Senate Confirms Indiana Health Care Consultant To Head Medicare, Medicaid

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump's pick to run the Medicare and Medicaid agency, the $1 trillion organization overseeing health insurance programs for more than 130 million Americans.

Indiana health care consultant Seema Verma is a protégé of Vice President Mike Pence. She was approved Monday by a 55-43 vote.

Verma will head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which is slated for sweeping changes under the House Republican health care bill backed by Trump.

That legislation would roll back key elements of former President Barack Obama's health care law and limit future federal financing for Medicaid, which serves more than 70 million low-income people.

Verma has a background in public health, and says she wants government programs to improve health, not just pay bills.