MADISON - Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, was appointed Wisconsin Medicaid Director Thursday by Gov.-elect Scott Walker.
Davis will be in charge of the state's Medicaid and medical assistance programs.
He begins his duties Monday.
"It's a huge responsibility," Davis said. "The programs touches the lives of about 1 million people in Wisconsin, which is about 20 percent of the state's population, and accounts for about 10 percent of the state's total budget."
Among the programs under Davis' direction are BadgerCare and long-term care financing.
Davis' department will be among the departments in the state's Department of Health Services. Dennis Smith, who headed up the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will lead the Department of Health Services.
Davis and Smith worked together in Washington D.C. when former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson was secretary of the United States Health and Human Services Department.
Davis represented the 80th Assembly District, which included all of Green County and portions of Lafayette, Rock and Dane counties since January 2005.
Before he ran for the Assembly in 2004, the Monroe High School graduate worked as an aide to Rep. Mike Powers, R-Albany and later worked for Tommy Thompson when Thompson was governor of Wisconsin.
Davis ran for lieutenant governor in 2010, but was defeated in the September primary.
Davis served on the Assembly's education, financial institutions, renewable energy and rural affairs, and rural economic development committees in the 2009-10 legislative session.
He and his wife, Amy, and their three children, Will, Audrey and Sam, live in Oregon.
Davis will be in charge of the state's Medicaid and medical assistance programs.
He begins his duties Monday.
"It's a huge responsibility," Davis said. "The programs touches the lives of about 1 million people in Wisconsin, which is about 20 percent of the state's population, and accounts for about 10 percent of the state's total budget."
Among the programs under Davis' direction are BadgerCare and long-term care financing.
Davis' department will be among the departments in the state's Department of Health Services. Dennis Smith, who headed up the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will lead the Department of Health Services.
Davis and Smith worked together in Washington D.C. when former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson was secretary of the United States Health and Human Services Department.
Davis represented the 80th Assembly District, which included all of Green County and portions of Lafayette, Rock and Dane counties since January 2005.
Before he ran for the Assembly in 2004, the Monroe High School graduate worked as an aide to Rep. Mike Powers, R-Albany and later worked for Tommy Thompson when Thompson was governor of Wisconsin.
Davis ran for lieutenant governor in 2010, but was defeated in the September primary.
Davis served on the Assembly's education, financial institutions, renewable energy and rural affairs, and rural economic development committees in the 2009-10 legislative session.
He and his wife, Amy, and their three children, Will, Audrey and Sam, live in Oregon.