California Hires Top Regulatory Officials

Governor Gavin Newsom hired two top health care regulatory officials. Mary Watanabe is Director of the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC). She joined the department in 2015 as the Deputy Director for Health Policy and Stakeholder Relations. Previously, she was Deputy Director for the Sales Division at Covered California. California Association of Health Plans (CAHP) President and CEO Charles Bacchi said, “With so many challenges facing our health care system, and the importance of the Department of Managed Health Care, Mary’s appointment will provide much-needed stability, especially during these challenging times.

Elizabeth Landsberg is Director of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). Previously, she was the Director of Policy Advocacy for the Western Center on Law & Poverty. Bacci said, “We look forward to working with Elizabeth on the important work that OSHPD is doing regarding a health care payment system. There are many important decisions to be made around increasing transparency in health care costs to help policymakers and the public better understand cost drivers”