Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight to Move from HHS Secretary’s Office to CMS - January 12, 2011

On Jan. 5, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced the newly-formed Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) would move from HHS and become a Center within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Sebelius states that the move will give OCIIO access to the expertise that exists in CMS, and that it will result in greater administrative efficiencies. Under the reorganization, Director Jay Angoff reportedly will remain in the HHS secretary's office as an advisor to Secretary Sebelius, but the remainder of the OCIIO staff will report to CMS Deputy Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. OCIIO was created under the Affordable Care Act and serves a critical oversight role over many aspects of health care reform, including insurance market rules, medical loss ratios and development of insurance exchanges.