Kimberly Brandt, JD
The Revolving Door Made Flesh
Deputy Administrator & COO, CMS
Overview
Six turns through the revolving door: HHS-OIG to CMS to Alston & Bird health fraud defense to Senate Finance Committee to CMS Trump 1.0 (led Stark Law reform) to TDY lobbying firm (Pfizer, AbbVie, Elevance as clients, $109.4M lifetime firm lobbying income) to joined board of Noridian Healthcare Solutions (a CMS Medicare Administrative Contractor) in September 2024, then returned to run CMS operations January 2025. She was also accused by House Democrats in March 2026 of providing inaccurate testimony to Congress regarding Medicaid funding deferrals.
Career Arc
Professional Timeline
January 2025–Present
Deputy Administrator & COO
CMS — Trump 2.0
Partner
Tarplin Downs & Young (TDY) lobbying firm
September 2024–January 2025
Board
Noridian Healthcare Solutions — CMS MAC
Advisor
Enhanced Healthcare Partners (PE, 30 portfolio companies)
Principal Deputy Administrator
CMS — Trump 1.0
2011–2017
Chief Counsel to Sen. Orrin Hatch
Senate Finance Committee
Senior Counsel
Alston & Bird LLP (health fraud defense)
Director, Medicare Program Integrity
CMS (7 years)
Special Counsel
HHS-OIG
Red Flags
Conflicts & Concerns
Noridian conflict: joined the board of a CMS Medicare Administrative Contractor in September 2024 and returned to run CMS operations four months later. No public ethics waiver or recusal disclosed.
Registered lobbyist representing 52 clients in 2023. TDY lifetime firm lobbying income: $109.4M.
PE advisor turned regulator — Enhanced Healthcare Partners' portfolio depends on Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement she now controls.
Accused of misleading Congress (March 2026): testified CMS couldn't schedule a Minnesota Medicaid hearing due to "ongoing litigation" — two days later she herself requested the stay. Reps. Pallone and Clarke gave her until April 7 to revise testimony.
Medicaid deferrals launched against Minnesota, California, New York, Maine, Florida — Democrats allege politically targeted.
Physician-Owned Hospital Relevance
Led Stark Law reform at CMS during Trump 1.0 — creating value-based exceptions to physician self-referral rules that intersect with Section 6001. Represents the regulatory architecture governing physician ownership. No stated interest in expanding physician-owned hospitals.
Sources