[background noises] [inaudible conversations] [background noises] the committee will come back to order. I now recognize mr. Buchanan from florida. Think it mr. Chairman appreciate the opportunity we also want to thank our witnesses by note ms. Hilton a lot of other offices on the helper you are relentless grandfather 10 children nine and under. I read the country is made up of 25 are kids. They make up one 100 the future so that your work and the Committee Work is huge. I just ask you what i think i tu been involved with nine different states the potential impacts and we can help you and others get the best return for that tax a pair have the biggest impact in terms of the kids in the country. To push in one direction or another. You would be a couple of big things we can make a big difference to weigh in on . Thank you so much. I appreciate your kind words and i appreciate your question. I work at the federal and state level to enact change. At the federal level will be reauthorized
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the newly refurbished i dont want to call it the oversight investigation room. Which is sometimes used by energy and commerce. What a beautiful room. And it will be more conducive to hearings. This is the first of the 115th congress. Welcome here. And welcome to our Witnesses Today. This is our and welcome back to my friend and colleague, Ranking Member from colorado. This is our medicaid oversight hearing on ways to strengthen the problem. The subcommittee convenes this hearing to examine a critical component of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act. Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion. As the Worlds Largest health program, medicaid provides Health Care Coverage for over 70 million americans, and accounts for more than 15 of Health Care Spending in the United States. In 2015 alone, federal taxpayers spent over 350 billion on medicaid. The costs continue to rise each other. The federal share and medicaid spending is expected to rise significantly
Any matters that would present any potential conflict. Chairman hatch do you know of any person or any reason, personal or otherwise, that would in any way prevent you om honorably discharging the responsibilities to the office to which you have been nominated . Ms. Verma i do not. Chairman hatch do you agree without reservation to respond anyreasonable inquiry reasonable summons to appear and testify before any nor any duel constituted committee of the congress if you are confirmed . Ms. Verma i do not. Chairman hatch you are willing to do that . Ms. Verma i am willing to do that. Chairman hatch ok. Finally, do you commit to provide a prompt response in writing to any questions addressed to you by any senator on this committee . Ms. Verma i do. Chairman hatch thank you. Let me now get into just some questions. I know you are aware of the historic bipartisan medicare access and chip reauthorization called i whats macra. Among other things the law got rid of the dreaded s. G. R. Formula
Any matters that would present any potential conflict. Chairman hatch do you know of any person or any reason, personal or otherwise, that would in any way prevent you om honorably discharging the responsibilities to the office to which you have been nominated . Ms. Verma i do not. Chairman hatch do you agree without reservation to respond anyreasonable inquiry reasonable summons to appear and testify before any nor any duel constituted committee of the congress if you are confirmed . Ms. Verma i do not. Chairman hatch you are willing to do that . Ms. Verma i am willing to do that. Chairman hatch ok. Finally, do you commit to provide a prompt response in writing to any questions addressed to you by any senator on this committee . Ms. Verma i do. Chairman hatch thank you. Let me now get into just some questions. I know you are aware of the historic bipartisan medicare access and chip reauthorization called i whats macra. Among other things the law got rid of the dreaded s. G. R. Formula
The committee will come to order. Id like to welcome everyone to the this mornings hearing. Today we consider the nomination of sima vermia to serve as administrator for the centers for medicaid and mediCare Services. Welcome. Were so happy to have you here and your family as well. I appreciate your willingness to lead this key agency at this critical time. And i see that your family joined you here today to lend support, so i extend a warm welcome to all of you and to them as well. Cms is the Worlds Largest health insurer. Covering over one third of the u. S. Population through medicare and medicaid alone. It has a budget of over 1 trillion and it processes over 1. 2 billion claims a year for Services Provided to some of our nations most vulnerable citizens. Having dealt with cms extensively in your capacity as a consultant to numerous state and Medicaid Programs, you know full well the challenges the agency deals with on a daily basis. I suspect you also know that the job youve been