According to The New York Times, Kathleen Sebelius has resigned from her role as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
A White House official said that President Barack Obama accepted Ms. Sebelius’s resignation this week, and is expected to nominate Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, as Sebelius’ replacement.
Officials also said that there had been some frustration at the White House over her performance regarding the Healthcare.gov health insurance site, as well as some worries that the sometimes-difficult roll-out of Obama’s signature health care plan would result in lasting damage to the president’s legacy.
The president hopes that Ms. Burwell, a Harvard- and Oxford-educated West Virginia native with a background in economic policy, will provide an “intense focus” to the continued success of the government’s health care policy. She has overseen the budget office since April of last year.
“The president wants to make sure we have a proven manager and relentless implementer in the job over there, which is why he is going to nominate Sylvia,” said Denis R. McDonough, the White House chief of staff.
Last month, Ms. Sebelius told the president that the swell in health insurance sign-ups under the health care law “provided an opportunity for change, and that he would be best served by someone who was not the target of so much political ire,” McDonough added.
