U.S. health official Michelle Snyder, who oversaw the Affordable Healthcare Act website is retiring from her job as chief operating officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Reuters reported.
CMS chief Marilyn Tavenner "announced Snyder's departure to senior last week in a statement viewed by Reuters. The statement said Snyder had originally planned to retire at the end of 2012," also reported by the news agency.
CMS is the agency which is responsible for implementing much of Obama's signature domestic policy, and is responsible for the construction of HealthCare.gov, the federal web site "that allows consumers in 36 states to buy insurance through an online marketplace. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia run their own online exchanges," Reuters also reported.
Healthcare.gov, however crashed soon after its launch on October 1, leading to both ridicule and disappointment from many Americans.
"The disastrous rollout disappointed those who hoped to use the site to enroll in subsidized health insurance, and damaged the credibility of the president and his signature domestic policy achievement," Reuters reported.
Kathleen Sebelius, the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, identified Snyder during her October hearing as "the CMS official who decided to have the federal government fulfill the key role of system integrator for HealthCare.gov," Reuters reported.
"Michelle Snyder is not responsible for the debacle. Hold me accountable for the debacle. I'm responsible," Sebelius told lawmakers during the hearing.
Tavenner, however, praised Snyder's "intelligence, experience and formidable work ethic" in an email, which announced Snyder's departure.
The administration has made a commitment to reshuffling its management since the botched rollout turned into a political crisis.
There have not been high-profile resignations or firings in the past few weeks however.
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