JEANNE LAMBREW
DIRECTOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF HEALTH REFORM
Education: B.A., Amherst College; M.A., Ph.D. in health policy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Career Path: After finishing her Ph.D., Lambrew worked as a special assistant at HHS under the first term of the Clinton administration. During Clinton’s second term, she served as health policy associate director for the Office of Management and Budget and as a senior health analyst for the National Economic Council. Lambrew was a lead creator and implementer of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program during that time. Lambrew later was a fellow for the Center for American Progress and a professor at both the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Role in Health Care Reform, 1993-1994: Lambrew was a special assistant coordinating Medicaid and state research at HHS and helped with the President’s legislation.
Why She’s a Player Now: Lambrew, who is known for having an expansive knowledge of health policy, was originally set to be deputy director of the White House Office of Health Reform under former Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D. After Daschle withdrew his nomination, President Obama selected Lambrew to head the HHS reform office. As director, Lambrew will use her experience with past reform efforts to help craft and implement overhaul legislation.
Quote: “If you really believe in competition why not give the public plan a chance.” (CQ Healthbeat, Feb. 2, 2009.)
Read about the other ‘Players’ here.
