Meg Garrett-Reid to lead new independent agency created to analyze health care cost drivers and offer solutions for Maine people
Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has nominated Meg Garrett-Reid, director of the Office of Health Insurance Marketplace at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, to be executive director of the new Office of Affordable Health Care.
The Office of Affordable Health Care is an independent, nonpartisan executive agency designed to analyze the drivers of health care costs and propose solutions to help Maine people. The office will examine health data and identify policy recommendations to improve the affordability, quality, access, and equity of health care for individuals and families, employers, other health care payers, and state government.
Garratt-Reed currently serves as director of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace, which operates CoverME.gov. Garratt-Reed was instrumental in the launch of CoverME.gov as an all-state health insurance marketplace in 2021, overseeing the marketplace’s successful transition from a hybrid federal-state model. Maine’s greater control of its marketplace, combined with Medicaid expansion, has contributed to the state having the largest decline in its uninsured rate of any state in the nation in recent years.
“Meg’s knowledge, her deep experience and her outstanding work to create CoverME.gov make her an excellent candidate to lead the new Office of Affordable Health Care.” said Gov. Janet Mills. “Maine has seen the largest decline in the uninsured rate of any state in the nation in recent years. With Meg at the helm of this independent, nonpartisan organization, I believe we can continue to make progress in extending life-saving insurance to more people and improving health care affordability.”
“I am honored by this nomination and the opportunity to build on Maine’s nation-leading coverage expansion to help ensure that all Maine people can afford the health care they need.” said Meg Garrett-Reid. “The Office of Affordable Health Care, working with the governor’s office, legislators and stakeholders, will offer solutions to ease rising health care costs for Maine families and businesses in new and meaningful ways.”
Garratt-Reed previously served as Senior Advisor for Coverage and Affordability at DHHS. Prior to joining the Department, Garrett-Reid was Director of Policy and Partnerships at United States of Care, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization supporting statewide efforts to expand quality and affordable health care, and served as Special Assistant to the Director of Reform of the delivery system in the Office of the Administrator at the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Garratt-Reed’s nomination is subject to review by the Legislature’s Committee on Health Insurance, Insurance and Financial Services and confirmation by the Maine Senate. The director has a five-year term.
The Office of Affordable Health Care will collaborate with the Governor’s Office, other state agencies, and various stakeholders to inform its work. The office, created by legislation sponsored by Senate President Troy Jackson, will be consulted by a 13-member board including representatives of health care providers, consumers, the workforce, payers and other experts.
To provide a foundation for the Office’s work, the Governor’s Office commissioned a report from the Maine Health Data Organization summarizing recent trends in health care costs and quality in Maine. This report will serve as a foundation to begin informing the discussion about health care payments and health care quality in Maine.
DHHS has begun a search for a new director for the Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Photo of Garratt-Reed attached.