A recording of this news briefing is now available. Click here.
If you work in one of the states that is not developing its own health insurance exchange, here is your chance to get the scoop on the federal exchange or ones operated through federal state partnerships. This phone-web conference, sponsored by AHCJ, will give you direct access to question and quote officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services who are involved in developing this critical aspect of Obamacare. Up to 100 AHCJ members can access the conference via their computers – attendance will be first come, first served. Questions will be submitted during the conference and an AHCJ moderator will pose them to the CMS officials for on-the-record answers.
- Gary Cohen, deputy administrator and director, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight
- Julie Bataille, director, CMS Office of Communications
- Moderator: Tony Leys, health care reporter, The Des Moines Register
1:30-2 p.m. Eastern time, Thursday, Sept. 26.
Gary Cohen joined CMS in August as deputy administrator and director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). Cohen returned to CMS to lead the implementation of a major component of the ACA from his most recent position as chief counsel to the California Health Benefit Exchange Board. Previously, Cohen was the director of the Oversight Group at CCIIO, responsible for implementation, compliance and enforcement of the market rules, medical loss ratio, and rate review provisions. In previous positions, he served as deputy commissioner and general counsel for the California Department of Insurance, chief of staff to then-Congressman John Garamendi and general counsel of the California Public Utilities Commission.
Julie Bataille leads strategic communications efforts for federal programs delivering health care to millions of Americans. She oversees communications planning, marketing, creative services, web strategy, media relations and call center operations. Before joining CMS, Bataille was the associate vice president of communications for Georgetown University. She served as deputy director of communications for Vice President Gore and the Gore 2000 Presidential Campaign and was press Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. She was an assistant press secretary at the White House during the Clinton administration and began her career in the office of then-Sen. Joe Biden.
Tony Leys is a health care reporter at The Des Moines Register, where he has worked since 1988. He was a 2011-12 AHCJ Regional Health Journalism Fellow.