Daniel Tsai is the deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP services at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where he leads the center in addressing disparities in health equity and serving the needs of individuals and families who rely on these essential programs.
Before joining CMS, Tsai was the assistant secretary for MassHealth and Medicaid director for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, serving for six years — the state’s longest-serving Medicaid director in nearly two decades. His tenure focused on building a robust and sustainable Medicaid program to ensure equitable coverage and improve how health care is delivered to two million individuals and families in the state.
Tsai also helped lead Massachusetts Medicaid through its most significant restructuring since the 1990s through its landmark 2016 Medicaid 1115 waiver. Under these reforms, MassHealth implemented one of the most at-scale shifts to value-based care in the nation. Through the waiver, MassHealth also launched a unique program committing significant investments for nutritional and housing supports to address the social determinants of health for high-cost, at-risk individuals. In addition, during his tenure, the agency made critical investments in strengthening community health centers, behavioral health, and home and community-based services.
Having worked closely with organizations across almost every aspect of health care, including a diverse range of Medicaid programs and provider organizations, Tsai brings extensive experience across Medicaid, Medicare, and working with stakeholders to design and implement innovative models for health care coverage, delivery and payment. Tsai earned a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Harvard University, summa cum laude.