Former CMS chief Marilyn Tavenner, who helped oversee thedifficult implementation of the Patient Protection and AffordableCare Act, will now lead the nation's most prevalent healthinsurance lobbying group.

America's Health Insurance Plans on July 15 named Tavenner, whoresigned as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servicesearlier this year, as the group's next president and CEO. AHIP'sboard of directors unanimously elected the former Obamacareofficial.

She will take over the position August 24.

“There is no better individual than Marilyn to lead our industrythrough the increasingly complex health care transformation that isunderway,” AHIP board chair Mark Ganz said in a statement.

“As the unifying voice for our industry, AHIP and its membersare uniquely positioned to address the pressing health care challenges facing consumers, and Marilynis a recognized leader who brings the experience, tenacity, anddedication to achieve our advocacy goals and to move the healthsystem forward in a way that is patient-centered.”

Tavenner replaces former AHIP CEO Karen Ignagni, who served asAHIP's top lobbyist for 22 years before leaving for New York-basedinsurer EmblemHealth this spring.

Ignagni was a highly active spokesperson for carriers duringPPACA's transition period. Most recently, she took to tasknonprofit groups that criticized insurers for failing to covercertain birth control products and processes as required by thelaw, saying the studies offered “a distorted picture ofreality.”

During her nearly five years in the administration, Tavennerdrew heat from the insurance industry more than once. She worked,and shared the blame, with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius duringHealthCare.gov's disastrous rollout.

Last fall, Tavenner acknowledged that her agency had made amistake in its PPACA enrollment calculation by “inadvertently”padding numbers with dental plans.

The Department of Health and Human Services in early July saidit was appointing Andy Slavitt as the new CMS head.