06-23-2001

HEALTH: Health and Human Services Department Profiles

Established: 1953 (as the Health, Education and Welfare
Department)


Address: 200 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20201


Phone: 202-619-0257


2001 Budget: $429 billion


Employment: 63,100


Web Site: www.dhhs.gov


Functions: HHS administers more than 300 health and service programs,
including medical and social science research; disease prevention and
control; food and drug regulation; Medicare and Medicaid; substance abuse
treatment and prevention; preschool education and services; health
services delivery for American Indians and Alaska natives; child-support
enforcement; maternal and infant health; and financial assistance to
low-income families.


Tommy G. Thompson


Secretary


202-690-7000


Thompson, 59, has been calling himself a compassionate conservative for
years. Indeed, he may be best remembered in Wisconsin, where he was
elected governor for an unprecedented four terms, for aggressively getting
more than 80 percent of the state's welfare population off the dole, while
at the same time substantially increasing spending on state child care,
health care, and other programs to support people who leave welfare for
low-paying jobs. Now the Elroy, Wis., native is in charge of the very
federal agency that frustrated him when he was governor. Thompson
complains that HHS held his program proposals hostage by taking too long
to approve waivers from federal laws. Determined to give states more
flexibility to test ideas, Thompson now directs his employees to find ways
to say yes-and quickly. But Thompson's take-charge attitude has some
observers worried about his ability to get along with the White House,
especially since his ideas about Medicare and the uninsured aren't always
the same as President Bush's. Thompson has also shown an ability to adjust
his approach to suit different jobs, however. Indeed, he approached his
position as minority leader of the Wisconsin state Assembly and his post
as governor very differently. In the Legislature, Thompson was an
aggressive partisan, while as governor he showed some flexibility in
working with Democrats. Thompson began his public service career in 1966
in Wisconsin's state Assembly, becoming minority leader in 1981. He was
elected governor in 1987, and he has served as chairman of the National
Governors Association. Thompson earned both undergraduate and law degrees
from the University of Wisconsin (Madison).


Claude Allen


Deputy Secretary


202-690-6133


States may find a friend in Allen. Like HHS Secretary Thompson, the
40-year-old conservative has pledged to give states greater flexibility to
develop their own health care programs, and "only step in when the
states are not measuring up." Said Thompson: "Claude's
experience and state-level perspective are just what we need." Allen
comes to HHS from Virginia, where he became secretary of health and human
services in 1998. He played a leading role in Virginia's welfare reform,
patients' rights and children's health care initiatives. Allen has been
criticized as being too ideology-driven, and some blame him for not
drawing more children into the state Children's Health Insurance Program.
But even critics say that his Medicaid background will be a big help in
the new job. As Thompson's second in command, Allen will be spending some
time with members of Congress, and he's familiar with the ways of the
Hill, having worked on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
for two years. Allen grew up in North Carolina, and received his
undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill).
He also has a law degree from Duke University.


Josefina Carbonell


Assistant Secretary (designate) for Aging


202-401-4541


Carbonell has been aiding the elderly since she emigrated from Cuba in
1961. She comes to HHS from Miami, where she has been president of the
Little Havana Activities and Nutrition Centers, a nonprofit organization
that provides 41,000 (mostly Hispanic) elderly residents with health,
nutrition, and social services in 16 centers. Carbonell helped start the
group in 1973 and became its president in 1982. She also instituted
employment, health screening, and housing programs in Miami, New Orleans,
and Houston, to assist refugees and immigrants. Carbonell, who is
described as polished and energetic (she serves on dozens of committees
and commissions), is no stranger to Washington. She currently serves on
the board of directors of the National Committee to Preserve Social
Security and Medicare, an advocacy group, and she lobbied for the group on
Capitol Hill during last year's reauthorization of the Older Americans
Act. A priority for her at HHS will be to implement the family-caregiver
support program, which is designed to help get more information and
services to caregivers. Carbonell received an associates in science degree
from the Miami Dade Community College and a degree in public
administration from Florida International University.


Wade Horn


Assistant Secretary (designate) for Children and Families


202-401-2337


This is the second time that Horn, an aggressive advocate for the
two-parent family, will serve at HHS for a Bush. From 1989-93, he was the
commissioner for the department's Children, Youth and Families division,
and was chief of its Children's Bureau. He also served as a presidential
appointee to the National Commission on Children from 1990-93, and on the
National Commission on Childhood Disability from 1994-95. Since leaving
the George H.W. Bush Administration, Horn, 46, has been president of the
National Fatherhood Initiative, an organization that advocates national
policies that promote responsibility and marriage. Horn has suggested
using government welfare money to better educate low-income fathers,
especially those not living with their children. Horn has come under
criticism from some liberals who worry that assistance for dads would come
at the expense of helping single mothers, and who worry that Horn's
suggestions could encourage bad marriages. Horn received his Ph.D. in
clinical child psychology from Southern Illinois University. He has a wife
and two daughters.


David Satcher


Surgeon General


301-443-4000


Satcher was President Clinton's pick for Surgeon General in 1997, and he
is expected to be replaced when his term expires in February 2002. After
contentious issues such as abortion rights sidelined nominee Henry W.
Foster, Clinton tapped Satcher because he had a clean record and didn't
seem to ruffle ideological feathers. As Surgeon General, though, Satcher
has not backed away from controversial topics, including AIDS, mental
health, suicide, and-coming soon-sexual health. He has even advocated
needle exchange for drug addicts. Some attribute his success in tackling
tough issues to his insistence that conclusions be based on the best
scientific evidence available. Under Clinton, Satcher was also the
assistant secretary of health, a post he won't have under Bush. Before
becoming Surgeon General, Satcher was director of the Centers for Disease
Control in Atlanta. He's a family physician who previously was president
of Meharry Medical College. He received his undergraduate degree from
Morehouse College in Atlanta and his master's and doctorate from Case
Western Reserve in Cleveland. Satcher has known since childhood that he
wanted to be a doctor. When he was 8, he once spent a whole day trying to
set the broken leg of a chicken on his parents' farm in Alabama.


Scott Whitaker


Assistant Secretary for Legislation


202-690-7627


Whitaker, 33, spent the past 10 years working for one of the most
influential and conservative Republicans in the Senate-GOP Whip Don
Nickles of Oklahoma. For most of that time, Whitaker concentrated on
health care issues, in particular Medicare and Medicaid policy. As
assistant secretary for legislation, Whitaker will be responsible for
pushing Bush's proposals on modernizing Medicare, including his plans to
create a prescription drug benefit for Medicare and to improve access to
health care for the uninsured. Nickles says that Whitaker is well
prepared. "Scott knows the issues, and he knows Congress. He was a
valuable asset to the Senate, and I'm certain he'll be a valuable asset to
Secretary Thompson and the President." Congressional aides who know
Whitaker describe him as a quiet, diligent worker who doesn't draw a lot
of attention to himself. Whitaker was born in West Palm Beach, Fla., but
grew up in Hobe Sound, Fla. He received his undergraduate degree from Palm
Beach Atlantic College and a master's degree from Johns Hopkins
University.


Janet Hale


Assistant Secretary (designate) for Management and Budget


202-690-6396


Hale, 52, a virtual unknown in the health care world, has extensive
experience in the political and budget arenas. An Ohio native, she held
high-level jobs at HUD, the Transportation Department, and the
all-powerful OMB during the Reagan and first Bush Administrations. When
Clinton took office, Hale became an executive vice president at the
University of Pennsylvania, where she managed a $1.7 billion operating
budget and a $300 million capital budget. She served as chief lobbyist for
the U.S. Telephone Association, as policy director for Elizabeth Dole's
failed presidential bid, and, most recently, as chief finance officer for
the House. Hale is said to have a keen understanding of the appropriations
process, knowledge that will serve her well at HHS. A former colleague
also praises her ability to sift through bureaucratese and "ask the
right questions." Hale received an education degree from Miami
University in Ohio and a master's in public administration from Harvard's
John F. Kennedy School of Government.


Bobby Jindal


Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation


202-690-7858


In 1998, when Jindal was chosen to head the staff of the National
Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, Washington cynics
chuckled, because Jindal was just 26 years old and had had little
experience in Washington or with Medicare. But Jindal won praise for
helping to shape a proposal that laid the groundwork for today's Medicare
reform debate. Now, three years later, at the age of 30, Jindal has
returned for a second stint in Washington, this time as the person
responsible for developing major health reform initiatives, including
modernizing Medicare and expanding coverage for the uninsured. Although
some health care policy makers prefer a more seasoned candidate, Jindal
has plenty of fans who point to his political and management savvy. Before
working on the Medicare commission, Jindal turned around Louisiana's
financially troubled Medicaid program. After the commission disbanded,
Jindal became president of the University of Louisiana system and a
professor of management there. Jindal grew up in Baton Rouge, La. He
received an undergraduate degree from Brown University and a graduate
degree from the University of Oxford.


Kevin Keane


Assistant Secretary (designate) for Public Affairs


202-690-7850


One of Thompson's dozen or so Wisconsinite allies in HHS, Keane has been a
fixture in the former governor's ranks for the past seven years. At 35,
Keane was a natural for the public affairs job, insiders say, because of
his journalism background, fierce competitiveness, and unflagging devotion
to the Secretary. "Kevin's words are the Secretary's words and vice
versa," says fellow Wisconsinite and HHS Chief of Staff Bob Wood.
"The loyalty as well as their work relationship over the years has
allowed them to be on the same page instinctively." Keane's
relationship with Thompson will prove critical in crafting the Secretary's
message on a patients' bill of rights and Medicare reform. Already, Keane
has waded into the contentious debate over the FDA's approval of RU-486
and funding for stem-cell research. He'll also spend time promoting
Thompson's pet projects-sickness prevention and organ donation. Before
joining Thompson's team, Keane was the Washington correspondent for
Thomson newspapers. He then served as the governor's press secretary,
communications director, and eventually executive assistant. Married and a
father of three, Keane graduated from the University of Wisconsin (Eau
Claire).


Alex Azar II


General Counsel (designate)


202-690-7741


Just 34 years old, Azar has put together the classic Washington-lawyer
resume-with a conservative bent. Armed with a J.D. from Yale, Azar became
a clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig on the famously conservative 4th
Circuit Court of Appeals and later for Antonin Scalia, one of Bush's
favorite Supreme Court Justices. Following a stint at Kirkland &
Ellis, Azar was recruited to join Kenneth Starr's independent-counsel team
during the Whitewater investigation. Described as "very
intelligent" and "energetic," he comes to HHS after being
named partner at Wiley, Rein & Fielding, where he was involved in
labor, employment, and commercial litigation. Azar's experience should
help him wade through the arduous task of interpreting regulations and
offering legal advice to the various HHS units. "Alex is principled,
and also practical and very objective," says one former colleague. A
native of Maryland's Eastern Shore, Azar spends his free time reading
religious history tomes, serving on the parish council of his Greek
Orthodox church, and bonding with his 17-month-old daughter. His summa cum
laude undergraduate degree is from Yale, where he double-majored in
economics and government.


Janet Rehnquist


Inspector General (designate)


202-619-3148


Described as "solid," "independent," and
"discreet," Rehnquist comes to HHS with seven years of
experience as assistant U.S. attorney (in the Eastern District of
Virginia) defending federal agencies in civil cases and initiating
litigation under the False Claims Act, especially in the area of health
care fraud. That know-how, coupled with a serious style, will be key as
she takes on her new watchdog role. She'll manage the audits of HHS
programs, operations, grantees, and contractors; conduct broad,
issue-oriented program inspections; and oversee the "special
agents," an armed investigative division of HHS. If Rehnquist's name
rings a bell, it's because she is the Chief Justice's daughter, although,
says a former colleague, "you would never know it." Rehnquist,
43, investigated Medicare fraud and abuse cases when she served as counsel
on the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. During the first
Bush Administration, she was an associate counsel in the White House.
Rehnquist received her undergraduate (French major with honors) and law
degrees at the University of Virginia.


Tom Scully


Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services


202-690-6726


Scully is taking on one of the most important-and potentially
volatile-jobs at HHS. Key members of Congress are pursuing an overhaul of
the Medicare and Medicaid agency, which until June 14 was known as the
Health Care Financing Administration. This overhaul could diminish the
agency's power, perhaps tearing it in two, with one part responsible for
Medicare and the other for Medicaid. Even if it remains intact, the CMS
(one of the M's was dropped from the initials to make the short name
easier to say) will likely be reorganized to place a greater emphasis on
private health plan participation. Whatever its form, the CMS will be
"more efficient and effective," Scully promises. At 43, the
baby-faced, well-liked Scully is giving up a high-paying job as head of
the Federation of American Hospitals to return to the federal government.
During the first Bush Administration, Scully served as an associate
director of OMB, and later at the White House as deputy assistant to the
President. After Bush's father left office, Scully became a partner in the
Washington firm of Patton Boggs. Scully, who grew up in Pennsylvania,
earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a law
degree from Catholic University. He then spent time on Capitol Hill as a
staff assistant to Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash.


Jeffrey P. Koplan


Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


404-639-3311


Koplan, 56, began his career at CDC in the Epidemic Intelligence Service,
as a so-called disease detective. He traveled the world, investigating and
controlling outbreaks. In two decades at CDC, the unassuming straight
shooter has dealt with most areas of public health and has acted as a
diplomat in tense political situations. In 1984, Koplan led a team to
assess the public health ramifications of the chemical disaster in Bhopal,
India. The Americans hadn't been invited, but with his soft-spoken
persistence, Koplan gained access for his team. He's been director of CDC
since 1998 and serves at the pleasure of the President. Bush has not
selected anyone to succeed him. Koplan's top priority is to rebuild the
public health system to ensure its preparedness for health threats,
including hantavirus, HIV/AIDS, and West Nile virus. Koplan wants to
strengthen the network of state and local public health agencies that have
varying technological capabilities, resources, and legal authority.
Koplan, who grew up in Quincy, Mass., earned a bachelor's degree in
English from Yale University, an M.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine,
and a master of public health degree from Harvard University.


Bob Wood


Chief of Staff


202-690-8157


Wood, 34, is expected to do more-much more-than manage the staff at HHS.
He's expected to be a key figure in the development of policy and the
execution of those policies. Like Thompson, Wood is considered a
workaholic who takes a special interest in health care matters. Indeed, he
was instrumental in developing Wisconsin's Badger Care program, which
expanded health care coverage to more uninsured people, including many
children. People who know Wood credit him with an ability to marry policy
with politics. He's also an even-tempered manager who is accessible and is
good at building relationships and coalitions. "It's hard to get Bob
riled up. Believe me, I've tried," said one HHS staff member who also
made the move from Wisconsin. Wood started working for Thompson in 1995 as
education policy adviser, then ran Thompson's re-election campaign in
1998, before becoming his policy director. Wood, whose hometown is
Rockford, Ill., received his undergraduate degree from the University of
Wisconsin (Madison). He previously worked for a policy and research
organization that served the state Senate in Wisconsin. Although he hasn't
worked in Washington before, he did run a campaign race for former Rep.
Scott Klug, R-Wis.


Marilyn Werber Serafini and Gia Fenoglio

National Journal