Director, Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group
Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Barbara Coulter Edwards is the Director of the Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group in the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Barb is a nationally recognized expert in Medicaid policy, including managed care, cost containment, long-term care, and state and federal health care reform. She served for eight years as the Ohio State Medicaid Director and was a Principal with Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA) for four years. Barb’s work at HMA focused on Medicaid, national health reform, and service delivery for persons with chronic and disabling conditions. Barb also spent six months as the Interim Director of the National Association of State Medicaid Directors.

Barb is a frequent national presenter on Medicaid trends and state health policy challenges. During her time as Ohio’s Medicaid Director, Barb led significant program reforms, including implementation of Ohio’s comprehensive strategy to promote access to home and community-based long-term services and supports, development of a Preferred Drug List for outpatient prescription drugs, expansion of managed care to serve Medicaid consumers, and implementation of Ohio’s State Children’s Health Insurance Program. She served on the Federal State Pharmacy Assistance Program Transition Commission during implementation of Medicare Part D, served on the National Quality Forum Steering Committee which recommended standards for nursing home care, and served as vice chair of the National Association of State Medicaid Directors.

Barb received an MPP from The University of Michigan.