NASHVILLE (AP) — The director of Tennessee's Medicaid program plans to leave his job to return to the private sector, TennCare announced Friday.

A news release from TennCare says Republican Gov. Bill Lee has not yet named a successor to Gabe Roberts, who is expected to depart on March 2.

The decision comes during negotiations with the federal government over Tennessee's $7.9 billion block grant proposal to become the first state to receive funding in a lump sum for its Medicaid program. Lee has said he's hopeful a response from the federal government on the plan might come by this summer.

Roberts joined TennCare as general counsel in 2013. He was promoted to deputy director and chief operating officer in 2016. Lee appointed him to become director last January.

TennCare provides health insurance to approximately 1.4 million low-income Tennesseans, including pregnant women, children, caretaker relatives of dependent children and older adults, and disabled adults.