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Roughly two months after another proposed health insurance expansion for low-income Utahns died, the state's Medicaid director is stepping down. Michael Hales, who held the post for a decade, will join the private sector, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) announced Thursday. The agency did not give more details on the move, and Hales declined to comment. His deputy, Nathan Checketts, will become interim director Dec. 31 as a search for a permanent replacement gets underway. (Knox, 12/10)

In the 10 years of Hales' direction, the program has undergone many changes, including implementation of the Medicaid Preferred Drug List, which saved taxpayers $46 million last year, the health department reports. Medicaid also converted to Accountable Care Organizations under Hales' watch. Various services have also been expanded, including coverage of treatment of autism spectrum disorders and other medically complex conditions. Also under Hales' watch, Medicaid systems were breached by hackers in 2012, leading the department of health to contact and assist thousands of Utahns with long-term identity protection plans. (Leonard, 12/10)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is in Iowa this week assessing the state’s readiness to transition the management of Iowa’s Medicaid program into the hands of four private companies on Jan. 1. Critics say the process has been unorganized and rushed, and many Medicaid recipients complain they don’t have enough information to determine which, if any, of the Managed Care Organizations best fits their coverage needs. (Boden, 12/10)

Iowa Department of Administrative Services Director Janet Phipps on Tuesday rejected a request from Aetna, one of the unsuccessful bidders for the lucrative state contract, to immediately freeze the state’s effort to privatize Medicaid on Jan. 1. (Clayworth, 12/10)