October 23, 2024

Tonya Saffer, MPH

Tonya Saffer is the Director of the Division of Healthcare Payment Models within the Patient Care Models Group at the at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’(CMS) Innovation Center. She leads a team of researchers and technical experts working on health care delivery and payment innovations to help people living with serious illnesses remain independent and, in their homes, and communities.

Tonya is a mission-driven leader that has spent her career leveraging skills in policy, research, reimbursement, and economics to improve health and healthcare access for underserved populations and people living with chronic illness.  Prior to joining the CMS Innovation Center in October of 2022, Tonya was the Vice President of Government Affairs and Market Access for Outset Medical. There she successfully architected and executed a strategy to secure dedicated reimbursement to bring innovations in home dialysis technology to people with kidney failure.  Before joining Outset Medical, Tonya served as the Vice President of Health Policy for the National Kidney Foundation where she worked with healthcare professionals, health insurers, Federal and state government agencies, and legislators to leverage clinical research and evidence to foster access to high quality care for people living with kidney disease. Tonya also spent time consulting for life science and medical device companies and patient advocacy organizations on health policy, reimbursement, and product commercialization strategies at Avalere Health. She began her career in health at a Fortune 500 dialysis provider company where she developed alliances with healthcare providers, patients, and families to champion changes in legislation and regulations to improve access to care for people living with kidney disease.

Tonya holds a Master of Public Health degree from the George Washington University. She spends her leisure time with her husband, son, two dogs, hiking whenever possible. She also volunteers as a Crisis Hotline Counselor, supporting people struggling with mental health who call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988.