To put a finer point on this: we’re going from an administration that championed work requirements in Medicaid to an administration that has hired Ben Sommers—who’s led the best research in recent years on these work requirements—to be Deputy Assistant Secretary at ASPE.
— Adrianna McIntyre (@onceuponA) January 20, 2021
Dr. Ben Sommers is both wicked smart and going into the Administration to work on the Department of Health and Human Services internal research and data team.
Nine of his ten most cited papers are Affordable Care Act and/or Medicaid papers. His research on Medicaid work requirements and the implicit administrative burden in Arkansas was critical evidence that partially led to the federal courts to be extremely suspicious of Medicaid work requirements.
Staffing matters.
Dr. Sommers is just one example.
There are a number of people going into HHS (which is where I have a professional interest in knowing who is whom) that have an active interest in making insurance accessible, affordable and usable for as many people as possible.
The staff transition at the deputy undersecretary and deputy assistant levels is going to be a whiplash in what plans can even be discussed much less implemented.