Apr. 20, 2016

Department of Health Hosts CMS Rulemaking Workshop,
Announces New Deputy Secretary of CMS

Contact:
Communications Office
NewsMedia@flhealth.gov
(850) 245-4111

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, the Florida Department of Health held a rulemaking workshop to review rules and engage stakeholders in a discussion about clinical eligibility screening for the Children’s Medical Services Managed Care Plan (CMS Plan). At the workshop, the department also announced that Dr. John Curran has agreed to serve as Deputy Secretary of Children’s Medical Services.

The department has worked closely to incorporate public suggestions into a proposal to include additional diagnostic codes for certain chronic and serious conditions to the physician attestation form. At the workshop, the department presented these proposed changes to the physician attestation form. Data related to clinical eligibility screening conducted between Jan. 11 and April 10, 2016 was also shared.

“I am pleased that we continue to receive valuable input from the public and our health care community when it comes to caring for Florida’s children with complex medical conditions,” said Interim State Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip. “Dr. Curran is an accomplished pediatrician and has long served the children of our CMS program as a consultant and regional medical director. We are confident his knowledge of pediatric medicine and his extensive leadership experience will guide him as he shepherds CMS into its next chapter.” 

In his new role, Dr. John Curran will serve as Deputy Secretary for Children’s Medical Services and oversee the Office of the CMS Managed Care Plan and Specialty Programs, the Division of Children’s Medical Services and CMS area offices.

Dr. Curran currently serves as a charter member of the University of South Florida’s College of Medicine faculty. He has served in senior administration for the college as Associate Vice President and the Senior Executive Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs for more than 16 years. In addition to his administration roles at the college, he is a current professor of pediatrics and public health. Until recently, he practiced at Tampa General Hospital as the founding neonatologist and Chief of Pediatrics. Dr. Curran has served CMS since 1974 and as a Medical Director for the Tampa Bay Region since 1986.

Dr. Curran graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree and University of Pennsylvania College of Medicine with training in both internal medicine and pediatrics. He completed his residency in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Curran served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps and retired as a Colonel.

A former president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Curran has made achievements in legislative initiatives related to child health advocacy and funding of children’s programs.  Recently, he facilitated the development of the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, a statewide initiative that seeks to improve Florida’s maternal and infant health outcomes through quality improvement processes.

For more information about the CMS Plan click here.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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