Citing concerns about fraud and abuse in the Medicare program, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has "put 'a hold' on the Senate's floor vote to confirm Nancy-Ann Min DeParle as administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration," The Washington Post reports.
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, Harkin said he wants the confirmation delayed until the Clinton administration takes "dramatic and comprehensive action ... required to stop the hemorrhaging in Medicare." Harkin wants the department "to spend an additional $50 million on efforts to root out fraud, to double audits of Medicare claims and to carry out long-planned reforms to curb excessive payments for ambulance services." He said, "If I don't get that, I can sit on this hold for a long, long time."
Clinton announced in June that he would appoint DeParle to replace outgoing Administrator Bruce Vladeck.
DeParle, who is the former associate director for health and personnel in the Office of Management and Budget, "cited anti-fraud efforts as one of her top priorities" when she testified at her confirmation hearing last month before the Senate Finance Committee. "We must become even more aggressive in our program integrity efforts," she said.
In reply to Harkin's action, HHS spokesperson Laurie Boeder said, "This administration has put unprecedented (priority) on fighting fraud and abuse. Nancy-Ann was part of that fight at OMB. The sooner she is in place (at HCFA), the sooner she can continue that fight."
NEXT STORY: Amtrak Faces Privatization