Gov. Jeff Landry has appointed Bruce Greenstein, the health secretary under former Gov. Bobby Jindal, to help lead Louisiana’s Department of Health again.
“With his deep understanding of healthcare systems, from Medicaid to post-acute care, Bruce Greenstein’s appointment as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health marks a new era for Louisiana’s healthcare,” Landry said in a statement released Friday.
Greenstein, who has worked in both public and private health care, was ousted from his job in 2013 following a federal investigation into a $200 million Medicaid contract awarded to his former employer, Client Network Services Inc. (CNSI), the Advocate reported. He was accused of using his influence to help the company secure the contract, but federal authorities never charged him.
A state grand jury later indicted Greenstein on nine counts of perjury related to his alleged involvement in the award. Prosecutors said he had exchanged hundreds of messages with company execs and even suggested changes to the bid criteria that helped CNSI qualify. Greenstein pleaded not guilty, and claimed the conversations were personal, the Times-Picayune reported.
Landry, who was attorney general at the time, dropped the case in 2015, citing a lack of evidence. According to the Louisiana Illuminator, campaign finance records show CNSI gave $52,500 to Landry’s campaign and a supporting PAC during his run for office.
After Landry dropped the charges, Greenstein joined the Trump administration as chief technology officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He brings more private sector experience to the role, having led teams at Quartet Health, Blend Health Insights, and Microsoft. He’s also been on several health care boards and advised programs at George Washington University and the University of Louisiana.
In 2018, he joined Lafayette-based LHC Group, a company that specializes in in-home health care, as an executive.
“Having served before, I understand the unique challenges our state faces. I’m more committed than ever to driving meaningful change,” Greenstein said in a joint statement with Landry and other state officials.
Landry called Greenstein the most qualified person for the role, while Surgeon General Ralph Abraham said his experience in the industry would help bring “transformative change” to the state’s health care system.
