HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Wednesday named Dennis Smith, currently director of CMS' Center for Medicaid and State Operations, as interim administrator of CMS. Smith will become acting administrator effective Tuesday, following the departure of current Administrator Tom Scully (HHS release, 12/17). Scully, who has headed CMS for the last three years, announced his resignation earlier this month, saying that he would most likely take a job at one of five investment or law firms that have offered him a position as an adviser on Medicare legislation (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 12/4). Thompson also announced that Leslie Norwalk, CMS deputy administrator and chief operating officer, will remain in her position and will be the lead CMS staff member carrying out the Medicare legislation (HR 1). Thompson said, "HHS' largest operating division will be in good hands with Dennis Smith as interim chief of the agency until a new administrator is nominated and sworn in. At the same time, it is very important that Leslie Norwalk should carry on in the deputy administrator and COO position. We will rely on her leadership to direct the very complex and demanding task of implementing the hundreds of changes to be made under the Medicare improvement act" (HHS release, 12/17).