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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.

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 From Kelly

Looming Government Shutdown Could Undermine Federal Oversight of Medicaid Unwinding

Sadly, we’ve been here before and it’s highly likely that we’ll be here again. Where? Staring a government shutdown in the face and wondering what it means for federal health care programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the tens of millions of low-income people who rely on them. Let’s go […]

A Closer Look at CMS’s Proposed Rule to Improve Access to Care in Medicaid and CHIP

Editor’s Note: Since this post was published, CCF submitted formal comments on both the Medicaid Access and Managed Care proposed rules.  The Biden Administration recently proposed two new rules on access to care in Medicaid and CHIP. The rules have long, formal titles: “Medicaid Program: Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services” and “Medicaid Program: Medicaid and […]

DACA Grantees Move Step Closer to Affordable Health Coverage

The Biden Administration made an important announcement today – the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will soon release a proposed rule that would finally give Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees access to health care coverage. Under current law, DACA grantees are ineligible for Medicaid, CHIP, and Marketplace coverage even though other, […]