DHS deputy secretary named to Medicaid board

Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Deputy Secretary for Programs and State Medicaid Director Janet Mann has been elected to serve on the board of sirectors for the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD), the organization announced Tuesday.

Beginning in April, Mann will be one of two south regional representatives on the board. She was elected by NAMD membership to serve along with health care leaders from Alabama, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

NAMD is a professional community of state leaders who provide health insurance to nearly 80 million individuals and families through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

"The National Association of Medicaid Directors is a respected leader in the Medicaid world that has a rich history of providing support and resources to state agencies throughout this country," Mann said. "I am proud to join the leaders on this board to help develop new and innovative ways to serve my fellow directors, and as a result serve the millions of Medicaid beneficiaries we represent."

Mann has spent more than two decades in roles rooted in ensuring that Medicaid provides effective coverage for the beneficiaries who rely upon it while remaining financially sustainable for years to come. She previously served as the director of the DHS Division of Medical Services from 2019-2021, and left for roles in the private sector before returning to DHS in 2023 to serve in her current position. She previously served as deputy administrator for medicaid in Mississippi from 2006-2010 and worked at different times as a consultant focused on areas such as program integrity, managed care, audit and compliance and financial processes.

"Janet is a respected leader with an impressive understanding of how Medicaid works, and how it can best serve the eligible individuals and families who rely on it," DHS Secretary Kristi Putnam said. "I'm proud to see her elected to the board, and I know that she and her fellow representatives will work together to advance the Medicaid programs in Arkansas and also across the country."