Pillen appoints new Medicaid, long-term care director

Drew Gonshorowski

LINCOLN, Neb. – Governor Jim Pillen has named Drew Gonshorowski as the new director of Medicaid and Long-Term Carefor the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Gonshorowski is set to begin his role on Dec. 9, with an annual salary of $185,000.

Gonshorowski brings over a decade of experience as a policy analyst, most recently serving as a senior research fellow at the Paragon Health Institute. Prior to that, he worked with The Heritage Foundation, focusing on Medicaid, health insurance markets, and evaluating the impacts of health policy reforms. His expertise extends to social security and retirement issues.

A graduate of Hillsdale College in Michigan, Gonshorowski earned his master’s degree in economics from Suffolk University in Massachusetts.

He will succeed Matt Ahern, who has served as interim director since December 2023. Gov. Pillen acknowledged Ahern’s contributions, stating, “I appreciate Matt’s public service during his time at DHHS. Before accepting the role as interim, he was the deputy director for that division. I thank him for his oversight of MLTC over this past year.”

The appointment marks a significant leadership transition for DHHS as the state continues to navigate Medicaid and long-term care challenges.