Sue Birch, the head of the agency that oversees , is stepping down from her post in favor of a job overseeing health care coverage in another state, becoming the third high-ranking member of Gov. John Hickenlooper’s .
Birch, executive director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, will officially end her tenure next month to take a position as the director for Washington state.
Her departure comes as hospitals and health care providers across the state after the state Medicaid department, overseen by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, went live with a new technology system earlier in the year.
“Sue has ushered Colorado through incredible changes to our health care system,” Hickenlooper said in a written statement. “With her guidance, we’ve expanded coverage for all Coloradans, streamlined services and worked to contain costs. She has been an integral part of my Cabinet and will be missed.”
Birch was appointed as executive director of the DHCPF by Hickenlooper in January 2011.
On her watch, the state’s uninsured rate dropped and Colorado saved $285 million through the Medicaid Accountable Care Collaborative over four years, according with the agency.
The governor’s office says she oversaw implementation of Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act in the state and that under her leadership Colorado has consistently ranked among the top states in health system performance and long-term services.
“Itap been an honor to serve Coloradans over the past six and a half years,” Birch said in a statement. “I’m proud of the steps our state has taken collaboratively with partners, providers and other stakeholders to be the healthiest state in the nation. I’ll miss Colorado but am excited to continue working toward health system transformation.”
Birch’s departure adds to the list of shakeups in Hickenlooper’s administration as of late.
Last week, Shailen Bhatt, executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation, from his job in December.
And late last month, Ellen Golombek said she would leave her post as executive director of the Department of Labor and Employment to take a post with a national workforce advocacy agency.
In August, Barbara Brohl leading the Colorado Department of Revenue. In June, from his position as executive director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies .
The high-level departures from Hickenlooper’s administration pose a distraction as the governor, who is term limited, works to accomplish long-standing goals .