THE VALUED VOICE

Andrea Palm Confirmed as HHS Deputy Secretary

On May 11, former Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-Designee Andrea Palm was confirmed as President Biden's Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by the full U.S. Senate. Her nomination passed on a bipartisan vote of 61-37. Sen. Baldwin voted “yea,” and Sen Johnson voted “no.”
 
Palm's nomination had been advanced by the Senate Finance Committee in late April by a bipartisan vote of 20-8. In front of the committee, Palm noted her past record of seeking bipartisan common ground,  specifically citing expanding access to telehealth services as one of her proudest accomplishments during her time at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
 
WHA worked with Palm and the Wisconsin Legislature to pass 2019 Wisconsin Act 56, which greatly expanded access to telehealth in the Medicaid program by requiring telehealth to be treated the same as in-person care.