HHS, CMS following the two 'Cs' of IT modernization: Customers and cost cutting

When the Department of Health and Human Services transforms its back office and mission technologies two themes emerge. The first is more typical of an IT modernization effort — consolidation and reduction of systems and contracts. The second theme is less concrete with a focus on both internal and external customers. Rajiv Uppal, the chief information officer at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, said his IT modernization strategy leans toward the second theme. For Jose Arrieta, who became the CIO at HHS in May, the customer, too, is critical but in the short term IT modernization was more about cutting costs. Hear more on this week’s Ask the CIO with Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller.