Penny Thompson 

Center for Medicaid and State Operations
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Baltimore, MD
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Penny Thompson rejoined the Centers for Medicaid and State Operations, within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in August, 2009 as Deputy Director, after spending the previous eight years in the private sector. She is deeply involved in healthcare technology, data and information, quality, and integrity matters within the Center.

Ms. Thompson has 20 years direct experience within government working on Medicare and Medicaid program issues, including over a dozen years in two previous stints at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2000 and 2001, she served as Deputy Director and Acting Director for CMSO, where she was responsible for overseeing development of Medicaid regulations and model waivers, directives to states, resolution of policy issues, waiver negotiation and approval, financial oversight, and management of over 400 staff.

Prior to her service at CMS, Ms. Thompson held senior management positions at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, where she conducted program and organizational evaluations on Medicare and Medicaid and authored dozens of reports on program operations, beneficiary satisfaction and experiences, and program integrity.   

During the past eight years in the private sector, Ms. Thompson has provided expert advice and leadership to a number of different organizations and companies, most recently serving as the director of the healthcare services unit of Hewlett Packard.