Two top officials within the Louisiana Department of Health received significant pay increases following the creation of the new surgeon general position by Gov. Jeff Landry and state lawmakers. In order to maintain budget balance, the governor’s administration eliminated another high-paying position within the agency.
Dr. Ralph Abraham, a former Congressman and primary care physician, was chosen by Landry to serve as Louisiana’s first-ever surgeon general. Abraham will continue to receive the same salary of $260,000 annually that he earned while serving as the secretary of the health department over the past six months. Additionally, two of his deputies experienced pay raises as part of a reshuffling of the agency’s executive team.
Michael Harrington received a $51,000 increase in pay when he moved from the position of undersecretary to Abraham’s previous role as secretary. His salary rose from $189,000 to $240,000 per year. Drew Maranto, who transitioned from being Abraham’s chief of staff to the health department’s undersecretary, also saw an increase in pay from $150,000 to $170,000 per year. These changes in job titles are not expected to raise the overall salary expenditures within the health department.
The previous state health officer, Dr. Joe Kanter, who left the department in February, was earning $244,000 annually at the end of the previous year. The Landry administration eliminated the state health officer position, transferring those responsibilities to the surgeon general role.
Last week, Landry announced that the surgeon general and health secretary will work together to oversee the health department. Abraham will focus on public health concerns and medical treatment guidelines, while Harrington will manage health care spending and the agency’s employees. Health care spending makes up nearly half of the state government’s total operating budget each year, with Louisiana projected to allocate $19.7 billion towards health care needs in the upcoming year.