“As the unifying voice for our industry, AHIP and its members are uniquely positioned to address the pressing health care challenges facing consumers, and Marilyn is a recognized leader who brings the experience, tenacity, and dedication to achieve our advocacy goals and to move the health system forward in a way that is patient-centered.”

Tavenner replaces former AHIP CEO Karen Ignagni, who served as AHIP's top lobbyist for 22 years before leaving for New York-based insurer EmblemHealth this spring.

Ignagni was a highly active spokesperson for carriers during PPACA's transition period. Most recently, she took to task nonprofit groups that criticized insurers for failing to cover certain birth control products and processes as required by the law, saying the studies offered “a distorted picture of reality.”

During her nearly five years in the administration, Tavenner drew heat from the insurance industry more than once. She worked, and shared the blame, with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during HealthCare.gov's disastrous rollout.

Last fall, Tavenner acknowledged that her agency had made a mistake in its PPACA enrollment calculation by “inadvertently” padding numbers with dental plans.

The Department of Health and Human Services in early July said it was appointing Andy Slavitt as the new CMS head.