Carol T. Powers for The New York Times
Richard S. Foster testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee in 2004
WASHINGTON — Richard S. Foster, who as chief actuary of the Medicare program for the last 18 years nettled presidents of both parties with his projections of rapid growth in federal health care spending, will retire next month, the Obama administration said Friday.
Mr. Foster, 63, a career civil servant known for his fierce independence, has been an influential voice on Medicare, Medicaid and the new health care law.
With 100 million people on Medicare or Medicaid and an additional 20 million expected to get federal subsidies for private insurance under President Obama’s health care law, the need for accurate estimates of health spending has never been greater, lawmakers say.
Mr. Foster said that Medicare savings in the 2010 health care law, based on cutbacks in payments to hospitals and other health care providers, were probably unsustainable and could jeopardize access to care for beneficiaries, a judgment that displeased the Obama administration.
In 2003, Mr. Foster found himself in conflict with the Bush administration when he raised questions about the cost of a Republican bill adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. Federal investigators later found that a top Medicare official had threatened to fire Mr. Foster if he provided certain cost estimates to Congress.
Marilyn B. Tavenner, acting administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, praised Mr. Foster for “his adherence to the highest levels of professional independence and ethical conduct.” She said he “will be sorely missed by policy makers and officials throughout the administration and Congress.”
Ms. Tavenner said “we will soon begin a national recruitment effort” to find a successor to Mr. Foster, who began working for the federal government 40 years ago.
Proposals to rein in Medicare spending have been at the center of budget negotiations between President Obama and Speaker John A. Boehner. Both sides have relied on data from Mr. Foster’s office.
Congress bolstered the actuary’s independence in a 1997 law stipulating that the holder of the job can be removed from office “only for cause.”
In a report accompanying the law, Congress said that “the office of the actuary has a unique role,” serving both the administration and Congress, and often must work with lawmakers developing legislation.
With help from a staff of nearly 100, the chief actuary issues detailed annual reports on national health spending and the financial outlook for Medicare. In addition, the actuary’s office collects data used to calculate Medicare payment rates for doctors, hospitals and many other health care providers.
Medicare’s Chief Actuary, Richard Foster, Retiring
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Medicare’s Chief Actuary, Richard Foster, Retiring
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Medicare’s Chief Actuary, Richard Foster, Retiring
