Oconto County Commission on Aging’s Blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Peggie Rice
June 25, 2009 (202) 898-2578

WASHINGTON, DC – NASUA applauds the United States Senate’s confirmation of President Obama’s choice of former NASUA Board Member, Kathy Greenlee to the position of the United States Assistant Secretary for Aging.

“We’re proud and excited that such a visionary in long term services and supports will be helping to chart the course for health care reform for our nation’s seniors and individuals with disabilities,” said Martha A. Roherty, Executive Director of NASUA.

Greenlee was confirmed by the United State Senate this evening. A former NASUA board member, Greenlee served as the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Aging (KDOA) appointed by then-Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Greenlee had previously served as the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman in Kansas, as well as the state’s Assistant Secretary of Aging, with the responsibilities of legislative liaison and chief budget officer.

“Kathy’s extensive experience uniquely qualifies her to address the needs of the most vulnerable populations in an economic downturn like this,” said Alabama Department of Senior Services Commissioner Irene Collins, NASUA’s incoming President.

“Given the fiscal struggles of the states right now, long term services and supports including single entry points to information, evidence-based disease management and prevention and health promotion activities, and nursing home diversion measures must be included in health care reform. We must look at ways to keep Americans healthier, delay or avoid unnecessary institutionalization and over-utilization of clinical services, and ultimately save health care dollars in Medicaid and Medicare,” said Patricia A. Polansky, NASUA’s President. “I am confident that Assistant Secretary Greenlee will be an effective advocate for seniors in this process.”

As Kansas’ Secretary of aging, Ms. Greenlee headed the cabinet-level agency whose mission is to promote the security, dignity and independence of Kansas seniors. With 192 full-time staff members and a total budget of $495 million, KDOA is responsible for administration of Older American’s Act programs, distribution of Medicaid long-term care payments and regulation of nursing home licensure and survey processes.

Assistant Secretary Greenlee also served as general counsel at the Kansas Insurance Department (KID). During her tenure at KID, she led the team of regulators who evaluated the proposed sale of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas. While there, she also oversaw the Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas program, more commonly known as SHICK. That program is now part of the Department on Aging. Assistant Secretary Greenlee also served as Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations for then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas with degrees in business administration and law.

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National Association of State Units on Aging, founded in 1964, represents the nation’s 56 officially designated state and territorial agencies on aging. The Association’s principal mission is to support visionary state leadership, advance state systems innovation and articulate a national policy on home and community based services for older adults and individuals with disabilities. http://www.nasua.org