Scott Leitz is assistant commissioner of Health Care at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). He oversees Minnesota’s Medicaid program. DHS is one of the largest health care purchasers in the state serving more than 700,000 program enrollees. Leitz is responsible for eligibility and benefit policy, state MinnesotaCare operations, provider contracts and payment systems, and health reform initiatives in publicly funded programs. He was appointed to his post in January 2011.

Leitz has 16 years experience in the health care and public health fields. Prior to this position, he was director of public policy for Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Leitz has also held several positions at the Minnesota Department of Health over the course of his career, most recently serving as Assistant Commissioner where he oversaw the development, passage, and implementation of Minnesota’s landmark 2008 health reform act. He previously served as health policy division director, health economics program director, federal relations coordinator and research economist.

Leitz has a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a master’s in public affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.