Federal Eye: Challenges Await Sebelius at HHS

President Obama will nominate Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) today as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, a job originally offered to former Senate majority leader Tom Daschle, who withdrew last month due to issues with back taxes. Experts suggest that in addition to the administration’s health care reform efforts, Sebelius, 60, will face several other big tasks as head of a department with more than 65,000 employees.
Kathleen Sebelius
In this Feb. 9, 2009 file photo, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius greets visitors to her office in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo by Orlin Wagner)

• In the coming years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will face new pressures as Medicare expenditures rise, according to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office. GAO also maintains that the next secretary will have to develop payment reforms to control spending, work on improving the program’s quality and address several management concerns.

• Following the deadly salmonella outbreak, critics are questioning the Food and Drug Administration’s ability to protect the nation’s food supply and the safety and efficacy of medical products. A recent GAO report noted the FDA’s resources had not “increased in proportion to the growing demands placed on it,” compromising the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission. Sebelius will likely face early questions about proposals to merge the FDA’s food safety inspection efforts with other government agencies that have similar responsibilities. Observers also note shortages in the nation’s public health workforce and HHS’s preparations for potential public health emergencies.

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