Biography of Tom Scully

Tom Scully was confirmed by the United States Senate and was sworn in as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in May 2001. As the administrator of CMS, Tom served as CEO of the largest health insurance organization in the world. CMS is responsible for the management of Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and other national healthcare initiatives. CMS has the second-largest budget outlay of the federal government. The organization is directly responsible for $1 out of every $3 spent on healthcare in United States. The organization insures approximately 25 percent of the United States population – more than 70 million beneficiaries – including the elderly, disabled and some of the lowest income individuals in the country. CMS processes more than 1 billion claims each year and it contracts with approximately 1 million providers.

Prior to assuming responsibility as CMS Administrator, Tom served as president and chief executive officer of the Federation of American Hospitals, the trade association representing the nation’s 1700 privately owned and managed community hospitals and health systems from January 1995 to May 2001.

Previously, Scully was a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Patton Boggs, LLP. His practice focused on regulatory and legislative work in health care. Before joining the law firm, Scully worked at the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and Counselor to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from 1992 to 1993, and as Associate Director of OMB for Human Resources, Veterans and Labor from 1989 to 1992. In these positions, he oversaw the fiscal policy and regulatory review of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor and Veterans Affairs. He also advised President Bush on health care policy, Medicare and Medicaid payment reform.

In 1988, Mr. Scully served on the communications staff of the Bush-Quayle campaign and as Deputy Director of Congressional Affairs for the President-Elect’s transition team. From 1986-88, he was an attorney with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP. He also worked on Capitol Hill from 1981 to 1985 as staff assistant to United States Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA), and from 1979 to 1981 at the Federal Election Commission. Scully served on the Board of Directors of Oxford Health Plans and of DaVita Corporation, two of the nation’s largest healthcare service providers prior to assuming his position as Administrator of CMS.

Mr. Scully holds a Juris Doctor degree from Catholic University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.