Former CEO of Unite Us tapped as CMS’ Medicaid and CHIP lead
The CEO and co-founder of Unite Us, a company that connects healthcare and social service providers for patient care coordination, has stepped down from his role and accepted a position with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency announced Tuesday.
Dan Brillman will take over as the deputy administrator of CMS, where he will also serve as the director of the Center for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) services, putting him in a leadership role to oversee the federal government’s safety net healthcare programs, which are ultimately administered by each individual state.
In announcing the hiring, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, said Brillman will be tasked with "strengthening Medicaid and CHIP,” which have been subjected to eligibility changes and funding cuts as part of a massive spending package passed in July and was quickly signed by President Donald Trump.
The agency added that the current Acting Director of Medicaid and CHIP, Caprice Knapp, will be stepping down. A healthcare economist, she entered the role on a temporary basis in June, until the administration picked someone to fill it permanently.
Prior to that, Knapp had been working in a role as Medicaid counselor, which advises HHS and CMS leadership on policy decisions.
“My sincere thanks to Caprice Knapp for her dedication and steady guidance during this transition,” Oz said. “I’m excited for the opportunities ahead as our team works together in their new roles.”
Notably, news of Brillman being considered for the role of deputy administrator was reported on back in August by Health Policy Insider. A member of the Air Force reserves who earned multiple combat medals for his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Brillman’s now-removed bio on Unite Us’s website says he was an advocate for veterans health issues.
He’s earned the Jefferson Awards for Public Service for his work. His tenure at CMS begins immediately.
Second co-founder of Unite Us steps up
As for Unite Us, the organization named its new CEO immediately after Brillman stepped down. In an announcement, the company confirmed that its other co-founder, Taylor Justice, will be taking over.
The company, founded over 12 years ago, pioneered the “closed-loop referral system,” which it describes as a “digital coordinated framework and network model that has revolutionized how organizations across health, government, and community-based sectors proactively meet the health and economic needs of their communities.”
Its network currently has 1.7 million organizations under its umbrella, including nonprofits like the United Way and government health programs, many of which are funded by Medicaid.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.