Earl Winfrey Brian Jr. (1942 – November 2, 2020) was an American physician and businessman who served as Director of California's Department of Health Care Services, and then as Secretary of California's Agency for Health and Welfare under Governor Ronald Reagan.
Brian was later charged with conspiring to cover up the firm's financial difficulties and sentenced to four years in prison.
During his term as secretary, Brian succeeded in implementing a requirement for a $2 co-payment from Medi-Cal recipients for each doctor's visit,[2] but failed in an attempt to curtail medical benefits available under Medi-Cal when the state lost a suit brought by the California Medical Association.
[4] In 1988, the company acquired United Press International (UPI), one of the two major American news wire services at the time.
[5] In 1995, Brian was charged with conspiracy and fraud for inflating the value of FNN and UPI in an attempt to secure loans to shore up the companies.