Alternative Headline: Medicaid Leader Promoted in Idaho
[MM Curator Summary]: Idaho’s top Medicaid official, Juliet Charron, will lead the state’s health agency amid sweeping Medicaid reforms and budget pressures.
==============================
Idaho Gov. Brad Little has appointed the state’s top Medicaid official to oversee the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Little on Thursday nominated Juliet Charron to become the director of Idaho’s largest state government agency. She will lead the agency starting Sept. 15, 2025, the governor’s office announced in a news release.
Charron, who has worked for Health and Welfare for nearly four years, will lead the agency at a time of deep federal cuts to public assistance programs. Idaho Medicaid is also gearing up for a range of newcost-cutting measures like work requirements and shifting all benefits to being managed by private companies, under a new law passed this year by the Idaho Legislature.
“Juliet Charron brings an impressive level of knowledge, experience, and leadership ability to lead Health and Welfare, an agency that serves hundreds of thousands of Idahoans through its various programs,” the governor said in a statement. “I am confident she will lead Health and Welfare with integrity and transparency and with an eye for delivering services with the greatest efficiency.”
Idaho agency’s current director may join Trump administration
The agency’s current director, Alex Adams, was nominated by President Donald Trump to a federal health position. Earlier Thursday, a U.S. Senate committee advanced Adams’ nomination to serve as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s assistant secretary for family support to the full U.S. Senate.
Adams became Idaho Department of Health and Welfare director in June 2024.
Little thanked Adams for his service in Idaho.
“His visionary approach over the years helped us achieve big priorities for Idaho and I am excited to see what he achieves for the American people while working under President Trump,” the governor added.
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the largest state agency, runs public assistance programs and more
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare runs public assistance programs like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Women and Infant Children program. The health department also provides public health services, regulates long-term care facilities, runs the state’s mental health hospitals, provides child welfare and provides services for people with developmental disabilities.
Little’s appointment of Charron to direct the agency is subject to approval by the Idaho Senate next legislative session.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is Idaho’s largest state government agency, with a more than $5 billion budget that is mostly federal funds.
In a statement, Charron said she looked forward to pursuing “clear outcomes in our programs and services” and delivering “aggressive transparency across the agency.”
“It is an honor and a privilege to continue to serve the people of Idaho and lead the dedicated team at the Department of Health and Welfare as we strengthen the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans,” she said. “I look forward to collaboratively working with our many stakeholders, including state policymakers, advocates, Idaho taxpayers, and those we serve, to tirelessly pursue clear outcomes in our programs and services, provide excellent customer service, and deliver aggressive transparency across the agency.”
Charron led Idaho Medicaid through managed care plans, Medicaid disenrollment through ‘unwinding’
In 2021, Charron became the administrator of Idaho Medicaid. In 2024, she became deputy director for Medicaid and behavioral health.
In her time leading Idaho Medicaid, she regularly presented to lawmakers as the Legislature explored privatizing Medicaid benefit management. That model, called managed care, is used widely across the country and is meant to stabilize Medicaid costs. For years, Republican state lawmakers have worried about Idaho Medicaid’s rising budget — leading to a cost-cutting law this year that includes a shift to managed care.
Charron also managed Idaho Medicaid when the state removed tens of thousands of Idahoans from Medicaid after the end of pandemic-era protections that essentially barred states from removing people from Medicaid. That process is commonly called Medicaid unwinding.
Governor’s office officials said Charron strengthened oversight of Idaho’s largest government contracts, saving costs for taxpayers and improving health outcomes. She also used data to guide decisions to identify cost containment areas, governor’s office officials said.
Charron previously worked in leadership positions in Texas for the state’s Medicaid program and the state’s Office of Inspector General, according to her LinkedIn page.
She received a Master of Public Health from University of Arizona, and a bachelor’s degree in public policy, planning and management from University of Oregon, according to her LinkedIn.
COLOR CODE:
General item, but important. Gets at main point of article= YELLOW
Has a dollar amount or number = GREEN
A specific topic that seems to be different than other topics = BLUE