- President Trump has nominated Chris Klomp to serve as deputy secretary of HHS
- Klomp currently serves as CMS deputy administrator and director of Medicare
- The 2026 Healthcare Summit will examine AI, digital modernization and more
President Donald Trump has announced the nomination of Chris Klomp, deputy administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to serve as deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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In a Truth Social post published Friday, Trump described Klomp as a leader with experience in healthcare and business, saying his background has prepared him to help implement major reforms at HHS, including the administration’s drug pricing policy. He added that HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz made the decision alongside him.
If confirmed by the Senate, Klomp would become the department’s second-highest-ranking official.
Why Is the HHS Deputy Secretary Position Open?
The deputy secretary position became vacant after Jim O’Neill was dismissed in February. O’Neill had served as deputy secretary of HHS while also serving as acting director of the CMS. In March, the White House announced that President Trump had nominated O’Neill to serve as director of the National Science Foundation for a six-year term.
His departure came as Kennedy reshuffled the department’s senior leadership. As part of the reorganization, Klomp, who was serving as deputy CMS administrator and director of Medicare, was appointed chief counselor at HHS to oversee department-wide operations.
Trump announced Klomp’s nomination on Friday to fill the deputy secretary position.
Who Is Chris Klomp?
Klomp is director of Medicare and deputy administrator of CMS. He also serves as senior adviser to the HHS secretary.
According to his HHS biography, Klomp founded and led Collective Medical, a real-time healthcare collaboration data network that PointClickCare acquired in 2020.
Klomp has also led federal and state healthcare reform efforts with a focus on value-based care and interoperable health technology. Through Endurance Companies, he co-founded and served on the boards of several healthcare organizations, including Nomi Health, InnovaCare Health, Maven Clinic and HealthJoy.
Earlier in his career, Klomp worked at Bain Capital’s North America private equity group and Bain & Co. He also served as a commissioner on the Utah Digital Health Services Commission.
The Brigham Young University graduate holds an MBA from Stanford University.
