Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services
Headquarters: 7500
Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21244
Phone: 410-786-3000
Employees: 6,000
Administrator: Andy Slavitt
Website:
http://www.cms.gov
Career
Page
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) is a federal agency within the United States Health and
Human Services Department. CMS is mainly responsible for directing
the Medicare program, the Medicaid program, and the State Children's
Insurance Program (SCHIP).
CMS is the largest purchaser of health care in the United States. Medicare and Medicaid combined pay about one-third of the Nation’s health expenditures.
Federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid in 2015 was $913.4 billion.
The agency's budget outlays in Fiscal 2015 were $2.5 billion.
Medicare
Medicare provides health insurance to adults who are 65 years
and older and to younger people with certain serious illnesses
and disabilities.
Medicaid
Medicaid is only available to certain people who fall into 25
specific categories, such as pregnant women, nursing home patients,
children and teenagers, people who are blind or disabled, or
elderly people, etc. Generally speaking, Medicaid is available
to low-income people who are disabled and cannot otherwise afford
insurance. Medicaid standards vary from state to state.
State Children's Insurance Program
SCHIP is strictly dedicated to providing insurance for low-income
children.
The Medicare and Medicaid programs were
signed into law on July 30, 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson.
CMS has headquarters in Baltimore.
This agency employees 4,100 federal employees.
Its 10 regional offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco,
and Seattle.
Andy Slavitt was named Acting Administrator of the agency in 2015.
Updated October 8, 2015
