Leslie Wilson is being honored in Category 2: Delivering Excellence in Digital Services for her leadership in advancing one of the most significant digital modernization efforts in federal healthcare. As Senior Advisor at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Leslie played a pivotal role in the successful launch of the enhanced Medicare.gov login experience, ensuring that security, accessibility, and simplicity remained at the center of the initiative. Her leadership brought together multiple federal agencies around a shared vision of delivering a more seamless digital experience for millions of Americans.

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Leslie championed the adoption of a unified digital identity approach, enabling Medicare.gov to leverage the same secure credential used across agencies such as the Social Security Administration, the IRS, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. She also advocated for integrating ID.me, allowing millions of pre-verified users to access Medicare services without creating new accounts. Recognizing the importance of equitable access, she ensured the solution included multiple verification options—including in-person identity proofing, video chat assistance, and support for more than 200 languages, so beneficiaries of all backgrounds could securely access their healthcare information.

 

The impact of Leslie's leadership has been transformative. More than 70 million Medicare beneficiaries now have access to a modern, secure digital login, with 93% of ID.me users signing in seamlessly on launch day without re-enrollment. The enhanced platform provides a single credential that works across multiple federal agencies while meeting the highest federal identity security standards. By simplifying access, strengthening security, and expanding accessibility, Leslie has helped create a more connected, customer-focused government experience that improves service for millions of Americans.