Breaking: Health and Family Services Secretary to resign

Looks like another one bites the dust. While I don't know if this one is related to the merit system scandal, Fletcher's staff has been dropping like flies. Health and Family Services Secretary James W. Holsinger Jr., M.D., will resign effective at the end of the year. Some excerpts from the press release follow:

"Together with Governor Fletcher, we have made great strides in improving health care standards for thousands of Kentuckians while impacting their lives in many far-reaching and positive ways," said Holsinger. "I greatly appreciate the Governor's having given me this opportunity to work with him, and the people of the Commonwealth to work with them as we strive to make Kentucky a healthier and safer place to live."

"For the past two years, Secretary Holsinger has shown great leadership in working with this administration to address many health challenges facing the Commonwealth," said Governor Fletcher. "We have taken great steps in a positive direction under Jim's leadership, and we will continue our work to make Kentucky a healthier state in the future."

"Few state executives are as versed in public health policy as Governor Fletcher and it was an honor to have served him as his chief public health officer," said Holsinger.

Holsinger will continue to serve the administration as chairman of the Get Healthy Kentucky! Board and as an unpaid health adviser to the Governor. He will return to the University of Kentucky as professor of medicine, a post which he left while on sabbatical to join the Fletcher administration.

Holsinger's tenure was marked by the successful merger of the former Cabinet for Health Services and Cabinet for Families and Children into the current Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which created greater efficiency and coordination in the delivery of health and social services to Kentucky's most vulnerable citizens. In addition, Holsinger has overseen the modernization of Kentucky's Medicaid program, upgrading its infrastructure and policies while avoiding the cuts to enrollment or optional services seen in many other states.

"I am confident that the team in place at the Cabinet will continue to be highly effective in realizing the Governor's goal of improving the health and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth," said Holsinger.

He will be an unpaid advisor? Something about that doesn't make since but at least it's unpaid.