Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., sent a letter to the CMS general counsel regarding possible ethics violations by Seema Verma, the agency's administrator.
Mr. Wyden is alleging Ms. Verma has been involved in the review of ACA waiver applications for states she worked with as a consultant before her appointment to CMS.
As part of Ms. Verma's ethics agreement, she is not allowed to review waiver applications for states that contracted her services as a consultant. However, recent statements by the governors of Iowa, Arkansas and Kentucky — three states that worked with Ms. Verma before she joined CMS — indicate she has been actively involved in the review process.
"I request that you immediately investigate whether Administrator Verma's actions comply with her agreements and the federal ethics requirements," Mr. Wyden writes. "I also am seeking information about the steps that Office of the General Counsel has taken to ensure that Administrator Verma is complying with her ethics agreements as well as applicable federal laws and regulations."
The waivers submitted by Arkansas and Kentucky sought to impose work requirements for Medicaid enrollees, while Iowa's waiver related to regulations for the state's ACA exchange.