Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson submitted his resignation Tuesday, according to his office, and is planning to leave office next month.
Levinson, 70, did not give any reason for his departure in his resignation letter but told President Trump that serving as inspector general for HHS has been a great privilege.
“I am grateful for the support of your Administration in continuing to help provide the resources necessary for this office to fulfill its important work to protect HHS programs from fraud and abuse, and to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness in program operations,” he said.
Levinson’s departure date is May 31, and Principal Deputy Inspector General Joanne Chiedi will step in as acting inspector general on June 1.
“Dan Levinson has been a valued friend and colleague since our time together beginning at HHS in the 2000s, and all of HHS is grateful for his more than three decades of federal service,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement. “Under Dan’s leadership, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has done tireless, invaluable work to protect program beneficiaries and taxpayer funds, improve the management and integrity of HHS programs, and respond to emerging challenges such as the ongoing opioid crisis.”
Former President George W. Bush appointed Levinson to the position in September 2004.
The inspector general heads an organization of more than 1,600 auditors, evaluators, investigators, and lawyers who oversee the trillion dollars in spending on federal healthcare programs each year.
Levinson, who has a law degree from Georgetown, also serves on the Executive Council of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. Prior to his appointment to HHS, Levinson acted as inspector general of the U.S. General Services Administration, where he oversaw the integrity and management of federal agencies and properties.
