Gail Wilensky, Former CMS Administrator, Dies at 81

— Ran Medicare and Medicaid under President George H.W. Bush

by Joyce Frieden, Washington Editor, ľ��ֱ�� July 15, 2024

Members of the health policy world are mourning the loss of former Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Gail Wilensky, PhD, who served under President George H.W. Bush.

"Gail was a true public servant, dedicating her entire career to improving healthcare for all Americans," Margaret Spellings, president and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), . "She was a valued colleague working with BPC's Health Program and will be greatly missed. She shared BPC's commitment to bipartisanship. Gail consistently worked with both Republicans and Democrats to cultivate actionable solutions to some of our nation's most pressing healthcare problems." Wilensky co-chaired BPC's Future of Health Advisory Board.

Wilensky, 81, died Thursday, according to . No cause of death was given.

"Dr. Gail Wilensky was a beacon of insight and humanity, whose contributions over the years have been invaluable," the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, for which Wilensky served as a board member, . "Besides being brilliant, she was always kind and supportive. She brought a wealth of knowledge, compassion, and a unique perspective that enriched every discussion and decision. She will continue to inspire us as we move forward, guided by the principles she held dear."

Wilensky, a Detroit native, attended the University of Michigan, earning a BA in psychology and a PhD in economics. She eventually created an endowed chair in Applied Economics and Public Policy at the university.

A health economist by training, Wilensky developed the National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey, an ongoing survey of health insurance coverage, healthcare access, and healthcare utilization. The results from this survey have been used for more than 50 years as the basis for major health policy reforms supported by both Democrats and Republicans -- including improvements in Medicare and Medicaid -- and as part of the Affordable Care Act.

Wilensky worked for more than 30 years at Project HOPE, a global health and humanitarian organization. In addition to her work at CMS (known at the time as the Health Care Financing Administration), she also had a senior White House appointment during the last year of the George H.W. Bush presidency.

Over the years, Wilensky served on a variety of federal boards and commissions, including one of the predecessors to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), as well as the President's Task Force to Improve Veterans' Health Care, the Department of Defense Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care, and the Defense Health Board. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in recognition of her contributions to health policy.

She is survived by her husband, Robert, one brother, two children, and five grandchildren. Her daughter, Sara Wilensky, PhD, JD, is a teaching associate professor at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, and her son Peter Wilensky, MBA, is director of finance at EdLogics, a company that designs consumer health education programs for employers, health plans, and healthcare providers.

Joyce Frieden oversees ľ��ֱ��’s Washington coverage, including stories about Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, healthcare trade associations, and federal agencies. She has 35 years of experience covering health policy.