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Kelly Whitener

is an Associate Professor of the Practice at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families.

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Kelly Whitener is an Associate Professor of the Practice at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families (CCF) where she focuses on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) policy at the state and federal levels. Recently, Kelly’s work has included research and policy analyses to improve care for children and families in immigrant communities. Prior to joining CCF, Kelly served as the Director of State Coverage Programs at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, overseeing the CHIP and Basic Health Program. Kelly also worked for the Senate Committee on Finance, managing the Medicaid, CHIP, and prevention and wellness portfolio from October 2008 to April 2014. During her time with the committee, Kelly worked on the CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2009, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, and several year-end bills extending expiring safety net programs. Kelly studied psychology and Spanish at the University of Michigan and earned a Masters of Public Health from UCLA and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University.

Latest

  • Say Ahhh!

    Medicaid Provides Stability During Turbulent Economic Times 

    Medicaid is the largest source of public health insurance coverage, covering nearly 80 million people, so it goes without saying that Medicaid is incredibly important all of the time. However, Medicaid is especially important during economic downturns. When families face tough times, Medicaid is there to provide the extra support they need to get by.…

  • Say Ahhh!

    Parents and Health Care Providers Value Medicaid

    The groundswell of support for Medicaid that has recently come to the surface may have been surprising to those targeting the health coverage program for cuts but it is not surprising to those of us who conduct Medicaid research. Medicaid, together with the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) insures over 37 million children. Medicaid, the…

  • Say Ahhh!

    Medicaid and CHIP Rules on Chopping Block

    As my colleague Edwin Park has written, the House Budget Committee “menu” of Medicaid cuts includes rescinding regulations promulgated by the Biden Administration. Of particular interest to readers of SayAhhh!, the menu includes rescinding the Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment rule and the two companion rules on improving access to care in fee-for-service and…

  • Say Ahhh!

    The Budget Resolution and Reconciliation Process Explained

    In early 2021, we wrote about the basic rules for passing legislation in the House versus the Senate and how the budget reconciliation process allows certain legislation to move forward with approval from a simple majority of Senators rather than be subject to the filibuster and the usual three-fifths or 60-vote threshold. Given recent reports…