Former state public-health commissioner Jeff Howard is interim director of Metro Louisville Department of Health and Wellness

Dr. Jeffrey Howard

Dr. Jeffrey Howard, the longest-serving of three public-health commissioners in the previous state administration, has been named acting director of the Louisville Metro Department of Health and Wellness.

Howard succeeds Dr. Sarah Moyer, who will become chief medical officer for Humana Healthy Horizons, the new name for the health-insurance company's Medicaid plan in Kentucky. She will remain an adviser until June 30, the end of the the fiscal year, and start her new job on July 5.

Howard's "commitment to equitable health outcomes, paired with his experience at the state and federal levels makes him the right person to lead our health department at this critical time," Mayor Greg Fischer said.

Howard has been the department's contracted medical director since October. He told Kentucky Health News he still plans to leave to become a general surgeon at Louisville's Norton Healthcare in August.

Howard, a native of Harlan County, was health commissioner in 2017-19, during the term of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. He left to become a White House fellow for a year, then returned to complete his residency at the University of Louisville.