Second in command at DHS resigns

The No. 2 person and Medicaid director with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has resigned, effective today.

Christine Bronson was deputy commissioner of the state’s largest agency; she’d been Medicaid director since 2004. DHS Communications Director Terry Gunderson said Bronson cited personal and professional reasons for leaving DHS.

Bronson didn’t immediately return a phone message seeking comment Friday afternoon.

Bronson’s departure came in the wake of significant cuts in public health insurance programs proposed byGov. Tim Pawlenty and DHS Commissioner Cal Ludeman.

Senate Health and Human Services Budget Division Chairwoman Rep.Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, said she was told about two weeks ago that Bronson was resigning. She said Bronson didn’t give a clear reason for leaving DHS. But Berglin said she assumes that her decision was influenced by the budget situation.

"Between the lines, I assumed it may have had something to do with the budget," Berglin said.

Berglin said losing itsdirector of Medicaid will hurt DHS right now, as the department struggles with tough expected decisions coming down from the feds and with the budget reductions that Pawlenty is proposing.

Pawlenty’s budget, released Tuesday, put public health care spending on the chopping block. The governor, who is faced with a $4.8 billion budget deficit for 2010-2011, proposed heavy cuts to the eligibility of public health programs, saying that without them,costs would increase by 22 percent. The governor’s proposal would make 55,000 adults without children ineligible for public health insurance in 2009.

Bronson had served as deputy commissioner since 2007, and became the state’s Medicaid director in December 2004. She had been named the acting Medicaid director in 2003.Before that she was DHS’s director of policy development. She had also been an administrator on the state House Health and Human Services Finance Committee.

No announcement has been made on a replacement for Bronson’s position, Gunderson said.

As Medicaid director, Bronson led the state’ efforts to coordinate with the federal government to provide health care for sick and elderly Minnesotans. Minnesota’ Medicaid program, known as Medical Assistance, is the state’ largest public health insurance program.