With a scant 16 months to go before the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there may be no more hard-pressed champions of health care today than the two-dozen-plus members of the Connecticut Health Care Cabinet, who come from a range of backgrounds, mainly at state agencies, advocacy groups, insurance carriers and health clinics. Only a few have experience on the purchasing end of health insurance, an audience that is key for health reform to work.
The list includes directors of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange under development.
Ellen Andrews is executive director of the Connecticut Health Policy Project in New Haven, which works to improve access to affordable, quality health care. She has a Ph.D. in genetics from Yale University. Her group has been publishing ongoing “report cards” of the state”™s efforts to implement health reform.
“We are now 13.7 percent of the way toward health reform. Unfortunately we are up only slightly from last month”™s 13.2 percent performance. At this rate, it will take over 14 years to fully implement reform, but Jan. 1, 2014 is only a year and a half away.” ”“ from Aug. 1 Connecticut Health Policy Project blog.
Pat Baker is CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation in Hartford, having previously been director of Connecticut government programs at Oxford Health Plans. She was also executive director of Planned Parenthood of Connecticut.
“Now let”™s do the work ”“ take this opportunity, move all the incredible promises offered in the Affordable Care (Act) into realities in people”™s lives. We”™re lucky Connecticut cares about expanding access here ”“ cares about outcomes.” ”“ from June 28 video following Supreme Court decision.
Stratford resident Ben Barnes is secretary of the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, previously heading operations for the Bridgeport Public Schools and before that for the city of Stamford.
Phil Boyle is vice president of Health Consultants Group L.L.C. in Plainville and has been a director of Connecticut Benefit Brokers.
Rod Bremby is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Social Services, having previously led Kansas”™ public health agency.
“This is a computer system that”™s 23 years old; that”™s Cobalt-built; that has over 520 databases; that has over 3,000 computer programs built-in. So we can”™t make the little tweak and the change that we would like to. What we”™re doing, actually, is building a new system to get that old system removed.” ”“ in July 24 testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly.
Kevin Counihan is CEO of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange, having beaten out 75 candidates for the job. Most recently he was president of Choice Administrators Exchange Solutions in Orange, Calif., which helps states create exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. From 2006 to 2011 he was chief marketing officer for the Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Authority, which administers that state”™s health insurance exchange.
Jeannette DeJesús is special adviser to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, running the state Office of Health Care Reform & Innovation. Previously she was vice president at the Connecticut Hospital Association.
“We ”¦ have to understand that there isn”™t any one health care reform decision that can be made in isolation, that we always have to look at these decisions and these policies that we create within the larger context of how they will affect other systems that we”™re creating.” ”“ in March 21 testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly.
Michael Devine of Westport is focused on barriers to individual health care coverage for the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange and is CEO of Earth Energy Alliance, a biodiesel fuel company.
Janice Gruendel is deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, having previously served as an early childhood expert in the administration of Gov. M. Jodi Rell
Bonita Grubbs is executive director of Christian Community Action, a social services organization in New Haven.
Mary Fox, a former Aetna Inc. executive, is on the board planning the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange, which is focused on issues relating to health insurance coverage for small businesses.
Steven Hanks is chief medical officer at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, having previously led efforts resulting in all Connecticut hospitals banning smoking.
William Handelman is a renal physician in Torrington who is president of the Connecticut State Medical Society and teaches at the University of Connecticut.
Jai Henderson is CEO of the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center in New Haven, previously leading T.H.E. Clinic in Los Angeles.
“Our patients place their trust in us, all of us in the health care field, to do what is best for them. A successful hand-off or transfer of a patient and their clinical information, builds trust. And when coupled with the overt acceptance of responsibility for an individual”™s care, then and only then have we all succeeded in transforming health care.” ”“ in July 2 testimony to a U.S. Senate committee.
Mickey Herbert is an expert on health care access issues faced by self-employed people for the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange, having previously been CEO of ConnectiCare in Farmington.
Joette Katz is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. Starting her career at the Shelton law firm known today as Winnick, Vine, Welch and Teodosio, she became the youngest justice ever appointed to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
Kevin Lembo is Connecticut comptroller, having previously been the state”™s first health care advocate.
“While the rest of the country is experiencing health care cost increases of more than 8 percent ”“ twice the general rate of inflation ”“ Connecticut, as an employer, will see no increase this year. This is not a coincidence but a direct result of health care innovations ”¦ that are moving the cost needle on health care.” ”“ in July 17 statement on Health Enhancement Program that encourages preventative care.
Thomas Leonardi is commissioner of the Connecticut Insurance Department, having previously been CEO of the Avon venture capital firm Northington Partners, and serving on the boards of multiple insurance companies.
“We have a robust and competitive market in Connecticut with seven companies currently writing individual major medical health insurance.” ”“ in Feb. 15 testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly.
Jeffrey Lucht is senior vice president of United Healthcare overseeing actuarial, underwriting and health care economics for its employer and individual business. Previously he was an executive with Aetna Inc. and before that Johns Hopkins Healthcare L.L.C.
Terrence Macy is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services and a past president of the board of the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits, having also been executive director of SARAH Tuxis Residential & Community Resources Inc. in Guilford.
Jewel Mullen is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, previously having been a public health official in Massachusetts.
Frances Padilla is executive vice president of the Universal Healthcare Foundation of Connecticut, having previously been president of New Paradigms Consulting with a focus on education, workforce development and neighborhood development.
Patricia Rehmer is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, previously CEO of the Capitol Region Mental Health Center and starting her career at the Institute for Living in Hartford.
Grant Ritter, a senior scientist with Schneider Institutes for Health Policy at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., is a health care economics expert working on the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange.
Margaret Smith is chief dental officer for Generations Family Health Center Inc. in Willimantic.
Linda St. Peter is president of IBIS Consortium ”“ Commercial and Investment Real Estate in Rocky Hill, and has served as president of the Connecticut Association of Realtors.
Bob Scalettar is the former chief medical officer for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, acting as a health care delivery systems expert on the board of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange.
Rob Tessier is executive director of the Connecticut Coalition of Taft-Hartley Health Funds, a group of employee-benefit funds covering 65,000 union and family members. Previously he was administrator for the New England Health Care Employees Welfare and Pension Funds. He is acting as a health care benefits plan administration expert for the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange.
Vicki Veltri is Connecticut”™s health care advocate, previously a staff attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid working on Medicaid and other health programs.
Joanne Walsh is CEO of Constellation Health Services in Norwalk. Earlier in her career she was associate executive director at Family Services-Woodfield in Bridgeport.
Ricka Wolman is director of pediatrics for the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, having previously served in medical positions for the March of Dimes and the state of Maine.
Cecilia Woods is vice chairperson of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, acting as a health care finance expert working on the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange.
Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman previously was the longtime comptroller for the state of Connecticut. She is the individual health insurance coverage expert assigned to the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange board.
Peter Zelez is fiscal administrative manager for the Connecticut Insurance Department, having previously been a plan controller for Aetna Inc.
