Seema Verma

Born in Virginia, Verma was a first-generation Indian American. She and her family moved several times, living in small towns such as Joplin, Missouri, and larger cities such as the Washington D.C. area. She also lived in Taiwan for five years while growing up.{{cite news |last1=Morrison |first1=Janelle |date=September 2017 |title=Seema Verma: A Carmel Resident in Charge of American Healthcare |url=https://carmelmonthlymagazine.com/seema-verma-carmel-resident-charge-american-healthcare/ |work=Carmel Monthly Magazine |access-date=August 18, 2022}} In 1988, she graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland.{{Cite web |url=https://old-friends.co/class.php?s=21052&c=1988 |title=Eleanor Roosevelt High School - CLASS OF 1988|access-date=2022-05-24 |website=old-friends.co}} Verma's father, Jugal Verma, said his daughter "grew up in a Democratic household."{{Cite web |title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Seema Verma |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-03-15/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-seema-verma |access-date=May 24, 2022 |website=U.S. News & World Report}}

Verma received a bachelor's degree in life sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1993. She earned a Master of Public Health, with a concentration in health policy and management, from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 1996.{{cite news|title=Donald Trump meets with Dr. [sic] Seema Verma, who may help in restructuring Obamacare|url=https://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2016/11/22/donald-trump-meets-with-dr-seema-verma-who-may-help-in-restructuring-obamacare419697/|work=The American Bazaar|date=November 22, 2016}}

Verma was vice president of the Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County,{{cite news|last1=Cook|first1=Tony|title=Seema Verma, powerful state health-care consultant, serves two bosses|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2014/08/25/powerful-state-healthcare-consultant-serves-two-bosses/14468683/|work=The Indianapolis Star|date=August 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161217104719/http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2014/08/25/powerful-state-healthcare-consultant-serves-two-bosses/14468683/|archive-date=December 17, 2016|url-status=live}} and worked at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials in Washington, D.C.{{cite news|last1=Pradhan|first1=Rachana|date=November 29, 2016|title=Trump picks Seema Verma to head Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services|work=Politico|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/11/seema-verma-to-head-centers-for-medicare-and-medicaid-services-231921}}

Verma founded health policy consulting firm SVC, Inc. in June 2001. She was president and CEO of the company, which worked with state insurance and public health agencies for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. SVC also assisted Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and Kentucky, as well as other states, in the design of Medicaid expansion programs under the ACA.

In 2006, Verma's team began pitching policies which would "provide government-funded health insurance to the working poor." She approached Gov. Mitch Daniels with a Medicaid alternative, featuring health savings accounts that required participants to contribute monthly, even if only a few dollars.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/29/politics/seema-verma-senate-health-care-bill/index.html|title=Who is Seema Verma? The behind-the-scenes player helping Republicans on health care|website=CNN|date=September 29, 2017|author=Eric Bradner|access-date=February 23, 2024}} This proposal eventually became the Healthy Indiana Plan, which expanded coverage options to low-income individuals with employer-sponsored healthcare coverage.{{cite web|url=https://revcycleintelligence.com/news/senate-confirms-seema-verma-as-next-cms-administrator|title=Senate Confirms Seema Verma as Next CMS Administrator|website=Revcycle Intelligence|date=March 14, 2017|author=Jacqueline LaPointe|access-date=February 23, 2024}}

In her work with Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, she developed Medicaid reform programs under the Section 1115 waiver process.{{cite news |last=Newkirk, II |first=Vann R. |date=February 17, 2017 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/seema-vermas-vision-for-medicaid/517077/ |title=Seema Verma's Austere Vision for Medicaid |work=The Atlantic |access-date=March 26, 2017 }}{{cite news |last=Glenza |first=Jessica |date=December 4, 2016 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/04/seema-verma-trump-centers-medicare-medicaid-cms |title=Trump's pick for key health post known for punitive Medicaid plan |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=March 26, 2017 }}

In 2014, ethics concerns were raised over a potential conflict of interest arising from Verma's dual roles as both a health care consultant for the State of Indiana and as an employee of a Hewlett-Packard division that is among Indiana's largest Medicaid vendors. SVC, Inc. had been awarded over $6.6 million in contracts from the State of Indiana, while Verma was concurrently employed with Hewlett-Packard, earning her over $1 million during a period when the company had secured $500 million in State of Indiana contracts.{{cite news|last1=Cook|first1=Tony|title=5 loopholes in Indiana's ethics laws |url=http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/12/loopholes-indianas-ethics-laws/20308281/|work=The Indianapolis Star |date=December 12, 2014}}{{Cite web|last2=Johnson|first1=Brian |last1=Slodysko |first2=Carla K.|title=Pick for Medicare post faces questions on Indiana contracts|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/money/2017/02/15/pick-medicare-post-faces-questions-indiana-contracts/97936078/|access-date=March 3, 2021|website=The Indianapolis Star|language=en-US}} In 2016, her firm collected $316,000 for work done for the State of Kentucky as a subcontractor for Hewlett-Packard, according to documents obtained by the AP through public records requests.{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Brian Slodysko, Carla K.|title=Trump pick for Medicare post faces questions on Indiana contracts|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-seema-verma-indiana-contracts-20170214-story.html|access-date=2021-06-12|website=chicagotribune.com|date=February 14, 2017 }} Richard Painter, former President George W. Bush's chief ethics lawyer, called Verma's arrangement a "conflict of interest" that "clearly should not happen and is definitely improper." Ethics experts noted this conflicted with her public duties.

File:White House Coronavirus Update (49797211413).jpg from the White House press briefing room on April 19, 2020]]

On November 29, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to nominate Verma to serve as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that oversees Medicare, Medicaid, and the insurance markets.{{cite news |last1=Sanger-Katz |first1=Margot |title=A Trump Pick, and Why Indiana's Strict Medicaid Rules Could Spread |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/01/upshot/a-trump-pick-and-why-indianas-strict-medicaid-rules-could-spread.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 1, 2016}} On March 13, 2017, the United States Senate confirmed her nomination in a 55–43 vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/115-2017/s86|title=On the Nomination PN49: Seema Verma, of Indiana, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services|work=GovTrack|date=March 13, 2017|access-date=March 14, 2017}}

One of her first actions was to send a letter to the nation's governors, urging them to impose insurance premiums for Medicaid, charge Medicaid recipients for emergency room visits, and encourage recipients to obtain employment or job training as a requirement for Medicaid coverage.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/on-first-day-in-office-new-medicaid-chief-urges-states-to-charge-premiums-prod-recipients-to-get-jobs/2017/03/15/8d36c480-0928-11e7-a15f-a58d4a988474_story.html |title=On first day in office, new Medicaid chief urges states to charge premiums, prod recipients to get jobs |first=Amy |last=Goldstein |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 15, 2017}}{{Cite web|last=Fadulu|first=Lola|date=2019-04-12|title=Why States Want Certain Americans to Work for Medicaid|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/04/medicaid-work-requirements-seema-verma-cms/587026/|access-date=2021-06-12|website=The Atlantic|language=en}} She was supportive of President Trump signing into law legislation that permitted states to withhold federal funds from facilities that provide abortions.{{Cite web |title=Seema Verma on Abortion Funding |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?426964-1/seema-verma-abortion-funding# |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=www.c-span.org}}

Verma is a harsh critic of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) calling it a "failure".{{Cite web|last=Page|first=Susan|title=Medicaid chief Seema Verma blames Obamacare's collapse on its founders|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/30/medicaid-chief-seema-verma-blames-obamacare-collapse-founders-medicare/102313242/|access-date=2021-06-19|website=USA Today|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=We can thank #Obamacare's failure to deliver affordable healthcare to the American people for the rise of the uninsured in 2018 reported by Census. |url=https://twitter.com/seemacms/status/1172589661753159680|access-date=2021-06-19|website=Twitter|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Remarks by Administrator Seema Verma at the America's Health Insurance Plan's (AHIP) 2019 National Conference on Medicare {{!}} CMS|url=https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/remarks-administrator-seema-verma-americas-health-insurance-plans-ahip-2019-national-conference|access-date=2021-06-19|website=www.cms.gov}}{{Cite web|date=2019-12-06|title=Seema Verma's bold initiatives land her in No. 1 Most Influential spot|url=https://www.modernhealthcare.com/people/seema-vermas-bold-initiatives-land-her-no-1-most-influential-spot|access-date=2021-06-19|website=Modern Healthcare|language=en}} Throughout her tenure at CMS, she led President Trump's charge to repeal and replace Obamacare.{{Cite web|date=2019-08-16|title=Verma Says Administration Is 'Working On' Plan To Replace Obamacare|url=https://khn.org/morning-breakout/verma-says-administration-is-working-on-plan-to-replace-obamacare/|access-date=2021-06-19|website=Kaiser Health News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Page|first=Susan|title=Medicaid chief Seema Verma blames Obamacare's collapse on its founders|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/30/medicaid-chief-seema-verma-blames-obamacare-collapse-founders-medicare/102313242/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=USA Today|language=en-US}} Verma made substantial cuts to the ACA Navigator program, making it more difficult for individuals to obtain coverage during open enrollment.{{Cite web|title=Seema Verma defends cuts to ACA Navigator program, commitment to states' 'flexibility'|url=https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/hospitals-health-systems/verma-defends-cuts-to-aca-navigator-program|access-date=2021-06-19|website=FierceHealthcare|date=July 13, 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dickson |first=Virgil |date=2018-07-13 |title=Verma defends cuts to navigators and halting risk adjustment payments |url=https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2018/07/verma-defends-cuts-to-navigators-and-halting-risk-adjustment-payments/ |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=Association of Health Care Journalists |language=en-US}} On July 25, 2018, Verma gave a speech{{Citation|title=MEDICARE AND MEDICAID ADMINISTRATOR SEEMA VERMA|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uKSZKKHWeY|publication-date=July 25, 2018|publisher=YouTube|language=en|access-date=December 8, 2019}} in San Francisco in which she criticized proposals for "Medicare for all". She stated that single-payer health care would destroy Medicare, which provides insurance for elderly people, and lead to "Medicare for None."{{Cite web|last=Diamond|first=Dan|title=Medicare chief asked taxpayers to cover stolen jewelry|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/07/medicare-chief-asked-taxpayers-to-cover-stolen-jewelry-077761|access-date=December 8, 2019|website=Politico|date=December 7, 2019 |language=en}}

Politico reported that Verma clashed with HHS Secretary Alex Azar over which plans would replace Obamacare, who would get credit for those efforts, and Verma's attempts to accompany the President on Air Force One instead of Azar.{{cite news|title=Clashes among top HHS officials undermine Trump agenda|newspaper=Politico|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/26/hhs-trump-azar-verma-074149}} Verma accused Azar of sex discrimination; an inquiry by a former Trump HHS official, Heather Flick, concluded that Azar had not discriminated.{{Cite web|last2=Owens|first1=Jonathan |last1=Swan |first2=Caitlin |title=Tensions among top Trump health officials led to outside probe|url=https://www.axios.com/hhs-outside-counsel-azar-verma-5814feb0-aae9-4096-81c2-2f452bb223a6.html|access-date=January 29, 2021|website=Axios|date=December 7, 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Azar, Verma battle for Trump's favor amid White House showdown|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/11/azar-verma-trump-082816|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=Politico|date=December 11, 2019 |language=en}} It was not the first clash Verma had with high-level officials. Flick's inquiry reportedly said Verma had discussed with a lawyer a possible hostile work environment claim against then-HHS Secretary Tom Price; Verma denied she had done this.{{cite news|title=Medicare chief sought to bring complaints against previous boss, as well|newspaper=Politico|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/10/seema-verma-tom-price-081059}}

The clashes extended to co-workers at CMS, as Verma was cited by her first Chief of Staff in an HHS investigative report as being "insecure" and someone who "lashes out" at subordinates. Verma quickly assigned her next Chief of Staff to Baltimore, "shutting him out" of her inner circle in Washington.{{Cite web|title=Azar, Verma battle for Trump's favor amid White House showdown|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/11/azar-verma-trump-082816|access-date=2021-06-12|website=Politico|date=December 11, 2019 |language=en}} Verma ultimately cycled through 5 Chiefs of Staff and 5 Medicaid directors during her term. Modern Healthcare reported that Verma's subordinate and former Medicaid director abruptly quit the agency after a disagreement "erupted" between them.{{Cite web|date=2018-01-23|title=Pence ally Brian Neale exiting CMS Medicaid post|url=https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20180123/NEWS/180129962/pence-ally-brian-neale-exiting-cms-medicaid-post|access-date=2021-06-12|website=Modern Healthcare|language=en}} This led Verma to ban the Modern Healthcare reporter from future media calls with CMS.{{Cite web|last=Savransky|first=Rebecca|date=2018-02-05|title=Reporter says he was threatened with ban from press calls after declining to alter story: report|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/372296-reporter-threatened-with-ban-from-press-calls-after-declining-to-alter-story|access-date=2021-06-12|website=The Hill|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=2020-09-10|title=Investigation of Medicare Chief Exposes Underside of Washington (Published 2020)|work=The New York Times |language=en|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/us/politics/seema-verma-investigation.html|access-date=2021-11-16 |last1=Williamson |first1=Elizabeth }} The president of the Association of Health Care Journalists condemned this action as "bullying" and commented that "Verma seems to think she can bury inconvenient facts by threatening reporters with blacklisting."{{Cite web|last=Freyer|first=Felice J.|date=2018-02-06|title=CMS threatens to bar Modern Healthcare from press calls after reporter refuses to alter story|url=https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2018/02/cms-threatens-to-bar-modern-healthcare-from-press-calls-after-reporter-refuses-to-alter-story/|access-date=2021-06-12|website=Association of Health Care Journalists|language=en-US}}

On March 2, 2020, the office of Vice President Mike Pence announced Verma's addition to the White House Coronavirus Task Force.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/485513-white-house-adds-va-secretary-cms-chief-to-coronavirus-task-force|title=White House adds VA secretary, CMS chief to coronavirus task force|last=Lejeune|first=Tristan|date=March 2, 2020|website=The Hill|language=en|access-date=April 13, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Indian-American Seema Verma appointed as key member of US government's coronavirus task force|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2020/mar/03/indian-american-seema-verma-appointed-as-key-member-of-us-governments-coronavirus-task-force-2111530.html|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=The New Indian Express|date=March 3, 2020 }} As a part of the taskforce, Verma introduced temporary waivers and regulatory flexibilities for hospitals and healthcare providers.{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Mary Louise |date=2020-03-31 |title=To Stop The Pandemic, Seema Verma Is 'Getting Rid Of A Lot Of Regulations' |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/31/824484234/to-stop-the-pandemic-seema-verma-is-getting-rid-of-a-lot-of-regulations?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-04-11 |work=NPR |language=en}}

In the weeks leading up to the 2020 election, she pushed Medicare career civil servant officials to finalize a plan to issue $200 cards before the November 3 election, branded with Trump's name, for Medicare recipients to use on drugs.{{Cite web|last=Diamond|first=Dan|title=Health officials scrambling to produce Trump's 'last-minute' drug cards by Election Day|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/08/seema-verma-mark-meadows-drug-card-plan-427950|access-date=October 29, 2020|website=Politico|date=October 8, 2020 |language=en}} The taxpayer-funded plan was estimated to cost $7.9 billion and draw from Medicare's trust fund.

One of the priorities during her tenure as CMS administrator was to make it possible for states to implement work requirements for Medicaid.{{Cite news|last1=Kliff|first1=Sarah|last2=Sanger-Katz|first2=Margot|date=February 12, 2021|title=Biden Administration Moves to End Work Requirements in Medicaid|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/upshot/biden-medicaid-reversing-trump.html|access-date=February 13, 2021|issn=0362-4331}} The Biden administration sought to reverse those moves. She submitted her resignation from the Trump administration 7 days after the 2021 United States Capitol insurrection, but served until the end of the administration.{{Cite web|title=Indian-American Seema Verma Quits Donald Trump's Administration|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/world-news-indian-american-seema-verma-quits-donald-trumps-administration/370729|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=www.outlookindia.com/|date=January 16, 2021 }}{{Cite news|title=Indian-American Seema Verma resigns as CMS administrator|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/indian-american-seema-verma-resigns-as-cms-administrator/articleshow/80298680.cms|access-date=February 16, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/pharma-and-life-sciences/seema-verma-to-step-down-as-medicare-medicaid-director|title=Seema Verma to Step Down as Medicare, Medicaid Director|website=Bloomberg Law|date=January 15, 2021|author=Tony Pugh|access-date=October 13, 2023}}

On August 20, 2018, Verma filed a claim requesting that taxpayers reimburse her for jewelry and other items she alleged was stolen on a work-related trip to San Francisco, including a $5,900 Ivanka Trump-brand pendant.{{Cite web |last=Diamond |first=Dan |date=2019-12-07 |title=Medicare chief asked taxpayers to cover stolen jewelry |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/07/medicare-chief-asked-taxpayers-to-cover-stolen-jewelry-077761 |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-12-09 |title=HHS defends Trump appointee over lost jewelry claim |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/hhs-defends-trump-appointee-over-lost-jewelry-claim |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |date=2019-12-09 |title=HHS defends Trump health appointee over lost jewelry claim |url=https://apnews.com/hhs-defends-trump-health-appointee-over-lost-jewelry-claim-9be60bacf2f48c2e1697543473838268 |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=AP News |language=en}} Although she requested $47,000,{{Cite web|last=Mark|first=Michelle|title=A top Trump health appointee reportedly tried to get taxpayers to reimburse her for $47,000 in jewelry that got stolen from a rented SUV|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/seema-verma-stolen-jewelry-claim-47000-reimbursement-2019-12|access-date=March 3, 2021|website=Business Insider}} she ultimately received $2,852.40 in reimbursement. Democratic Representative Joe Kennedy III called on Verma to resign immediately, calling her actions a taxpayer "bailout for stolen goods she chose not to insure".{{Cite web|last=Cummings|first=William|title=Rep. Kennedy calls on Trump health care administrator to resign over $47,000 stolen property claim|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/12/10/joe-kennedy-demands-seems-verma-resignation/4383261002/|access-date=2021-06-12|website=USA Today|language=en-US}}

In March 2019, Politico reported that in her role as CMS administrator, Verma approved communications subcontracts worth more than $2 million of taxpayer funds to Republican-connected communications consultants and other expenses to boost her visibility and public image, leading to federal ethics and criminal investigations. Included in the consultants' work were proposals to have Verma featured in magazines like Glamour and have her invited to prestigious events to increase her public persona.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/29/seema-verma-contracts-1306652|title=Exclusive: Key Trump health official spends millions on GOP-connected consultants |first1=Adam |last1=Cancryn |first2=Dan |last2=Diamon |date=March 29, 2019|newspaper=Politico}}{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/20/contractor-glamour-magazine-profile-seema-verma-071727 |first1=Dan |last1=Diamond |first2=Adam |last2=Cancryn |title=Contractor proposed Glamour magazine profile for Medicaid chief|date=November 20, 2019|newspaper=Politico}} Verma made an effort to purchase awards and honors for herself using taxpayer dollars.{{Cite web|title=$2,933 for 'Girl's Night': Medicaid chief's consulting expenses revealed|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/10/seema-verma-medicaid-expenses-411539|access-date=March 1, 2021|website=Politico |first1=Dan |last1=Diamond |first2=Adam |last2=Cancryn |date=September 10, 2020 }} In July 2020, the HHS Inspector General reported that Verma spent more than $5 million in taxpayer funds to do communications work, and to help raise her profile. The report, a result of a 15-month investigation, concluded that Verma violated federal contracting rules: "CMS improperly administered the contracts and created improper employer-employee relationships between CMS and the contractors".{{cite news |last1=Abutaleb |first1=Yasmeen |title=Top health official violated federal contracting rules, HHS inspector general finds |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/07/16/verma-violated-contracting-rules/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=July 17, 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Diamond |first1=Dan |last2=Cancryn |first2=Adam |title=Inspector general: Medicare chief broke rules on her publicity contracts |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/16/medicare-chief-rules-publicity-contracts-365482 |website=Politico|access-date=May 27, 2021 |language=en |date=July 16, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=$2,933 for 'Girl's Night': Medicaid chief's consulting expenses revealed|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/10/seema-verma-medicaid-expenses-411539|access-date=September 10, 2020|website=Politico|date=September 10, 2020 |language=en}}

In September 2020, Democrats on four congressional committees concluded that she "may have violated federal law," leading Congress to request a formal legal opinion from the Government Accountability Office.{{Cite web|date=September 10, 2020|title=Democratic Committee Leaders Release Report Detailing Abuse of Taxpayer Funds by Top Trump Administration Official Charged with Overseeing Federal Health Care Programs|url=https://energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/democratic-committee-leaders-release-report-detailing-abuse-of-taxpayer|access-date=March 2, 2021|website=Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee|language=en}} The report from GAO, issued in 2023, concluded that CMS did not violate the purpose statute, publicity or propaganda prohibition, or publicity experts prohibition when it obligated appropriations for task orders for communication services.{{Cite web |last=Office |first=U. S. Government Accountability |title=U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Obligations for Communication Services {{!}} U.S. GAO |url=https://www.gao.gov/products/b-332531 |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=www.gao.gov |language=en}}

Verma spent more than $3.5 million on Republican Party-aligned consultants to promote her. Verma spent nearly $3,000 in taxpayer dollars on consulting fees for organizing a "Girl's Night" party thrown in her honor, hundreds of dollars for makeup artists, as well as $13,000 to promote herself to win awards and appear on panels. Verma's consultants aimed to place her on profile-enhancing lists, such as the Washingtonian's "Most Powerful Women in Washington" list, targeted media outlets for Verma with no clear connection to CMS initiatives (such as "Badass Women of DC"), and generated ideas for potential social events for Verma to attend, such as the Ford's Theatre Gala, Kennedy Center Honors, and Motion Picture Association events.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-10|title=Democratic Committee Leaders Release Report Detailing Abuse of Taxpayer Funds by Top Trump Administration Official|url=https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/democratic-committee-leaders-release-report-detailing-abuse-of-taxpayer-funds-by|access-date=2021-06-12|website=House Committee on Oversight and Reform|language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-11-20 |title=Contractor proposed Glamour magazine profile for Medicaid chief |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/20/contractor-glamour-magazine-profile-seema-verma-071727 |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Amy |date=2019-11-21 |title=Top Trump health official spent $3 million on contractors who helped boost her visibility |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/top-trump-health-official-spent-3-million-on-consultants-who-helped-boost-her-visibility/2019/11/20/67c342c2-0ae8-11ea-97ac-a7ccc8dd1ebc_story.html |access-date=2023-10-14 |issn=0190-8286}} The consultants provided her with talking points on repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017 and helped her write a 2018 opinion column under her name in the Washington Post, arguing for Medicaid work requirements. Verma billed CMS up to $380 per hour for her travel entourage,{{cite news |last1=Diamond |first1=Dan |last2=Cancryn |first2=Adam |date=September 10, 2020 |title=$2,933 for 'Girl's Night': Medicaid chief's consulting expenses revealed |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/10/seema-verma-medicaid-expenses-411539 |work=Politico|access-date=August 15, 2022}} as well as drivers at a rate up to $203 per hour and hotel rooms that cost more than $500 per night. Because these consultants led communications efforts on major policy initiatives and rollouts, CMS leadership provided them with access to sensitive information on proposed rule-makings, internal plans for anticipated policy roll-outs, and other potentially non-public, market-sensitive information.{{Cite web|date=September 10, 2020|title=Democratic Committee Leaders Release Report Detailing Abuse of Taxpayer Funds by Top Trump Administration Official|url=https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/democratic-committee-leaders-release-report-detailing-abuse-of-taxpayer-funds-by|access-date=May 26, 2021|website=House Committee on Oversight and Reform|language=en}} {{PD-notice}} One of the outside consultants that Verma paid was Marcus Barlow, who had been her spokesperson at her former consulting firm SVC and who worked on three separate contracts for CMS.{{Cite news|last=Williamson|first=Elizabeth|date=September 10, 2020|title=Investigation of Medicare Chief Exposes Underside of Washington|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/us/politics/seema-verma-investigation.html|access-date=September 11, 2020|issn=0362-4331}} According to the New York Times, Barlow's earnings between $209–$230 an hour worked out to more than double the salary he would have received as a federal employee. As late as December 2020 during Verma's tenure, Barlow accompanied Verma and other CMS officials to an official function at the White House.{{Cite web|last1=Cancryn|first1=Adam|last2=Diamond|first2=Dan|title=Moderna's vaccine is on the way|url=https://politi.co/3p2Jpvp|access-date=2021-06-12|website=Politico|date=December 18, 2020 |language=en}}

In 2021, Verma said she lost her CMS-issued cell phone two days before President Biden's inauguration, resulting in the elimination of all of its stored records. Verma then failed to complete the standard form explaining how she lost her phone, the court records state. Verma was issued a new iPhone on January 18, which she returned nine days later. Records from that phone can not be accessed because the phone was locked and Verma said she had forgotten her passcode.{{Cite web|last1=Cancryn|first1=Adam|last2=Owermohle|first2=Sarah|title=Emergent faces congressional grilling|url=https://politi.co/3otgstD|access-date=May 20, 2021|website=Politico|date=May 19, 2021 |language=en}}

Verma told reporters she had "no regrets" about her actions or tenure.{{Cite web|last=Leonard|first=Kimberly|title=Seema Verma says she has 'no regrets' about her healthcare tenure in the Trump administration even after much backlash|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/seema-verma-has-no-regrets-medicare-medicaid-obamacare-trump-2021-1|access-date=2021-06-13|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Coombs|first=Bertha|date=2021-01-13|title=Resigning from Trump administration would be 'a dereliction of duty' amid Covid pandemic, Medicare chief Verma says|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/13/medicare-chief-verma-resigning-a-dereliction-of-duty-amid-covid.html|access-date=2021-06-13|website=CNBC|language=en}} Verma joined the board of multiple healthcare firms.{{Cite web|url=https://homehealthcarenews.com/2021/10/former-cms-chief-seema-verma-government-programs-must-keep-pace-with-home-based-care-innovation/|title=Former CMS Chief Seema Verma: Government Programs Must Keep Pace with Home-Based Care Innovation|first=Robert|last=Holly|date=October 6, 2021|website=Home Health Care News}} She was appointed as general manager and senior vice president at the Oracle Corporation in April 2023, reporting to Mike Sicilia.{{Cite web |title=Oracle Appoints Seema Verma to Lead Oracle Life Sciences |url=https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/oracle-appoints-seema-verma-to-lead-oracle-life-sciences-2023-04-20/}}{{cite web|url=https://healthexec.com/topics/healthcare-management/leadership/seema-verma-former-cms-head-joins-oracle|title=Seema Verma, former CMS head, joins Oracle|website=Health Exec|date=April 21, 2023|author=Amy Baxter|access-date=October 13, 2023}} In January 2024, her role was expanded to executive vice president, and she now oversees Oracle Health.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-31/oracle-taps-former-trump-official-verma-to-lead-cerner-digital-records-unit?embedded-checkout=true|title=Oracle Taps Former Trump Official Seema Verma to Lead Cerner Business|website=Bloomberg|date=January 31, 2024|author=Brody Ford|access-date=February 23, 2024}}

Born in Virginia, Verma moved several times across the United States with her family, and once lived in Taiwan for five years, before settling in the greater Indianapolis area.{{cite web|url=http://carmelmonthlymagazine.com/seema-verma-carmel-resident-charge-american-healthcare/|title=Seema Verma: A Carmel Resident in Charge of American Health Care |location= Carmel, Indiana|date=August 30, 2017|work=Carmel Monthly Magazine|access-date=June 15, 2018}} Verma and her family live in Carmel, Indiana.

{{Reflist}}

• {{C-SPAN|106897}}
• [https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/leadership/ Biography at CMS.gov]
• {{cite news|last1=Roob|first1=Mitchell|last2=Verma|first2=Seema|title=Indiana: Health Care Reform Amidst Colliding Values|url=http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2008/05/01/indiana-health-care-reform-amidst-colliding-values/|work=Health Affairs|date=May 1, 2008}}
• {{cite AV media |people=Seema Verma |date=September 19, 2016 |title=Why Indiana H.I.P. 2.0 Works & Obamacare Fails |medium=Radio broadcast |url=http://www.wibc.com/blogs/garrison/segments-interviews/why-indiana-hip-20-works-obamacare-fails |access-date=November 29, 2016 |publisher=91.3 WIBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130184554/http://www.wibc.com/blogs/garrison/segments-interviews/why-indiana-hip-20-works-obamacare-fails |archive-date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

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Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:American health care chief executives

Category:American politicians of Indian descent

Category:American public health doctors

Category:American women chief executives

Category:Indiana Republicans

Category:Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health alumni

Category:Businesspeople from Indiana

Category:First Trump administration personnel

Category:United States Department of Health and Human Services officials

Category:21st-century American women physicians

Category:21st-century American physicians

Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni

Category:21st-century American women civil servants

Category:American women public health doctors

Category:Asian conservatism in the United States