Carol Steckel, North Carolina’s Medicaid director, resigned after eight months on the job and a salary of $210,000, which is “higher than the top state salary set for the Medicaid director.” High-profile resignations are cause to publicly pity your least favorite elected official. The bulk of articles blame Governor Pat McCrory for acting as if the $14 billion state program in a tumultuous DHHS is unsustainable.
Rep. Larry Hall, the House minority leader, said Steckel’s departure is more evidence of a troubled department. DHHS is still struggling with a new Medicaid payment system that started in July. Doctors and other health care providers have been complaining that they’ve had trouble getting paid and that their calls for help have been futile.
In addition to the Medicaid payment problems, Hall said he’s had dozens of complaints about the department’s computer program that administers the food stamp program.
