CHCF President and CEO Sandra R. Hernández released the following statement regarding CalHHS Secretary Mark Ghaly’s announcement that he will be retiring on October 1st:
Over the past five years, Dr. Mark Ghaly has worked hard to build a legacy as one of the most transformational health care leaders in California state history. During his highly successful tenure as Governor Gavin Newsom’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, he helped America’s largest and most socially diverse state navigate and effectively and equitably respond to the unprecedented health care crisis that is COVID-19.
He led the effort to modernize Medicaid, transforming the nation’s largest Medicaid program into one of the most progressive public insurance programs in the country. He helped dramatically make our health care system more inclusive by expanding Medicaid eligibility to all low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status, and reducing the percentage of uninsured residents to an all-time low.
As a clinician and medical leader, Dr. Gulley has demonstrated a deep belief in whole-person care and has worked tirelessly to integrate highly complex health and social service systems by interconnecting clients’ electronic data.
He never shied away from addressing important issues like health care financing and affordability, and he defended the state’s historic investment in expanding the health care workforce while working to ensure that it was more representative of historically marginalized communities.
“Through it all, he never stopped putting compassion and justice at the center of our state’s efforts to help millions of Californians who are underserved by our health care system. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Ghaly for his leadership, partnership, and historic contributions to people across California.
Jose Luis Villegas
Jose Luis Villegas is a freelance photojournalist based in Sacramento, California who does editorial and commercial work. He has co-authored three books on Latino baseball. His work has also appeared in Ken Burns’ documentaries. Top of the 10th Inning and, Playbol! The exhibition debuted at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and has since been shown in museums across the country. Read more
