Gov. Brown Appoints Two Bay Area Men to State Healthcare Agencies

Gov. Jerry Brown appointed two Bay Area men to serve in state healthcare agencies Thursday, officials announced. Brent Barnhart, of Danville, was appointed director of the Department of Managed Health Care. Brown also appointed John Shen, of Berkeley, chief of the Long Term Care Division at the Department of Health Care Services.

Barnhart, 68, spent 13 years as senior counsel at the Oakland-based nonprofit Kaiser Foundation Health Plan from 1996 to 2009. Prior to that, he was a policy consultant to the California State Assembly for three years. At Blue Cross of California, Barnhart served as legislative affairs director, senior attorney and legislative advocate. He was also the California legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1975 to 1983.

The Department of Managed Health Care is designed to ensure aggressive prevention of illness, high quality health care and cost-effective regulatory oversight, according to officials. The director of the department works with external stakeholders to maintain an accountable and prudent health care delivery system that promotes healthier Californians, officials said.

The position requires Senate confirmation and its compensation is $142,965.

Shen, whose appointment does not require Senate approval, worked as a health care consultant for Marin and Contra Costa counties for four years. In his last job, the 61-year-old was executive director of the Marin Community Clinic from 1997 to 2011. He also served as geriatric planning director at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

The Republican would earn $122,196 as chief of the Long Term Care Division at the Department of Health Care Services, state officials said.

Brown also appointed Sacramento resident Shelley Rouillard to a healthcare-related position. The 55-year-old was appointed chief deputy director of the Department of Managed Health Care. Rouillard, a Democrat, would earn $125,000. The job does not require Senate confirmation.

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