Another high-ranking official leaving the state health commission - Chron.com
AUSTIN -- The second-in-command at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has decided to retire, continuing a year of change at the state's biggest bureaucracy. Phil Gramm, has worked in Texas health services since 1997. He was named chief deputy commissioner by then-Gov. Since then, he has been a close partner of Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek, who was appointed to his job at the same time as Traylor and had no previous experience in the agency. The chief deputy made $235,000 per year -- only a little less than Janek -- and was seen by many employees as the true source of power in some areas. Traylor's retirement had been planned and was unrelated to ethical questions that so far have forced four high-ranking officials to resign since December, according to a spokeswoman. Questions about a $110 million Medicaid fraud detection contract given without competition to a local company led to the departures of commission anti-fraud watchdog Doug Wilson, top lawyer Jack Stick and Stick's wife, Erica, who was serving as... Deputy chief of staff Casey Haney left after it surfaced that he had gotten $97,000 up-front to go to graduate school. The agency also is without Wayne Wilson, the deputy commissioner for contracting, who is on medical leave and expected to retire soon. Source: www.chron.com
