Tom Scully

Tom Scully is Senior Counsel in Alston & Bird's Washington, D.C. office with his practice focusing on health care regulatory and legislative matters, as well as on advising clients on health policy and strategies for healthcare delivery.

Prior to joining Alston & Bird, Mr. Scully was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, where he served from 2001 to 2004. Formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration, CMS is responsible for the management of Medicare, Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and other national healthcare initiatives. CMS controls more spending than any other federal agency—over $800 billion for fiscal year 2004, for example.

At CMS Mr. Scully was noted for his instrumental role in passing Medicare reform and Medicare drug legislation, as well as for changing the agency’s culture and making the vast agency more open and accountable to the public. Mr. Scully initiated the first public reporting and disclosure for comparative quality among hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and dialysis centers. He also initiated a broad public education campaign to improve seniors' awareness and utilization of their Medicare benefits