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The University of Texas at Austin

Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs

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Event: Medicaid Makeover

Speaker(s): Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services

Date: February 8, 2007

Length: 59 minutes

Description: Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson discussed his plans for a "Medicaid Makeover" in a presentation to the Center for Health and Social Policy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs on February 8, 2007.

Thompson created the Medicaid Makeover organization to promote innovative strategies that would make Medicaid more cost effective and efficient when delivering critical health care to millions of low-income Americans.

As Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the George W. Bush Administration, Thompson spearheaded the White House effort in passing the Medicare Modernization Act in 2003. He also played a major role in administering the Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability Demonstration Program, which provides Medicaid waivers to states that develop innovative approaches to expanding the number of low-income families covered by health insurance.

Prior to serving as secretary of HHS, Thompson was elected to four terms as governor of Wisconsin. While governor, he enacted the "Wisconsin Works" program, which served as a national model for welfare-to-work reform. In addition, Thompson extended health insurance to many low-income children and families and created FamilyCare, designed to enable elderly and disabled citizens to receive care in their homes for as long as possible.

Thompson left the White House in January of 2005 and is president of Logistics Health, Inc. and a senior partner at Akin Gump, a Washington, D.C. law firm. He is also a senior advisor at the consulting firm Deloitte and is the chair of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. On December 15, 2006, he officially established an exploratory committee to consider a possible run for the White House in 2008.

Introduction by LBJ School Dean James B. Steinberg.

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Movie: Medicaid Makeover: Tommy Thompson Movie: Medicaid Makeover: Tommy Thompson

The statements made here represent the speakers' own thoughts. Neither the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, nor any organization providing support for this effort necessarily endorses the views and statements included here.