Daniel Tsai (CMCS) Daniel Tsai, M.B.A., is the deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP services (CMCS) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). He leads CMCS in addressing disparities in health equity and serving the needs of individuals and families who rely on these essential programs.
Before joining CMS, Daniel served in Massachusetts as the assistant secretary for MassHealth and as the state’s longest-serving Medicaid director in nearly two decades. His six-year tenure focused on building a robust and sustainable Medicaid program to ensure equitable coverage and improve health care delivery for two million individuals and families in the state.
Daniel also helped lead Massachusetts Medicaid through its most significant restructuring since the 1990s through its landmark 2016 Medicaid 1115 waiver. Under these reforms, MassHealth implemented one of the most at-scale shifts to value-based care in the nation. Through the waiver, MassHealth also launched a unique program committing significant investments for nutritional and housing supports to address the social determinants of health for high-cost, at-risk individuals. In addition, during his tenure, the agency made critical investments in strengthening community health centers, behavioral health, and home- and community-based services.
Having worked closely with organizations across almost every aspect of health care, including a diverse range of Medicaid programs and provider organizations, Daniel brings extensive experience across Medicaid, Medicare, and health care stakeholders. He has worked with stakeholders to design and implement innovative models for health care coverage, delivery, and payment. Daniel earned a Bachelor of Arts in applied mathematics and economics from Harvard University, summa cum laude.