A Medical Device Daily

Tommy Thompson, former Health and Human Services Secretary and former governor of Wisconsin, has been appointed to the board of Centene (St. Louis), a provider of managed care programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid. Thompson will fill a two-year term as a Class II director.

Michael Neidorff, Centene CEO and chairman, said that Thompson’s “extensive experience and substantial contributions to the development of sound public policy will help Centene to evolve to the appropriate paradigm under which healthcare is provided to low-income recipients.”

David Steward, a board member and chair of its governance committee, said, “The board and I . . . anticipate his meaningful participation in driving policies and programs to ensure the Medicaid population receives the highest quality care in a cost-effective manner.”

Centene operates health plans in Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin, and it contracts with other organizations to provide specialty services such as behavioral health, nurse triage and pharmacy compliance.