Former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Division Director Joins National Patient Advocate Foundation as Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs

30-Year CMS Veteran to Help Nation's Leading Patient Advocacy Organization Formulate Strategic Policy and Comment Upon Regulations Affecting Patient Access to Care

WASHINGTON, April 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) – a national, non-profit organization dedicated to the mission of creating avenues of improved patient access to healthcare through public policy reform at the state and federal levels – welcomed today Stefan (Steve) Miller, former Director of the Division of Non-Institutional Quality Standards, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. In this position, Miller will assist NPAF in coordinating its regulatory review program, assess and comment upon federal regulations affecting patient access to health care services and help the organization formulate strategic policy.

"NPAF is pleased to welcome Steve Miller to our leadership team, where his far-reaching experience in health care delivery, quality and access issues will strengthen our organization's ability to advocate for key policies to improve access to care for America's patients," said Nancy Davenport-Ennis, Founder and CEO of NPAF. "Steve's expertise in national healthcare policy and health and safety issues will bring immense value as he assists NPAF in expanding our regulatory review program and outreach to federal policymakers to ensure all patients have access to the quality care they need following the diagnosis of a chronic, life-threatening or debilitating disease."

Prior to joining NPAF, Miller served with CMS and its predecessor organizations for more than 30 years.  During that time, he held a variety of positions and was responsible for developing health and safety standards for Medicare providers and suppliers, conducting Regional Office and Medicare State Agency assessments, training Medicare surveyors, developing public affairs/community outreach partnerships and monitoring Medicare demonstrations. Prior to acting as Director of the Division of Non-Institutional Quality Standards, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, he was the Director of the Division of Hearings, Appeals and Dispute Resolution.  Miller has contributed to the development of several major rules including the Conditions of Participation/Conditions for Coverage for home health agencies, hospice, end stage renal disease facilities, outpatient rehabilitation entities, ambulatory surgical centers, rural health clinics and comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities.

Miller left CMS for a two-year period to serve as Director of the Baltimore-based Kennedy-Krieger Institute Design System, a design and production facility that made specialty rehabilitation and positioning equipment for handicapped children and adults.  Earlier in his career, he was employed by the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where his main area of responsibility was to survey health care facilities for compliance with state and federal health regulations and to assess rehabilitation programs in county health departments. Miller was also a Lieutenant in the United States Army and was stationed in the physical medicine and rehabilitation department at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. during the Vietnam War, where, as a physical therapist, he treated returning veterans.

"As we begin the transformational process of implementing historic policy reforms throughout our nation's healthcare system, I look forward to working with NPAF and the broader patient advocacy community to ensure reform measures appropriately provide patients with access to needed healthcare, as intended," said Miller.  "I am proud to join the NPAF team and support their mission of collaborating with lawmakers to develop policies that support affordable, quality healthcare for all Americans."

Miller holds a Master of Education in counseling from Springfield College, Massachusetts; has a Bachelor of Science in physical therapy from the University of Maryland; and has received training as a mediator and health care negotiator.  He resides in Owings Mills, Maryland.

NPAF and its companion organization, the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF), were established in 1996 on the principle that health care is a basic human need and shared social responsibility.  NPAF is dedicated to working with Congress and all levels of government to overcome challenges and create solutions that will allow for high-quality, affordable health care for all. In 2009, PAF case managers assisted 55,384 patients, each with chronic, life-threatening or debilitating conditions struggling to access health care.  Additionally, PAF responds to millions of online requests for information or chat line support.  For more information see www.npaf.org.

SOURCE National Patient Advocate Foundation

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