders,' she said in the written statement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fewer than 1 in 4 Colorado voters support Medicaid cuts
(Stock photo by) Just 21% of Colorado voters want Congress to decrease Medicaid spending, according to a poll released Tuesday. Concerns about gutted health care access come as U.S. Senate Republican leaders work to push through a tax and spending bill that would cut Medicaid by an estimated $625 billion over the next decade. The poll zeroed in on the 8th Congressional District, which includes the northern Denver metro area and parts of Weld County. In the district, where 1 in 4 residents receive Medicaid benefits, 63% of voters said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who voted to cut Medicaid. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The 8th District is represented by Republican Gabe Evans, who voted in favor of the plan that would reduce federal Medicaid spending when it was brought to the U.S. House of Representatives in May. A spokesperson for Evans defended the vote, saying a proposed provision to institute part-time work requirements for some people to retain Medicaid eligibility would make 'the program more efficient by cutting out fraud, waste, and abuse.' 'Congressman Gabe Evans has been steadfast in his support of protecting Medicaid for the vulnerable populations it was created to serve — pregnant women, kids, and disabled people,' said spokesperson Delanie Bomar in a statement Tuesday. Evans, who was elected to the House last year, represents one of the country's few congressional swing districts. According to the poll, 42% of voters in the district want to see increased federal Medicaid spending, 20% want it to stay about the same and 28% want it to decrease. Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for lower-income people and some with disabilities, serves more than 70 million U.S. residents. The poll of 675 registered Colorado voters was conducted by Broomfield-based firm Magellan Strategies on behalf of the nonprofit Healthier Colorado. It has a margin of error of 3.7%. 'Politicians are saying that they want to cut Medicaid to make it better, but the poll shows clearly that voters aren't buying what they're selling,' said Jake Williams, CEO of Healthier Colorado. 'It shows that there's real political peril for any candidate who votes to cut Medicaid.' Bomar pointed to the poll's findings that many respondents, especially those who are Republicans or unaffiliated, said Medicaid 'should only be for U.S. citizens or legal residents, with some calling for stricter eligibility enforcement.' Immigrants who are in the U.S. unlawfully are not eligible for federal Medicaid benefits, but Colorado and 13 other states provide some state-funded coverage to immigrants lacking permanent legal status. Under the proposed federal cuts, an estimated 7.8 million people, most of them citizens or lawful residents, would lose access to Medicaid, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Some of the main reasons cited in the poll by respondents who said they have favorable opinions of Medicaid are the benefits it provides to low-income Coloradans, seniors, children, people with disabilities and single parents. 'The poll shows that Medicaid cuts would have devastating effects for both our health and economy here in Colorado,' Williams said. 'I also think it shows that Colorado voters aren't dummies.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
Historic Win for Foster Youth and Families: A New Medicaid Benefit Becomes Reality
Los Angeles, CA, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Special Needs Network is proud to announce a major policy victory that will change lives across California. Thanks to our leadership and collaboration with state partners, a brand-new Medicaid benefit – the Fee-for-Service Behavioral Health Treatment (FFS BHT) benefit – will launch statewide on July 1, 2025. The new provider enrollment portal is open so providers can be ready to serve patients day one. SNN will be ready. 'This is a monumental step forward for California's foster youth and families,' said Areva Martin, President of Special Needs Network. 'Creating a brand-new Medicaid benefit in record time shows what's possible when community advocates, policymakers, and government agencies work together. We are proud that Special Needs Network's leadership helped drive this historic change — and we remain committed to ensuring that every child gets the care and support they deserve.' This breakthrough ensures that foster youth and all other children needing behavioral health therapy will finally have direct access to services under Medi-Cal, with more providers available and fewer barriers to care.,. Access will no longer be determined by whether a child has a managed care plan or FFS Medi-Cal or whether they are served by a regional center or not. Creating this new benefit involved: Securing federal approval for a new Medicaid State Plan. Building a statewide provider enrollment system. Establishing new billing codes and payment systems. Ensuring access for smaller community organizations and paraprofessionals. Eliminating referral barriers for families, physicians, and courts. SNN played a critical role at every step, providing technical expertise, real-world feedback, and advocacy that state officials have called 'invaluable.' Although the benefit launches July 1, work continues to refine the system and fully support providers, youth, and families. SNN will remain deeply involved in training, communications, system improvements, and monitoring to ensure a smooth rollout and lasting success. Priority processing is available through June 30. See the FAQs for providers here 'This win represents one of the fastest and most significant Medicaid benefit developments in California history — and it was fueled by SNN's dedication to children, families, and equitable access to care,' said Kristin Jacobson, a policy expert and long-time advocate who participated in this effort on behalf of SNN. To submit a PAVE application, agencies need to visit the PAVE (Provider Application and Validation for Enrollment) system portal: _________________________________________________________________________ Special Needs Network, Inc. (SNN) is a nonprofit grassroots organization responding to the crisis of autism and other developmental disabilities in underserved communities. We recognize the intersectionality of individuals with disabilities and that their fight for disability rights is inextricably tied to the fight for racial justice and the civil rights of all people. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Medscape
an hour ago
- Medscape
SLEEP 2025
Narcolepsy an Independent Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Narcolepsy is associated with an increased risk for CVD, independent of common comorbid conditions and medications used to treat the disorder, new research showed. Medscape Medical News , Jun 07, 2024 Narcolepsy an Independent Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Better Sleep Tied to Less Loneliness Good quality sleep may have a role in driving down rates of loneliness, especially among younger adults. Medscape Medical News , Jun 21, 2024 Better Sleep Tied to Less Loneliness Couples-Based Tx for Sleep Apnea Nurtures Happier Relationships Couples-based therapy called WePAP boosted treatment adherence for sleep apnea, leading to higher relationship satisfaction and lower levels of conflict, a study suggested. Medscape Medical News, xx-Date-Here-xx
